Using an Arduino as a serial->usb bridge?

Projects General Guidance
1

I'd like to be able to send messages from a standalone Atmega168 to my computer via serial - unfortunately, the computer doesn't have a serial port. Is it possible to use an Arduino as a kind of bridge to connect the Atmega to the computer? I don't know if it matters, but I only need to send data one way, Atmega->computer. Could I connect the TX on the Atmega to the RX on the Arduino, and then write a sketch that reads serial and echos the data back?

Thanks!

2

Yes:
I'd like to be able to send messages from a standalone Atmega168 to my computer via serial - unfortunately, the computer doesn't have a serial port. Is it possible to use an Arduino as a kind of bridge to connect the Atmega to the computer? I don't know if it matters, but I only need to send data one way, Atmega->computer. Could I connect the TX on the Atmega to the RX on the Arduino, and then write a sketch that reads serial and echos the data back?

Thanks!

Well more easily, if you have another arduino board available, just apply a jumper wire from a ground pin to the reset pin on the arduino board and then you are free to use pins 0 and 1 (and a ground wire of course) to let an external standalone chip utilize the USB serial connection link to your PC.

Lefty

3

A cheaper variant is to use a USB2Serial Light adapter from Arduino (or any other USB2Serial adapter).

If you want to use the Arduino UNO for this, upload a sketch that is NOT using the serial interface (p.e. the Blink example) and connect the TX of the ATmega168 to pin 1 of the Arduino.

4

Hi, If you want to do it simple in hardware see:

=usb+to+serial&s[title]=Y&s[short_desc]=Y&s[full_desc]=Y&s[sku]=Y&s[match]=all&s[cid]=0]http://yourduino.com/sunshop2/index.php?l=search_list&s[search]=usb+to+serial&s[title]=Y&s[short_desc]=Y&s[full_desc]=Y&s[sku]=Y&s[match]=all&s[cid]=0

Checking long URL...

DISCLAIMER: Mentioned stuff from my own shop...

5

Alright, I think this might be working... for some reason when when I hook the Arduino's TX to the RX of a RF receiver I don't see any static like I do when I hook up the RF receiver to a MAX232 and look at with Bray's Terminal in Windows. Other than that though it's working great, so thanks all!