USBmicro U421 Versatile I/O
Dual-in-line package versatile USB interface
The U421 is a USB solution that is pre-built, pre-programmed, and pre-tested and will get you interfacing your PC (Win/Linux) or Mac (OSX) to various devices in very little time! There is no USB device assembly, no driver development, and no firmware to write. In many cases the U421 can be plugged into an experimenter's breadboard and circuit interfacing can begin immediately. Demo software applications can be used "right out of the box".
The U421 provides a simple digital i/o interface for the PC (Win/Linux) or Mac (OSX) . Sixteen i/o lines from the microcontroller are provided. Commands can be sent to the U421 that change the i/o lines from input to output. I/O lines can be individually selected as inputs or outputs. The U421 supports commands to read the ports, and if the ports are set to output, to write to the ports.
The U421 is an interface to SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) devices. SPI is a local synchronous serial bus that uses a clock line, two data lines, and a device select line for communication between a serial device and a host microcontroller. The firmware on the U421 provides generic access to read and write SPI devices. Because additional pins are available as generic i/o, the U421 can use these lines as slave select lines and address multiple SPI devices.
The SPI subsystem of the U421 can be used as a master to communicate with SPI devices such as EEPROMS and A/D converters. The U421 can also be used as a SPI slave to a microcontroller that uses the U421 as a gateway to the PC (Win/Linux) or Mac (OSX).
The U421 is a convenient way to interface a standard Hitachi-type of intelligent LCD controller to USB.
The U421 is an assembled and tested circuit card that is 1.5 inches (38.1mm) long and 0.75 inches (19.1mm) wide. The U421 is a printed circuit board in a 24-pin "DIP-like" format.
Comes with USB cable - no need to purchase one separately.