Usb Digital I/o / Parallel Port

[Briam]

Hi

I'm working on a system that will be able to control my curtains from my computer. My plan is to use 2 l298 dual h-bridge and 4 DC motors together with 4 optic transistors for RPM. My problem is that there is no parallel port on my motherboard (and no pci either) and I've read that a parallel to usb adapter won't allow me to control each pin.

So what's the solution to this? Is there a usb thingy out there with programmable I/O's or a special usb to parallel adapter? Hope you know a solution

thanks in advance.

 

[trennonix]

i'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to control each pin if it's a full emulation of the parallel port.
But for controlling my built-in port, i used a DLL called inpout32.dll which you can easily find on the net and you can use it with VS2005
it allows you to control each pin; give it a try

Hope this helped in any way

 

[Briam]

Read it here **broken link removed** and somewhere else as well.

 

[Briam]

testing!

I just don't think they are **broken link removed**

Anyone acactually tried it with an adaptor?

 

[trennonix]

have you consiered getting USB to RS232 converter?
these are widely available and you can find kits that give you control over four or more relays through the serial port
you can always build your own, based on a PIC micro

 

[Briam]

Already have a usb to rs232 but didn't knew that such product was available. But in the meantime i found this product which seems to do exactly what i want.
SparkFun Electronics - USB Bit Whacker - 18F2553 Development Board

 

[BeeBop]

Hi,
Before I got into pics I tried one of these

Velleman nv

but they are expensive. You could make one easily with a PIC or AVR, etc...

they show up on eBay:

**broken link removed**

For the same money, you could buy yourself a pic programmer-experimenter board. Go here and look for the 'JuneBug'

blueroomelectronics - Smart Kits Build Smart People

or more specific:



Then you can build tons of stuff; PICs vary in price but start at around a buck each up to a few bux for the high end devices.

Hi

I'm working on a system that will be able to control my curtains from my computer. My plan is to use 2 l298 dual h-bridge and 4 DC motors together with 4 optic transistors for RPM. My problem is that there is no parallel port on my motherboard (and no pci either) and I've read that a parallel to usb adapter won't allow me to control each pin.

So what's the solution to this? Is there a usb thingy out there with programmable I/O's or a special usb to parallel adapter? Hope you know a solution

thanks in advance.

 

[Briam]

thankyou

I'm not 100% sure how pics work. I have worked with atmel stk500 and a few atmel microcontrollers. Is pics the same thing, just another brand or?

I just stumpled upon this:
https://www.schmalzhaus.com/UBW/index.html
You think that could do the job?


PS:
Some times when i post i just says that a moderator have to approve or something

 

[BeeBop]

Briam,
That is only because you are new. Keep posting and it will change soon.

Yes, the bit whacker would serve you well; sorry I missed that!

 

[Briam]

reply

Thanks for the help.

Do you know how i would access it in a c++ based program under linux?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Thanks for the help.

Do you know how i would access it in a c++ based program under linux?

Like any other serial port - the BitWhacker requires a driver on the PC that emulates a serial port via USB. Assuming there's such a driver for Linux, then you simply send out serial port text strings from the C++ program.

 

[Briam]

Thanks. I read a few places that it doesn't need a driver for ubuntu as it should be regonized as a serial.

Do you know a great place for c++ code examples using serial under linux?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Thanks. I read a few places that it doesn't need a driver for ubuntu as it should be regonized as a serial.

Do you know a great place for c++ code examples using serial under linux?

Sorry, I don't use either Linux or C++.

Surely there must be loads of LInux code for using the serial port?.

 

[BeeBop]

Thanks. I read a few places that it doesn't need a driver for ubuntu as it should be regonized as a serial.

Do you know a great place for c++ code examples using serial under linux?

No, but I know how to google.
Serial Programming HOWTO

A Linux serial port test program

Serial Programming Guide for POSIX Operating Systems - Michael R Sweet

 

[Briam]

I ordered the UWB from sparkfun. Will be interesting to see if i can get this working or not.

I'll return when i got it working

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I ordered the UWB from sparkfun. Will be interesting to see if i can get this working or not.

I recently built one from scratch, based on my 16F876 tutorial board.

 

[Briam]

Nice! I was thinking of building it myself aswell but it don't have alot of components in stock and therefore it would be more expensive than buying the finished thing.

 

[Briam]

Nigel Goodwin in which program did you make the drawing?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Nigel Goodwin in which program did you make the drawing?

Lochmaster 3.0