The USB Bit Whacker is a spectacular little development board featuring the PIC18F2553. Based on the work of Brian Schmalz, the UBW is a small board with a command interpreter for basic input and output control. When attached to a Windows/Max OS X/Linux computer, the UBW will show up as an RS232 Com port! You control the individual I/O pins on the PIC through simple serial commands. Board comes fully tested, preprogrammed, and assembled as shown.

The 18F2553 also comes pre-programmed with a USB bootloader. This means you can create HEX files using any compiler or assembler (C18, CC8e, SDCC) and then load that HEX file onto the PIC without an external programmer – directly over USB! Power is obtained over USB.

Please download the Microchip USB Bootloader below. Please see the UBW home page for more information.

You may start with downloading and installing the latest release of Microchip USB Framework Installation file. The Release Notes provide details on the location of the Comunications Device Class (CDC) RS-232 Emulation driver INF file location. When installed the S1 LED will begin to blink.

Features

• Reset Button
• General Input Button (also used to enter program mode during a reset)
  mini-USB Connection
• 16 General I/O
• TX/RX (can be used as a USB to UART converter board)
• 24MHz Resonator
• Two Status LEDs
• Preprogrammed with Bootloader and UBW_D firmware
• Dimensions: 1.0×1.6″

Documents

• UBW Schematic
• UBW Bootloader (Hex)
• UBW Project Home Page
• Microchip USB Framework v1.3 (includes bootloader)
• Quickstart guide by Richard Burton