UGN Security Forums UGN Security: Knowledge Base Electronics USB device project

I am working on a device that I can connect my PIC microcontroller's 6pin modular jack to USB. I would like to know where to find the USB standards, IEEE 1394, I haven't had much luck so far looking for documentation on it.
I'm trying to find a cheap way to make a device similar to Microchip's MPLAB ICD 2 programmer/debugger (MSR $159). I am mainly interested in making the programmer for now. I could just use the RS-232 port on the board, but I like to challenge myself. :-)
Plus I will delve into coding for the USB device as well. I will give credits in my whitepages to those who help and will release schematics when I am done designing.
Thanks.

correct me if i'm wrong, you're trying to make it so that you can plug a serial connector to USB? If so they have wires for that already; else you'll need to explaine a bit better on what you're attempting to do.

busfault, I believe some of the later PIC uP have USB built in. It would probably be easiest (which may not be what you're looking for to put a usb supporting pic between them. That would probably be the minimum amount of work for you.

You might want to try usb.org for the specification. I have a VERY thourough doc at work that I downloaded at one time. I'll see if I can grab the url off of it...although, I think it was from usb.org. It explains everything.

No, I'm trying to build a device to go from 6pin Modular jack, like a phone/Ethernet jack, to USB. It has a RS-232 jack, serial, which it can communicate with the uController.

Are you just trying to make a device to program PICs over USB? The MPLAB ICD 2 already has a USB feature.

Try taking a look at Linux1394.org They have some interesting modules like ethernet between two IEEE1394 interfaces. Also all the reference material you need to program anything 1394 or 1394b should be available in thier links.

I know the ICD 2 has USB, but its expensive. I am interested in building stuff not using existing technology, I might be able to build something cheaper.

its funny but actually in the world of electronics mass produciton is 100 times cheaper than do it yourself. Making it yourself would be an extremely good learning experience though. Basically to make a PIC writer over USB you'd need either shift register serial in parrallel out since USB is a serial bus and bring the voltage/current high enough to write the data to the PIC