Attach a USB Device?

Hardware
1

I have a Symbol LS2208 handheld USB based barcode scanner.

I currently have it attached to my laptop, and my Photon setup to print out the UPC via Serial.println() when you scan a barcode.

Rather than plug into my laptop, I'm looking for a way to attach this scanner to the microcontroller so I don't have to have a laptop.

Should I be looking for a USB Host Shield? If so which one will work? Should I bail on this and look for a bluetooth one with the new Photon 2?

Thanks

2

There is no USB Host or OTG mode implemented on the Photon.
I'm also not sure when (if at all) Host/OTG would be supported in the P2.

This scanner also has a RS232 interface, so you could use that with the RX/TX pins (with level shifters!).

1 Like
3

Thanks for the quick reply @ScruffR

Could you recommend a level shifter? This is still very new to me so Iā€™d appreciate all the help I can get

4

@ScruffR
Would I use something like this?

My Scanner is USB however. Would I have to get a USB to Serial converter and then use this RS232 shifter or does USB variant exist?

5

I had only a very cursory glance over the LS2208 info I found, so I cannot completely say what voltage levels this device uses.
You'd probably need to find the exact electrical specs in the full datasheets.

However, when there only is a USB connector on the device I'd suspect 5V which would probably be directly usable with the Photon, as its RX/TX pins are 5V tolerant and the 3.3V output on the TX will usually suffice to constitute a HIGH level even with 5V logic.

The P2 on the other hand has not 5V tolerant GPIOs and hence would need 5V/3.3V shifting.

6

Thanks again @ScruffR. I'm just looking for some sort of direction/idea to move forward with.

A sticker on the scanner states 5v .2A and the manual has a power supply section that states 5 vdcv minimum 650mah.

Are you stating I could use something like this, which I have, and just supply my own 5v VCC and somehow tie the D- D+ to the proton RX to read?

7

There should be some datasheet with that scanner that gives some indication how to put that device into RS232 mode, what the default baudrate and protocol (e.g. 8N1) would be.

8

Starting at Page 6 will help you in reference to placing the scanner in rs232 mode.

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