Arduino USB Host or no USB Host? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: zdelarosa00
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 10:59:31 pm
content: Hi everyone, my third question on the forum here, now is... I know Arduino has a usb controller chip on it to conenct it to the compter and to use the IDE and program it, now my question is.. Can I plug a USB device to an Arduino without a USB-Host shield?, I've seen cases like this video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1diFaa5OsFg,where you just use the USB pair of pins on the device and TX & RX on he Arduino to make the couple work, recieve and send information, but I've asked(?) before and apparently even with a simple usb mouse or small keyboard you need a USB host device or a "USB-UART / USB-RS232" (or are the shields actually the same rs232?) translator thing in order to make the couple work as the arduino being the host and the usb device to be used. Am I completely lost here..?. Anyway, thank you and I appreciate any help, good vibrations to everyone from Mexico.USB Host Shield:http://www.dx.com/p/usb-host-shield-2-0-board-166217#.VV5jMai3vKg

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 11:10:09 pm
content: No, standard Arduino can't do host on its own. What makes you think that it is a USB host on that video? They are connecting a sensor with I2C/SPI/UART/whatever interface and use Arduino USB port for serial communication.Arduino Zero has USB Host controller, but it is mostly vaporware right now.

author: zdelarosa00
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 03:48:25 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on May 21, 2015, 11:10:09 pmSo if I connect a keyboard or mouse to TX & RX should I get results on the serial monitor?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 04:56:47 am
content: No, you won't. There is no RX and TX in USB. You can connect PS/2 keyboard, but that's probably not what you want.Also, you don't just get results on the serial port, you need to write firmware to do so.

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 05:06:01 am
content: Arduino Due onlyhttp://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/USBHost

author: timb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 12:02:10 pm
content: Arduino Mega ADK can do USB Host.Sent from my Tablet

author: zdelarosa00
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2015, 04:17:48 pm
content: And can I program an Uno to work as a USB to Serial converter?, or as a USB Host? .... And that means that device in the video is not USB??, it looks like it is and all the similar fingerprint readers that i've seen are USB

author: neslekkim
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2015, 04:39:13 pm
content: It's specified on the adafruit productpage, TTL Serial..

author: zdelarosa00
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2015, 04:53:08 pm
content: Its true, I was planning to use this one :http://www.dx.com/es/p/mini-usb-2-0-biometric-fingerprint-reader-password-security-lock-for-pc-122346#.VWIBxKgwLT9

author: jeristair
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 24, 2015, 11:32:50 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on May 22, 2015, 04:56:47 amIf you're talking about a USB Keyboard here, then yes, it would work, most wired USB Keyboard's can default back to the PS/2 interface using the USB connector.