USB to Digital I/O converter

Does anyone know of a reasonably priced USB to digital I/O converter?

I am looking for something which will provide 16 digital inputs and 16 digital outputs, 5v TTL, open collector, or whatever, opto isolation is not required.

I need to install some digital I/O onto a couple of laptop computers which have only USB available at the moment.

A USB to parallel (ie printer) port just will not cut it for the application I have in mind.

I have done a bit of Googling, and found a few which may fit the bill, but I was hoping that someone here may have experience of a suitable unit.
By reasonably priced, I mean less than £200. This is for a work application, not hobby.

JimB

Jim,

I've used the ones from USBmicro, and I think they may fit the bill. The 421 is $38.

Edit: forgot to add the link: **broken link removed**

Thank you Analog.

They look as though they would do the job.
I would prefer a boxed version with screw terminals (because of the application) rather than a bare board), and directly available in the UK.

However, at $38 that gives me a bit of money to integrate them as I require.

Any other ideas anybody?

JimB

Hi,

Not true USB, but you could just buy a cheap USB<->serial adapter cable (10 quid ebay?) and use a cheap (<£2) microcontroller, possibly with shift registers for I/O expansion. The only issues really would be with the PC software (it would appear as a 'comm' NOT USB) and the limited datarate..which I believe it 1.5MB/s at the serial end (150kbytes/sec). For reading 2 bytes, and outputting 2 bytes....guess that 37.5k updates per second.

Failing that....I have seen serial -> I/O units....so you could just use them together. I'm certain some googling would yeild some 'kits', or even premade ones. 16 inputs and 16 outputs, is a reasonable size.

Probably not what you are looking for, but I DIY almost everything, and its worth a thought.

links you probably already have:
https://www.microdaq.com/measurement_computing/digital_io/index.php
https://elmicro.com/de/iowarrior.html


My two pennies

Blueteeth

Hi Jimb

maplin's do a range of USB interfaces...try their web site...www.maplins.co.uk.

I believe Velleman do a range aswell.....but think they are based in the USA...You can get some of there products from Maplins.

Hope this helps

regards
Kris.

krismoly said:

I believe Velleman do a range aswell.....but think they are based in the USA...You can get some of there products from Maplins.

Click to expand...

Velleman are from Belgium - like Hercule Poirot