PIC USB to PC interface

[DSGarcia]

I would like to use a PIC with on-board USB to communicate with a PC. Is it possible to communicate with the PC without loading a special driver on the PC? I would like the PIC to look like another COM port on the PC (as some USB to RS-232 serial converters appear).

Bonus question: I tried a search on USB but nothing showed up. I know there have been discussions on USB before, but what am I doing wrong in my search? I would like to find threads related to PICs communicating with PCs using a USB interface.

Thanks,
Dale

 

[blueroomelectronics]

The 18F4550 has USB and the Microchip site has examples of USB code for it using C18. Swordfish BASIC has a USB module. The PICkit2 (18F2550) uses the HID mode so no special driver needed for XP / Vista. USB Bitwhacker comes to mind too and my Unicorn kit is designed as a USB experimenter.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Check the various application notes at MicroChip, there are a number about USB on USB enabled 18F series devices.

If you want it to appear as a COM port, then use a simple serial/USB converter.

 

[AtomSoft]

Ive dont alot with usb and its fun. I dont know everything but i can share links:

**broken link removed**

(Software part of above: **broken link removed**)

USB Bitwhacker: UBW (USB Bit Whacker) Project

**broken link removed**

[edit]
If you want just GOOGLE "USB PIC" or "PIC USB" or anything like that

 

[DSGarcia]

Bill, Nigel, & Atom,
Thanks for the information. I will search for the application notes now I know it is possible. I had looked at the PIC24HJ datasheet and got lost with all the different possibilities.

Nigel, I had considered a USB to serial converter then going into the PIC with serial data, but I was going to have two RS-485 networks also on the PIC24HJ among other things and ran out of UARTs (unless I went to a higher pin count device which I want to avoid if possible). The USB to RS-485 converter I found (as an alternate to USB to RS-232) required loading a driver on the PC, which I want to avoid. I just want to plug and play so the PC can be anyone's PC and not have to keep track of a driver to load.

Thanks,
Dale

 

[DSGarcia]

If you want just GOOGLE "USB PIC" or "PIC USB" or anything like that

AtomSoft,
I was trying a search here on the forum. I'm sure I can Google the terms and get lots of hits, but I feel I would have more relevant results here. Am I doing something wrong when using the Search Forums? It has worked (sometimes) in the past but I cannot reliabily search for some reason.
Thanks,
Dale

 

[AtomSoft]

Heh i get unreliable results here also. Thats why i use google:

USB site:www.electro-tech-online.com
Type that in the Search field

 

[DSGarcia]

Heh i get unreliable results here also. Thats why i use google:

USB site:Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Schematics Electronics Circuit Project
Type that in the Search field

I'm glad it's not just me; I thought I was doing something wrong. Sometimes I get search results, sometimes nothing--and I don't know why.

Thanks,
Dale

 

[Phung Mai]

I’d like to share with anyone who wants to save money to make a<a href="http://www.lpilsley.co.uk/pdf/p16pro40.pdf ">P16PRO40 programmer designed by Bojan Dobaj</a>. Many people could not get this programmer to work and blamed on fast computer or WinXP. I don’t want to spend more money to buy a new programmer while that little P16PRO40 could program most of the PICs. If you are student and new to PICs Microchips then this is for you, the software (PICALL and Winpic) are free to download, schematic diagram and PCB layout are available on the nets, more importantly is that, it is simple you can build it yourself. <a href="http://phungmai871.blogspot.com/2008/12/p16pro40-programmer-worked-fine-on.html">I also post this on my personal web blog </a> for graphics convenience and hope that I can help some students who are new to the PICs Microchip.