Interfacing question

[ecookman]

in my computer engeneering class, we are going to be building devices (robots) and using the computer to program them and then through the old school pringer ports interfacing with them.


PAIN IN THE ASS


is there a way i can interface with the old printer ports in a similar way with USB2.0 or fire wire (all I'd have to do is solder on different jacks to my robot..i think)


p.s
Reason being... I like my laptop not the extremely crappy barely runs XP school computers.

[md]

Short answer: No.

Slightly longer answer: Yes you can use USB; however it's significantly more work and would require a whole lot more work then just soldering on a new port.

[SNIPERDUDE]

Hmm, can you go slightly more into detail with the USB explanation please? I have been interested in this for a while now, and considering I'm taking Computer Engineering (first year, college) this year I might start this project.

How exactly would you be able to use USB? I use a lappy too.

[Tony]

with a Parallel Port, you could use high pins as a power source. Instead of sending data, you'd essentially be flipping a set of power switches.

A USB offers Serial Communication, so you'd have to start sending data as actual data, and then interpreting it on the device. You will also have only a single power source.

[andrew.]

From my understanding, USB stands for universal serial bus, which would mean it transfers the data in a serial manner (one signal after another). Parallel ports send data through each pin in parallel so you can multiple signals coming in at once. You would have to convert the data sent through serial into separate parallel pins or something like that.

P.S. I may be totally wrong, but that's how I picture it in my head.

[DtY]

I'm pretty sure you can get a USB parallel port. I know you can get RFC-232C USB ports, basically, you plug it into USB, and it shows up as a serial (or in this case parallel) port plugged in through USB.

You'll still need to use Windows (it sounds like you don't from the OP) since you'll definitely be using Turing for the interface.

[ecookman]

DtY @ Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:30 pm wrote:

I'm pretty sure you can get a USB parallel port. I know you can get RFC-232C USB ports, basically, you plug it into USB, and it shows up as a serial (or in this case parallel) port plugged in through USB.

You'll still need to use Windows (it sounds like you don't from the OP) since you'll definitely be using Turing for the interface.

actually Qbasic and DOS

[andrew.]

How will you run DOS on your computer? Are you using Windows XP+ with the command prompt, or are you running it in a VM, or are you running an older DOS based version of Windows?

[ecookman]

andrew. @ Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:45 pm wrote:

How will you run DOS on your computer? Are you using Windows XP+ with the command prompt, or are you running it in a VM, or are you running an older DOS based version of Windows?

I was thinking of a partition...but logically thinking, I don't think a DOS partition would work for USB.

is there a QB for Windows based machines?

[md]

USB is more work because it's not just a bus like a parallel port is. USB involves all sorts of signalling, profiles, a lot of extra software, etc. On the computer end it it's also more complicated, again because of the more network-based USB standard.

You can use a USB to parallel port adaptor, however most of those do not truely emulate a parallel port; they only do enough to talk to a printer not enough to actually control things (I tried one when wiring up an LCD display).

It's unfortunate because while you can draw a little bit of power from a parallel port, they really aren't designed for it. USB on the other hand has a dedicated 5V rail, and if you actually do the effort to speak USB you can ask for up to 500mW of power, which is a hell of a lot for most things.