Background:
My project involves a custom PCB I designed in an enclosure. The custom PCB contains an ATmega328P. I would like the final product to feature a USB connection that routes from outside the enclosure into this board.
Options I'm Considering:
-
An FTDI / CH / CP board mounted in such a way that the USB port pokes through the enclosure. The trouble is that most of these boards don't seem like they were designed for mounting to a panel. I can 3D print a mounting piece that grips the board and screws into the side of the enclosure, but this feels like a sub-optimal solution.
-
Adding an FTDI / CH / CP circuit directly onto the custom PCB and connecting an internal USB cable to a USB panel mount. The main downside here is the hassle of recreating the circuit on my custom board (some extra soldering / potential points of failure).
-
Swap the 328 for an ATmega32U4 to avoid the need for a UART -> USB chip. Then, same play as option 2 with a USB panel mount.
With options 2 and 3, I'm not clear on if having an internal cable is a violation of the USB spec... should I be aiming to mount my main PCB in such a way that the USB connector pokes directly out of the enclosure?
Final Thoughts:
I'm the farthest thing from an expert in this domain, so I'm trying to keep things relatively simple to implement. That said, I'm aiming for something that is robust enough to be used daily.
Are there other options I didn't list out that I should be considering? Has anyone successfully mounted an FTDI chip in an enclosure or is that just not what they're built for?
Thanks in advance for the help!
