SPI Driver/Adapter-Easily Driver SPI Devices

SPIDriver is an easy-to-use tool for controlling SPI devices. It works with Windows, Mac, and Linux, and has a built-in color screen that shows a live logic-analyzer display of all SPI traffic. It uses a standard FTDI USB serial chip to talk to the PC, so no special drivers need to be installed. The board includes 3.3 and 5 V supplies with voltage and current monitoring.

If you use SPI devices - LCD panels, flash memory, sensors, LEDs - you’ll know that the most frequently asked question is “what’s it doing now?” SPIDriver shows you what’s happening on the SPI bus in real time, so no more guessing about the bus state. It’s designed to make talking to SPI hardware a smooth, intuitive process. That’s good whether you’re a hardware debug wizard or are introducing a class to SPI for the first time.

The current and voltage monitoring let you catch electrical problems early. The included color coded wires make hookup a cinch; no pinout diagram required. It includes 3.3 and 5 V supplies for your device, plus a high-side current meter.

Features

- live display shows you exactly what it’s doing all the time
- sustained SPI transfers at 500 Kbps
- USB line voltage monitor to detect supply problems, to 0.01 V
- target device high-side current measurement, to 5 mA
- two auxiliary output signals, A and B
- dedicated power out lines. two each of GND, 3.3 V and 5 V
- all signals color coded to match jumper colors
- all signals are 3.3 V, and are 5 V tolerant
- uses an FTDI USB serial adapter, and Silicon Labs automotive-grade EFM8 controller
- also reports uptime, temperature, and running CRC of all traffic
- all sensors and signals controlled using a simple serial protocol
- GUI, command-line, C/C++, and Python 2/3 host software provided for Windows, Mac, and Linux

Specifications

- maximum power out current: up to 470 mA
- signal current: up to 10 mA
- device current: up to 25 mA
- dimensions: 61 mm x 49 mm x 6 mm
- interface: USB 2.0, micro USB connector

Part List

SPI Driver with a set of hookup jumpers

Links

• User Guide
• SPIDriver open source repository