iPort/USB2
The iPort/USB2 USB to I2C Host Adapter is the latest addition to the I2C Bus host adapter family. In addition to software compatible with earlier versions of our ASCII-text based adapters, the iPort/USB2 adds new features including Circuit Sense, the ultra-low I2C Bus voltage sensing technology, a 2x+ data throughput increase, switch selectable 3.3v or 5v I2C Bus power, the I2C Bus Mini Interface connector and OS support for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.
The iPort/USB2 can be an I2C Bus master or slave device. As a slave, the iPort/USB2 can respond to a user selected slave address and the I2C General Call address (0x00). As a master, the iPort/USB2 supports multi-master operations, arbitration detection, clock-stretching by a slave device, and the optional /INTerrupt signal found on some I2C devices. Enhanced features include I2C Bus mastering at 23, 86, 100, or 400 kHz Bit Rates, 12 Mbit/second USB interface speeds, USB bus-powered, and eXtended commands for low-level access to I2C signals making it compatible with many "I2C-like" devices. The iPort/USB 2 is based upon a new 2x faster processor, 256 byte data buffers and firmware optimization.
The iPort/USB2 includes two Windows applications (Message Manager and Message Center) that help you get started sending and receiving I2C Bus messages quickly. You can also use terminal emulation software like Windows Hyperterminal, or write your own custom program in Microsoft VB, VB.NET, C, C++, C++.NET, C#, Delphi Pascal, National Instrument LabVIEW, and more. Free Sample Programs are provided to help you get started. Also included is the iBurner I2C Bus EEPROM Programming software.
Custom Programming: The iPort/USB2 provides an ASCII command and Virtual Communications Port interface to a host computer. An application program sends simple ASCII text commands out the virtual serial port to set up the adapter and send or receive I2C Bus messages. Because the iPort/USB2 includes a virtual serial interface, it is backward compatible with software applications written for any of our our ASCII-text based adapters. LabVIEW developers can take advantage of the Virtual Instrument Driver Library. Microsoft.NET developers can use the .NET Class Library.
Recommendation: We recommend the iPort/USB2 for low-voltage I2C Bus applications and for users who want to write custom application programs. The ASCII command and Virtual Communications Port interface of the iPort/USB 2 makes it easier to interface with almost any application program development tool.