USB-Serial Module

I'm sorry if this has been discussed, but doing a search revealed nothing. I have a USB-Serial Module via Go bus and can't actually figure out how to open a communication with it.

 

There's two things I would like to do in order of importance:

1) Use it to communicate with the PC

2) Use it to deploy and use the other USB for communication

 

It's probably something simple I'm missing, but not sure what...

 

The actual product is https://www.ghielect...log/product/287

 

I have the piezo, pot, button and led which I haven't even got to yet, but they seem pretty straight forward. It's this module that's got me stumped.

 

My test program from the PC can send to the USB-Serial as I see the light blinking on the module when I send text, I'm just not sure how to open the port on the Netduino 3 to read it.

I'm guessing this is a no-go then and can't be used?

The module you have is for the Gadgeteer. I believe that there are plans for the GoBus to support Gadgeteer modules in the future but we are not the yet.

Regards,
Mark

Thanks Mark... I guess I'll put it in my spare parts box for a while ;-)

 

Any recommendation on a serial module? I think I read where there will be some coming out soon for the Go ports, and I guess I can wait, but in case I get a need to spend some money, it'd be nice to know what will work well with Netduino.

There are a few options I suppose:

1. As you've identified, wait for the GoBus support.
2. Use a shield such as the Sparkfun RS232 Shield
3. Roll your own solution with a MAX232 and attach to the COM1 or COM2 on the Netduino 3

For 1 I'd have thought the SecretLabs module would be the best solution as you'll get libraries with the module.

 

I've never used the Sparkfun shield so can't comment but it uses the MAX232 chip which would be option 3.  I have used the MAX232 but going the other way, I wanted to connect TTL serial to the Netduino Mini's serial port.

 

Hope this helps,

Mark

Thanks Mark for the reply... I think I'll try to work on my patience and wait for the Go module 

Hi KenTi,

We actually built the GoBus ports on Netduino 3 with the theory that we could support both .NET Gadgeteer and GoBus.

But almost all Gadgeteer manufacturers have stopped making Gadgeteer gear and the one that remains (where you bought your USB Serial Gadgeteer module) has discontinued the majority of their modules as well. So...rather than building for the past we decided to build for the future instead.

That said...it's totally cool to hack your board If you want to open serial ports COM5-COM7 (on GoBus ports 1-3 respectively) you can probably use that module (without RTS/CTS) today. I can't guarantee that this will work with future firmware releases (which may increase performance further through reserved hardware pins)--but it's technically possible today through "hacking".

Chris

That said...it's totally cool to hack your board If you want to open serial ports COM5-COM7 (on GoBus ports 1-3 respectively)

 

I was trying to open a GoBus COM port as you mentioned here.  Is there some trick to using these COM ports on the GoBus?  I saw that there is a TX pull-up pin coming from the micro for each of the COM ports on GoBus sockets on the Netduino 3 (pin 43 for COM7).  Does that pin need to be configured as an output and set to true?  If so, how do I get to that pin in code?

 

Thanks!

Hi Hawkez,

I was trying to open a GoBus COM port as you mentioned here.  Is there some trick to using these COM ports on the GoBus?  I saw that there is a TX pull-up pin coming from the micro for each of the COM ports on GoBus sockets on the Netduino 3 (pin 43 for COM7).  Does that pin need to be configured as an output and set to true?  If so, how do I get to that pin in code?

No need to mess with the pull-up pin. If you open COM5 (port 1), COM6 (port 2) or COM7 (port 3) on a Netduino 3 board running the current firmware, you'll get a 3.3V UART connection over those pins. Just be sure to wire up TX, RX and GND to the target (crossing over TX and RX). Also please note that this is an advanced hack that may not work in the future.

We've actually used one of the Gadgeteer USB-Serial modules before (the black ones, NOT the red ones) to hook up a quick and dirty serial port to a PC.

Chris