FTDI questions
Buck Rogers
Posts: 2,190
Hello!
I found out about two days ago that FTDI now has a US office. And that they also make eval modules for their USB comm chips. Surprisingly enough their eval units, look much like the ones made by DLP Design. And Mouser who's also a Parallax dealer also sells both. The FTDI one is cheaper. But here's why I'm asking about this here. According to their website the FTDI USB device is actually made by Parallax for FTDI.
Now I know that Parallax is an agent of FTDI, and indeed the adapters, and the BS1USB use them. So here's the question: Does Parallax have a discussion space for the use of the FTDI chips?
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Buck Rogers
www.gregg.levine.name
I found out about two days ago that FTDI now has a US office. And that they also make eval modules for their USB comm chips. Surprisingly enough their eval units, look much like the ones made by DLP Design. And Mouser who's also a Parallax dealer also sells both. The FTDI one is cheaper. But here's why I'm asking about this here. According to their website the FTDI USB device is actually made by Parallax for FTDI.
Now I know that Parallax is an agent of FTDI, and indeed the adapters, and the BS1USB use them. So here's the question: Does Parallax have a discussion space for the use of the FTDI chips?
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Buck Rogers
www.gregg.levine.name
Comments
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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com
Just for the sake of an argument I've gone and ordered the FTDI-Parallax eval device for the UM245R USB-Parallel FIFO from Mouser electronics. Except for goofing on my last name, the whole ordering process was almost as easy as ordering from Parallax directly.
However the documentation and necessary drivers were downloaded from FTDI since they haven't migrated across to Mouser.·
But is it a coincidence that the USB2Serial adapter that Parallax sells that uses FTDI hardware looks exactly like the same·module from FTDI?
I still haven't completely worked out the details behind how the thing has a co-brand from Parallax on the Mouser on-line catalog pages, I suspect its because Parallax made the actual hardware, and FTDI supplied the chips. Of course the USB connector could come from any of a thousand different places. Incidentally the one from FTDI-Parallax is cheaper then DLP. I suspect its because DLP wants to charge more for their design efforts, and because they were a first and second generation design shop. Whereas this is a third generation design and incorporates all of the solved problems and issues that surfaced from then.
Note for the IT Guy, what about setting up a sub-forum for the discussion of FTDI issues as they impact the behavior of Parallax hardware, both good and eventually bad.
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Buck Rogers
www.gregg.levine.name
·· Okay, the eval kit you got, was this the USB2SER development tool?· We built that, but we don't have an evaluation board that I am aware of.· FTDI may make their own eval board but we don't carry that.· If Mouser does it shouldn't say Parallax, Inc. unless it's also on our website.
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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com