USB Hacking to MIDI Out 5 Dins Keyboard

[masreg]

I am a totally newbie and keen to learn.

Based on "Collin's Lab USB Hacking with Arduino" video dated November 30th, 2010, I am really inspired to build this device. But some of the parts have discontinued.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfCDjwHBBuM

#1. The USB host shield has been discontinued - http://www.circuitsathome.com/products-page/arduino-shields/usb-host-shield-for-arduino/. So I have to get the current replacement - USB host shield v2.0 - http://www.circuitsathome.com/products-page/arduino-shields/usb-host-shield-2-0-for-arduino-assembled/. It will also require an Arduino Uno board as the micro controller.

Instead of 2 boards, May I use USBDroid (with USB host built-in) by Freetronics http://www.freetronics.com/products/usbdroid#.U7Yn-I2SxD0 as this is available locally?

#2. I downloaded the sketch code http://cdn.makezine.com/make/2010/12/LPK25_Host_pde-101203a.zip and paste it to latest Arduino IDE v1.0.5 under OS X and clicked "verify". There was an error on line

Code: [Select]

EP_RECORD ep_record[ LPK25_NUM_EP ];  //endpoint record structure for the LPK25 controller
the error message said

Code: [Select]

"EP_RECORD" does not name a type.
Note: In this scenario, I do not have any Arduino board yet (But I'm planning to get one), I have installed Arduino IDE software. Where did I go wrong? See below:



#3 I notice the file extension of latest Arduino v1.0.5 is .ino. The sketch file suffix downloaded above is .pde. Am I downloading the right file? Does Arduino IDE changed user's sketch file extension lately?

Any guidance/explanation would be much appreciated to plan this project properly.

Thank you.

[Grumpy_Mike]

There is a new official USB host shield:-
http://store.arduino.cc/product/A000004
There might be more support with that.

[masreg]

Thank you for your respond, Grumpy_Mike!

As Freetronics USBDroid http://www.freetronics.com/products/usbdroid#.U7Yn-I2SxD0 is the one I can purchase locally in store, do you think this is sufficient for USB Hacking -> MIDI Out task?

Isn't the compatibility factor based on the code we write?

[Grumpy_Mike]

do you think this is sufficient for USB Hacking -> MIDI Out task?

I think it probably will be, certainly on the hardware level. However, writing such software is difficult and most people relay on some one else writing the interfacing / driver library.
Note that your proposed board is not an Arduino but some one else's take on one, so by definition it can never be 100% compatible.

[masreg]

I checked with the manufacturer and they confirmed the chip used is the same as official USB host by Arduino. By the way, with a help of john [at] viralstudios [dot] net, the script was compiled successfully. So far so good. To be continue...

[Grumpy_Mike]

they confirmed the chip used is the same as official USB host by Arduino.

That means little in terms of compatibly, it is the bare minimum.