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--- busvoodoo [2017/12/07 21:34] – [alternatives] kingkevin
+++ busvoodoo [2018/03/11 22:29] (current) – delete page kingkevin
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-The BusVoodoo is a multi-protocol debugging adapter.
-This tool allows to quickly communicate with various other electronic devices.
-==== protocols ====
-==== history ====
-Whenever I go to conferences I like to take apart devices I find there.
-The problem is that I can't bring always bring all the adapters: UART, JTAG, I2C, ... there are just too many, and in the end I never have the right one.\\
-The alternative I found was just to take a development board (e.g. the cheap and compact [[stm32f1xx#blue_pill|blue pill]]) with a general purpose micro-controller (a feature-rich [[stm32f1xx|STM32F1]]).
-This comes with peripherals for the major protocols (UART, SPI, I2C) and for the rest I just to implement them is software ([[https://git.cuvoodoo.info/stm32f1/tree/lib|here my collection]]).\\
-The drawback is that I need to program the micro-controller every time, reference manual at hand, and this takes at least 30 not so exiting minutes.
-Now come the BusVoodoo.
-The BusVoodoo is a USB adapter with pre-programmed support for numerous protocols, allowing to communicate with other device without hassle.
-It appears as a serial device.
-Use a terminal emulation program to connect to it (e.g. [[https://github.com/npat-efault/picocom|picocom]] for Linux, [[http://www.putty.org/|putty]] for Windows), configure the protocol using the built-in menu, are ready you are to communicate with other devices.
-==== alternatives ====
-I am not the first one having this problem and creating such a device.
-Probably every hardware hacker comes to the same point and develops his own solution, using parts he is familiar with, and suited for the tasks his is struggling with.
-And there probably never will be a perfect device capable of everything since the needs are different, but a bit of help is always welcome.
-The closest alternative to the BusVoodoo is probably the [[http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate|Bus Pirate]], and this is actually the device I used for a long time before I decided to make my own because the shortcomings piled up.
-The name BusVoodoo is also inspired from the Bus Pirate and is kind of an homage, and the more I develop the BusVoodoo the more I learn about the Bus Pirate and like it again.
-Advantages of the Bus Pirate over the BusVoodoo:
-  * it is a mature product (v3 is, v4 isn't)
-  * it supports the [[http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Features_overview|most common protocol]]
-  * it is cheap ($30) and readily available
-Advantages of the BusVoodoo over the Bus Pirate:
-  * it uses a native USB interface instead of a USB to UART chip, allowing for greater speeds and to be flashed as other devices (using the clone firmwares). The [[http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate_v4_design_overview|Bus Pirate v4]] also comes with native USB, but it never reached maturity
-  * it has an adjustable voltage regulator for the pull-up resistors, allowing 1.6-5.0V logic
-  * it supports more protocol in hardware (eMMC, SMBus, I2S, ...)
-  * it also supports other protocols in software
-  * it supports higher voltage/differential protocols (RS-232, RS-485, RS-422, CAN) (not the light version)
-  * no need to always have the [[http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate_user_interface|Bus Pirate connector description]] at hand as the BusVoodoo shows the pinout within the menu and on the OLED screen (not in the light version)
-  * it comes in a nice and compact case (and some other accessories like USB cable and I/O cable)
-  * it supports CTRL+C and CTRL+D on top of the [[http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate_user_interface|VT-100]] commands
-  * and probably the most important aspect: it is actively developed and has user support
-The Bus Pirate is not the only alternative though.
-There is also the [[https://greatscottgadgets.com/greatfet/|GreatFET]], supporting high speed protocols, but is more of a development board than a ready to use tool.
-And there is the [[http://datenkrake.org/|Datenkrake]] for even high speed protocols (using an FPGA), but is also more of a development board than a ready to use tool.
-But BusVoodoo will never replace dedicated tools (USB to UART dongle, JTAG adapter, flash programmer, ...) or prevent from using a development board to control all nifty protocol details.
-The BusVoodoo is more of a quick all-in-one first approach tool.
-==== presentation ====