is it possible to interface SPI to serial?

[Michael Noone]

Hi - I'm looking to connect an RF chip with an SPI interface
(http://www.nordicsemi.no/index.cfm?obj=product&act=display&pro=83) to a
computer through the serial port. Right now I'm just planning on putting a
microcontroller that has both a uart and an spi interface between the
computer and the chip - but are there any more elegant solutions? Thanks,

Michael

 

[Tim Wescott]

Michael Noone wrote:

Hi - I'm looking to connect an RF chip with an SPI interface
(http://www.nordicsemi.no/index.cfm?obj=product&act=display&pro=83) to a
computer through the serial port. Right now I'm just planning on putting a
microcontroller that has both a uart and an spi interface between the
computer and the chip - but are there any more elegant solutions? Thanks,

Michael

Nope, that's probably the best. Look around, there should be some very
small solutions. Don't overlook parts that have UARTs but no SPI -- SPI
is easy to bit-bang. If you hold the baud rate down and you don't mind
consuming lots of processor resources you can even bit-bang asynchronous
serial; I believe that Microchip has app notes.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Wim Ton]

"Michael Noone" <mnoone.uiuc.edu@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:Xns95F09555824A3mnooneuiucedu127001@216.148.227.77...

Hi - I'm looking to connect an RF chip with an SPI interface
(http://www.nordicsemi.no/index.cfm?obj=product&act=display&pro=83) to a
computer through the serial port. Right now I'm just planning on putting a
microcontroller that has both a uart and an spi interface between the
computer and the chip - but are there any more elegant solutions? Thanks,

Michael

It is also possible to bit-bang the status lines of the serial port. You
need level shifters/drives of course. It moves the programming effort from
the uC to to PC's OS

Wim

 

[Ron]

Michael,

Maxim makes a few chips specifically for spi-uart interfacing.
max3100, max 3110, max3111
the latter 2 come in pdip packages if you are doing this homebrew.
super simple chips and have worked well for me.

http://www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/1731/ln/
Good luck

Ron

 

[Anders F]

"Tim Wescott" <tim@wescottnospamdesign.com> wrote in message
news:10vvs4494dlguec@corp.supernews.com...

Michael Noone wrote:

Hi - I'm looking to connect an RF chip with an SPI interface
(http://www.nordicsemi.no/index.cfm?obj=product&act=display&pro=83) to a
computer through the serial port. Right now I'm just planning on putting
a
microcontroller that has both a uart and an spi interface between the
computer and the chip - but are there any more elegant solutions?
Thanks,

Michael

Nope, that's probably the best. Look around, there should be some very
small solutions. Don't overlook parts that have UARTs but no SPI -- SPI
is easy to bit-bang. If you hold the baud rate down and you don't mind
consuming lots of processor resources you can even bit-bang asynchronous
serial; I believe that Microchip has app notes.

I think they all have. And I know Texas has for the MSP430.

/Anders

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[Roger Hamlett]

"Wim Ton" <wimton@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3t0Md.44952$v8.34970@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

"Michael Noone" <mnoone.uiuc.edu@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:Xns95F09555824A3mnooneuiucedu127001@216.148.227.77...
Hi - I'm looking to connect an RF chip with an SPI interface
(http://www.nordicsemi.no/index.cfm?obj=product&act=display&pro=83) to
a
computer through the serial port. Right now I'm just planning on
putting a
microcontroller that has both a uart and an spi interface between the
computer and the chip - but are there any more elegant solutions?
Thanks,

Michael
Look at the Maxim 3100 family. These are SPI interface UARTs, complete

with the line drivers built in.

Best Wishes

 

[Lasse Langwadt Christense]

Michael Noone <mnoone.uiuc.edu@127.0.0.1> wrote in message news:<Xns95F282D8D58B0mnooneuiucedu127001@204.127.199.17>...

"Ron" <rsavisa@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1107336802.610066.246010
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

Michael,

Maxim makes a few chips specifically for spi-uart interfacing.
max3100, max 3110, max3111
the latter 2 come in pdip packages if you are doing this homebrew.
super simple chips and have worked well for me.

http://www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/1731/ln/
Good luck

Ron



Ah - the max3110/3111 (http://www.maxim-
ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/2052) look perfect for my needs. Thanks for
the help!

-Michael

I haven't looked too closely at the datasheets but I doubt, my guess
is that both the RF and the MAX31xx is a SPI slave i.e. it won't work
.....

use a micro instead

-Lasse