1

I need to design a project that it will conects to usb port, to send a digital output from the computer to other device.

I need it work in windows and mac without complex host side driver or just using a pnp generic driver.

I am reading about LUFA library http://www.fourwalledcubicle.com/LUFA.php

I've found some references but no especific about the behavior on Mac OS X environment, just windows.

How will work a AT90USBxxxx + Lufa device on Mac respecting to drivers?

Ando
  • 33
  • 7

2 Answers2

1

It depends which device class you implement. If it is a keyboard or mouse (HID class) it will just appear to the Mac as a normal keyboard or mouse would do. If it is a mass storage device ("USB drive") it will be a drive etc.

You decide based on you needs what you want to implement. If you need a custom device class you will also need custom drivers. Look at LUFA demos to see typical device examples.

filo
  • 8,801
  • 1
  • 25
  • 46
  • the requeriment is to send a digital output from the computer to the device. (activating an indicator). which demo will fit? – Ando Sep 08 '17 at 16:51
  • The VirtualSerial demo would be okay. Your device will appear as a "USB serial port". You can just write some bytes in a terminal to tell the MCU to switch outputs. – filo Sep 08 '17 at 16:55
1

The consortium that developed the USB system specified some standardized generic devices, such as Mass Storage, Human Interface Device, USB Hub, etc. All modern operating systems include built-in drivers for these generic devices.

You can view this information on Device Manager on Windows or System Information on Mac. If the device includes two or more classes, it will be called a Composite Device.

If you use one of these built-in generic device classes, your device will work on Mac, Windows, Linux, even Android, without any special drivers.

The exception is Serial or Virtual COM Port, which is commonly used in mixed hardware/software projects. Different operating systems and USB-serial hardware handle serial communication differently and need drivers. Luckily, the LUFA serial drivers are easy to install and can be packaged with your software.

A relevant point is that you can't easily 'rename' your device so its brand name or product name are visible on the computer. These Vendor ID's and Product ID's (VID:PID) require an expensive license. Atmel bought the LUFA developers a bunch of licenses for demo projects, which you can use at your own risk.

Zack Freedman
  • 104
  • 2