Support of a MSP430 evaluation board in LabView

[Pavel_47]

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@Dennis_Knutson wrote:
If you are going to use custom hardware such as the ftdi converter, you have to write custom software to use it. The ftdi examples are pretty low level. If you were to use National Instruments spi hardware, you wouldn't have to write so much custom code. If you were to use the MSP430, you have to write spi code that runs on the micro and custom serial code that runs on the micro.

I would suggest just installing the 32-bit version.

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Ok, thanks Dennis.

To resume "very low-cost" solution:

1. Install FTDI drivers and (if I properly understood) some deidcated LabView package, that provide supports of this device in LabView (e.g. something like FTDI graphical block with features (protocol select, clock speed, etc.))
2. In LabView write data to this FTDI block
3. MSP430 side "catches" SPI writing (using SPI interrupt)
4. MSP430 process received data
5. MSP430 retransmit data to DAC card using 2nd SPI bus

Do you think that this strange change for German were provoked by non-selecting of the 32-bit version.

Regards

Pavel

[Dennis_Knutson]

What is the purpose of using the MSP430? If you have an ftdi USB to spi converter, you don't need the MSP430-at all. If you were to use the DAQ devices previously talked about, you would not need the ftdi or MSP430.

[Pavel_47]

The DAC card has only 4 SPI lines:

• SCLK
• MOSI
• MISO
• SS

How to connect PC USB port to such card without converting "SPI over USB" to "Authentic SPI"?

But probably you have a reason sayng that MSP430 isn't necesary - I should check if FTDI module has authentic SPI inteface (I mean these 4 lines).

Regards

Pavel

[Sam_Sharp · Accepted solution]

Yes, FTDI do a range of USB to 'authentic' SPI devices, hence why I said the microcontroller board is surplus to requirements. The only reason you'd use the microcontroller is because it would make the PC to Microcontroller easier as you could use Serial/NI-VISA rather than SPI which is harder to implement. Some of their USB to Serial/UART devices also have a 'general purpose' mode which you can do I2C, SPI and also bit-banging with using the LibMPPSE (sp?) driver.

[Pavel_47]

Ok, thanks Sam

Also Dennis and GerdW, who participated in this topic.

Regards

Pavel