Connecting the CrcDuino to a computer
- David Martin (Unlicensed)
This page explains how a CrcDuino board can be connected to a computer.
The CrcDuino magic really resides in how it’s programmed by its user, and that can be done by first connecting it in a computer.
It’s pretty straightforward: a micro-USB port on the side of the controller allows to connect it to a computer. That's it!
It’s recommended to connect a USB extension to the board micro-USB port to reduce the mechanical stress on the connector. Frequently plugging-deplugging will put the quite fragile connector solders to the test, so plugging-deplugging in the USB extension instead is less risky. A USB extension will also probably make it easier to connect a controller when installed on a robot.
Isn't it weird that the picture above shows some Status LEDs lit up, while others are not, even if no 12V supply is connected to the board?
No, don't worry. Remember what we said earlier about different voltage levels? A USB cable supplies 5V to the device it is connected to. Therefore, certain parts of the CrcDUino's 5V and 3.3V circuits are backfed by the micro-USB port. It is possible to interact with the microcontroller, but some 5V supplies (like the ones on the I/O pins) are independent from the supply of the microcontroller and therefore won't work if no 12V supply is plugged in. In other words, some features of the board can work only on the USB 5V supply, but all features work with only the 12V supply. To learn more about the Status LEDs, click here!