USB Master Development Kit

This kit enables users to begin USB Master development with Microchip's PIC^® PIC18 family and FTDI's Vinculum™ VNC1L USB Host Controller. The development kit includes the powerful PCWH Integrated Development Environment with compiler support for Microchip's PIC^® PIC10, PIC12, PIC16 and PIC18 families and an ICD-U80 in-circuit programmer/debugger that supports C-aware real time debugging.

The USB Master Prototyping Board allows a developer to add USB master functionality to an embedded system without the need of detailed knowledge of USB protocol. The prototyping board hosts a Vinculum™ VNC1L chip that allows for a microcontroller to interface with USB devices as the master bus.

The on-board PIC18F67J10 device communicates directly with the VNC1L chip through a series of commands. The user can communicate directly with the VNC1L chip through the RS232 port. DOS-like commands will control the VNC1L chip or USB peripheral devices. The board is loaded with a general purpose Vinculum™ VDAP (Vinculum™ Disks and Peripherals) firmware loaded. Exercises and examples include reading and writing to a BOMS (Bulk Only Mass Storage) device (A.K.A. USB Flash Stick), responding to keyboard strokes and interfacing with HID devices such as a printer.

About the VNC1L Chip:
The VNC1L chip allows a microcontroller to interface to other USB devices as the bus master. The VNC1L quickly allows the user the ability to interact with firmware programs that may be loaded onto the chip. The VNC1L chip can interface with common HID devices like a mouse or keypad. The VNC1L can also read and write a bulk-only mass storage device such as a Flash drive, act as a limited USB hub, communicate with a printer and communicate with CDC-class devices.

The USB Master Prototyping Board operates with Vinculum™ firmware. Vinculum™ offers several firmware options for the VNC1L chip and the user can select the firmware based on their application needs. In order to utilize other firmware loads available, a serial bootloader has been provided by CCS.

USB Master Pre-Loaded Firmware:
To decrease development time, CCS has pre-loaded firmware in the VNC1L chip including:

• General-purpose firmware for communicating with USB disks, as well as USB slave devices such as printers, keyboards and human interface devices (HID)
• Music firmware, the VNC1L can be interfaced with a specific SPI MP3 decoder to allow playback of MP3 files stored on a USB disk
• Disk and FTDI interface
• Firmware for disk, PC monitor, and slave applications that allow port one of the prototyping board to act like a FT232 chip
• Communication device firmware that enables CDC class connection with USB devices such as modems, faxes and wireless adapters
• Disk file copy applications that automatically copy all files from one device to a USB disk

The USB Master Prototyping Board (Size: 3" x 2.5") includes:

• PIC18F67J10 Flash Chip
• 14 I/O Pins (4 Can Be Analog)
• FTDI Vinculum VNC1-L
• RS-232 Port with RS-232 Level Converter
• Three LEDs
• One Potentiometer
• Two Pushbuttons
• 20 Pin Header To Access Unused I/O Pins
• USB Type A Receptacle

The USB Master Development Kit includes:

• USB Master Prototyping Board
• In-Circuit Programmer/Debugger
• Exercise Tutorial
• 9V AC Adapter
• Serial PC to Prototype Board Cable
• ICD to Prototype Board Cable
• USB PC to ICD Cable
• USB Flash Drive

Click here to view the Prototyping Accessories.