T4.1 ETH+USB combo breakout testing

Status
Not open for further replies.

PhilB

Well-known member
I've designed a breakout board for a combo ethernet and USB A jack. It seems to work fine for ethernet but I'm scratching my head about the easiest way to test the USB host capability. I've been looking at various posts here but most options seem fairly complex. I would appreciate any suggestions on a fairly simple way to test.

By the way, I will make this available on OSHPark if anyone wants.
 

Attachments

  • picture.png
    picture.png
    54.6 KB · Views: 82
  • IMG_20200614_135357.jpg
    IMG_20200614_135357.jpg
    190.8 KB · Views: 84
I've designed a breakout board for a combo ethernet and USB A jack. It seems to work fine for ethernet but I'm scratching my head about the easiest way to test the USB host capability. I've been looking at various posts here but most options seem fairly complex. I would appreciate any suggestions on a fairly simple way to test.

By the way, I will make this available on OSHPark if anyone wants.

Probably the easiest way would be to use the example programs in the USBHost_t36 library. Maybe try a USB keyboard or mouse.

Edit: I would be interested this. Looks like it take minimal soldering of those dinky little SMT parts:)
 
Last edited:
I've designed a breakout board for a combo ethernet and USB A jack. It seems to work fine for ethernet but I'm scratching my head about the easiest way to test the USB host capability. I've been looking at various posts here but most options seem fairly complex. I would appreciate any suggestions on a fairly simple way to test.
The simplest way as wwatson says is to use USBHost_t36 -> examples -> Serial -> Mouse -> Mouse.ino. Plug in a 5 pin cable that has a USB B port on the other side, such as the cable PJRC.COM sells, and hook up a standard USB wired mouse. Move the mouse around and you should see the movement on the normal USB serial output.

By the way, I will make this available on OSHPark if anyone wants.
I would be interested.

I would imagine that an improvement might be to provide an additional pin-out to allow powering the USB host with separate 5v power (similar to the solder pads under the Teensy 3.6, but preferably one that can be easily switched).

And I suspect several people would like a bigger board that had through hole connections for attaching the resistors and capacitors. I'm just about to try and solder some SMT resistors and capacitors (I've done the memory chips with their extended legs, but I haven't yet done it with no legs).

But good work!

A different approach might be a PCB that fits directly on top of a Teensy, so you don't need the cable between the Teensy and the Ethernet/USB.
 
Thanks. I went and got USBHost_t36 off github and installed it. Had trouble compiling the simple test program (examples/test/test.ino) because of undefined references (attachRawPress and attachRawRelease) and a missing Serial.begin() but once I got those straightened out, it seems to work ok with a keyboard. No heavy testing on it as yet...

I need to do a little documentation (mostly BOM info) and will make it available, probably in about an hour.
 
A TH version would be pretty simple. Will consider it. Though, to be honest, 805 caps and resistors are pretty easy to solder with a pair of tweezers to hold them. Personally, I find TH actually 2X harder than SMD.

The alternate power version - I have a header to disconnect VUSB from the plug. I think you are asking for a separate header (+5V and gnd) to feed the plug. Easy enough to do.

By the way, I just don't see how this could be made to mount on top of the T4.1. Apart from the issue of finding pinheaders that would allow enough clearance (which, as I think you well know, is needle vs haystack), the size makes a stable mount almost impossible. The clearance issue is that the USBmicro has to clear which means about 300 mills of extra height. Better to integrate it into a base board (which I am doing for my CNC controller). If someone has a way to mount it on the T4.1, I'd be happy to consider.
 
I need to do a little documentation (mostly BOM info) and will make it available, probably in about an hour.

PhilB:

This is excellent, thanks !! One slight mod that I might suggest: make the board a little wider & provide corner mounting holes to make it easy to incorporate into a box of some sort using studs or stand-offs.

Thanks much for creating this !! I would be interested !!

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT
 
PhilB:

BTW, is the USB connector on your new board reversed or is the cable in your picture connected backwards ?? The double-ground on the T4.1 is farthest away from the microUSB connector. Per your layout picture, the double-ground on your new board is also farthest away from the connectors. However, the light blue wires in your cable do not seem to connect in that same relationship ?!?

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT
 
A TH version would be pretty simple. Will consider it. Though, to be honest, 805 caps and resistors are pretty easy to solder with a pair of tweezers to hold them. Personally, I find TH actually 2X harder than SMD.

The alternate power version - I have a header to disconnect VUSB from the plug. I think you are asking for a separate header (+5V and gnd) to feed the plug. Easy enough to do.

By the way, I just don't see how this could be made to mount on top of the T4.1. Apart from the issue of finding pinheaders that would allow enough clearance (which, as I think you well know, is needle vs haystack), the size makes a stable mount almost impossible. The clearance issue is that the USBmicro has to clear which means about 300 mills of extra height. Better to integrate it into a base board (which I am doing for my CNC controller). If someone has a way to mount it on the T4.1, I'd be happy to consider.

One way would be a PCB that mounts underneath the Teensy, connecting the 6 pins from the ethernet, 5 pins from USB host, VUSB, and VIN. These would be soldered directly to the Teensy with normal male pins. They bring out to one of the sides the pins, and you have mounting holes for the combo board you are using, and any necessary capacitors, resistors, etc.

I could imagine a 5v connection (either 2 2.54mm pins, a USB micro-B header, or a 5.5mm x 2.1mm power jack), and two switches. One switch is between VUSB and the external power connection and it connects to VIN. The other would be between VIN and the external power connection and it connects to the USB Host power pin. That way you can switch to use VUSB to power the Teensy, but external power for USB host. Or you can power both with VUSB. Or you can power both with external power.

With stacking headers, the stacking headers are tall enough that it would not interfere with the normal USB micro-b connection, and you could just have the ethernet/usb directly on top. But that can be problematical if you want something like the audio shield mounted on top of the Teensy.
 
PhilB:

BTW, is the USB connector on your new board reversed or is the cable in your picture connected backwards ?? The double-ground on the T4.1 is farthest away from the microUSB connector. Per your layout picture, the double-ground on your new board is also farthest away from the connectors. However, the light blue wires in your cable do not seem to connect in that same relationship ?!?

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT

Sharp eye! Yes, I've fixed it in the next rev which I showed in the original post.
 
One way would be a PCB that mounts underneath the Teensy, connecting the 6 pins from the ethernet, 5 pins from USB host, VUSB, and VIN. These would be soldered directly to the Teensy with normal male pins. They bring out to one of the sides the pins, and you have mounting holes for the combo board you are using, and any necessary capacitors, resistors, etc.

I could imagine a 5v connection (either 2 2.54mm pins, a USB micro-B header, or a 5.5mm x 2.1mm power jack), and two switches. One switch is between VUSB and the external power connection and it connects to VIN. The other would be between VIN and the external power connection and it connects to the USB Host power pin. That way you can switch to use VUSB to power the Teensy, but external power for USB host. Or you can power both with VUSB. Or you can power both with external power.

With stacking headers, the stacking headers are tall enough that it would not interfere with the normal USB micro-b connection, and you could just have the ethernet/usb directly on top. But that can be problematical if you want something like the audio shield mounted on top of the Teensy.

Some good ideas there. For now though, I think I will just finish this one up. Will consider a base board approach for later. The problem with a base board is that it screams for lots of features! I'm not opposed, just don't have a huge amount of time right now and don't want to do something fractionally-assed.
 
OK, Here's the OSHPark link https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/5LjFDf2O
Ugly BOM included in the link (I can't get their version of markdown to work for me).

Slightly prettier BOM here:
PartValuePackageMouserDigiKey
C1 1nF 2KVC1206791-1206B102M202CT478-1206GC102MAT1ACT-ND
C2 100nFC0805710-885012207072399-1177-1-ND
C3 1 uFC120680-C1206C105M3R1276-3086-1-ND
C4 100nFC0805710-885012207072399-1177-1-ND
C5 1 uFC120680-C1206C105M3R1276-3086-1-ND
J1 0821-1X1T-36-FBEL MAGJACK530-0821-1X1T-36-F507-1424-ND
J2 2X3-2MM2X3-2MM855-M22-202030849-1000-ND
R1 1MR0805652-CMP0805-FX-1004L311-1.00MCRCT-ND
0.1” Pin Headers2.54mm pitchvaries
/tr]
[tr]


Here's the schematic:
schematic.jpg
 
Last edited:
Did mounting holes make the cut ??

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT

Sorry, my internet connection died yesterday afternoon and just got it back.

Mounting holes are worthwhile though it requires a wider board and the MagJack presents an issue for screw head clearance. I made a small mod to the one that's on OSHPark - slots by the MagJack and holes at the end. The slots and holes are 1/8". I'll upload it if you want. $8.35.
wide.jpg
 
PhilB:

Thanks, but no need to go to any extra trouble. I don't have a specific project in mind. So, for now, a loose board connected with "flying leads" is sufficient . . . don't need to mount anything in a box . . . yet.

Thanks again,

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT
 
PhilB:

Excellent, thanks !! PCB order has been placed. Now off to order parts. I'll let you know how it goes . . .

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT
 
PhilB:

Excellent, thanks !! PCB order has been placed. Now off to order parts. I'll let you know how it goes . . .

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT

Parts rx'd earlier this week & notification rx'd from OshPark that PCBs went off to FAB yesterday . . . looking forward to testing soon !!

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT
 
Rx'd notification from OshPark that PCBs have shipped. Could very well be testing early next week . . .

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT
 
Boards were received & I finally made time to populate & connect them (which forced a refresh on my surface mount soldering skills - I usually do my SM soldering under a stereo microscope at work with a fine tip iron, but since I'm WFH right now, I had to do this assembly without access to any of the nice tools that I usually have at my disposal !!). The attached picture shows that I hard mounted one of the boards to one of my T4.1s (with an Audio Shield under the T4.1, unrelated to this activity) for testing purposes. Successfully set it up to DCHP an IP address using the NativeEthernet library & it's actively serving out a simple webpage. Works like a champ !!

Thanks again,

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT

20200703_125448[1].jpg
 
@PhilB: Rgrgr. First thing I did was program it with my TeensyMIDIPolySynth project & the USBhost likewise works like a champ, allowing the same functionality (hooking up & using my MIDI keyboard) as the typical USBhost adapter cable (not the new ethernet MagJack) available on the Teensy website (which I was previously using) !! Probably won't merge my Frankenstein mashup into anything permanent, but it is certainly excellent for prototyping & testing, leaving the other two PCB copies from OshPark (which I also fully soldered up) as a solution looking for a project to serve in !!

Mark J Culross
KD5RXT
 
Update to this thread. The Bel Magjack/USB combo device is out of stock everywhere. However there is a pin compatible replacement available - The Abracon ARJE-0032. I looked at the datasheet and it appears to be true. In stock and slightly less expensive. Before buying you should verify the compatibility.

Datasheet
DigiKey page
Mouser Page[/QUOTE]

I believe @Marathonman is ordering this part. Hopefully he will report about his experiences with it.
 
Hi PhilB,

I'm trying a similar setup, same wiring but not with your breakout board. However, I can't make NativeEthernet and USBhost_t36 working together. Seperately, they work fine, but whenever I add the NativeEthernet library my MIDI controller stops working with the Teensy.

Did you experience any difficulties with this?

Thank you :)
Timo
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top