Embedding Atmega32u4 with Teensy

[bjosephs]

I have a project that I designed around a teensy 2.0 and I kind of worked myself into a corner with layout. The issue is getting access to the usb connector on the board and keeping it safe from mechanical stress for the long term. I have an adapter cable that goes from mini b to full size usb b panel mount but I have little room for even that. I started thinking about embedding the atmega chip right on the board so I could put in my own usb connector which would be a vertical connector facing down in this case.

Until hitting this challenge I didn’t even realize PJRC was selling TQFN package chips with the bootloader, I wish I had known as I would have bought several like I did the 2.0 and 2.0++ when they went end of life. It’s funny that right now there are two threads trying to hunt down older generation products and I guess I’m adding a third: does anyone have a lead on some PJRC official pre-bootloaded TQFN chips?

Or maybe I just ought to make my own mini b to 4 pin header cable and use that to get to a usb connector of my own choosing and placement elsewhere on the board?

 

[bjosephs]

I guess I’ll expand on this a bit and ask for examples of how other people keep access to the their teensy boards when they are buried in a project. Do you keep it close to a side wall and leave a cutout? A panel mount connector with a cable back to the teensy? Maybe a usb-to-header cable to jump the teensy to a main PCB? I’m looking for some inspiration.

 

[bjosephs]

This is what I ended up doing. The USB cable is nestled under the button mezzanine. The female headers are low profile and I have some short male pins to switch to once I'm ready to commit. I made some (unrelated) errors on the board and may respin it with the Teensy on the back but there's only so much space downward. Hence why I was interested in a bootloaded chip I could embed directly.