GPIO for any PC or Laptop: Adafruit FT232H

Add GPIO to any PC or laptop running Windows, Linux or macOS using an Adafruit FT232H USB breakout board. Here we set things up, control some LEDs using Python code, and then communicate over I2C with a BME280 temperature, pressure and humidity sensor.

The Bmax B1 Plus video I refer to is here:

The Adafruit FT232H GPIO breakout is available from many retailers including:


Note that the above Amazon URLs are affiliate links from which I earn a commission.

You can download my LED test code here:

And my final BME280 code that writes data to a spreadsheet is here:

More information on using openpyxl to store sensor readings (or any other data) in a spreadsheet using Python is contain in my Raspberry Pi Weather Station video:

For additional ExplainingComputers videos and other content, you can become a channel member here:

More videos on computing and related topics can be found at:

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:05 GPIO Options
05:29 Setup
22:33 LEDs Test
14:22 Sensor Readings (BME280)
18:27 Wrap

#GPIO #FH232H #Adafruit #explainingcomputers

[JendaLinda]

Back in the day, standard serial and printer ports could be used as GPIO. That was the first time I was controlling electrical devices using a computer.

[igfoobar]

GPIO is such a nice thing to have. I always enjoyed having GPIO available on my Commodore 64 for projects. When everything went to "standard PC" I had to do go through all sorts of nonsense hacking the parallel port into a GPIO-like interface. Now we finally have good options again.

[GizmoFromPizmo]

I worked for an industrial controls company back in the early to mid-1990s. All that equipment used to cost tens of thousands of dollars. Now you're showing us the current state of the art. My 1990s self is marveling at what has become of that industry.

[mr.techie]

We need more people like you in the world, Chris. Thank you for doing what you do.

[hilldweller]

I can't get excited about the board, but, oh boy, have you produced the definitive video on Superb Soldering. That was awesome.

[practicalthinker]

I appreciate that you're one of the few creators who approach tinkering with an open mind, exploring all available options rather than being fixated solely on Raspberry Pi like many other YouTubers.

[guyincognito.]

I've never seen this channel before but as a 45 year old I have to commend the style of video and how reminiscent it is of quality BBC science programmes from the 80s!

[Praxibetel-Ix]

I love you, Samantha the soldering iron!!!

Anyway, another great video! Another example of how anything is possible with computing. :)

[howardwilliams]

Absolutely fantastic content ... as Brian said (paraphrase here) you make it look easy! In reality it is, but it seems easier when I watch you do it. Thanks for sharing and the work you do making anything seem possible.

[aw]

Finally! After a 40 year wait there is now an affordable way to give a PC as much functionality as the BBC Micro's user port. Another great video, the code is a bit more complex than poking to the User 6522.

[microdesigns]

My first job out of high school was working at a radio shop where I learned to tune radios (before PLL frequency synthesis), install and service "car phones" and most interestingly build police squad cars by installing radios and light bars. I have several colorful stories from those days, like the time I repeatedly pressed a "man down" button on a portable police radio before I knew what it was, or the one where I did a "test drive" of a newly built squad car like the Dukes of Hazard. But this story comes to mind because of something in this video.

One aspect of the construction of a squad car was to add circuitry for something called "wig-wag" lights. That is the connection of relays to flash the headlights alternately left and right about once per second. The LED's in this video are alternating at about that rate and reminded me of this time I left work exactly on time, and I was in a hurry to get home. I was speeding like usual and behind me I saw the dreadful wig-wags and really thought me house was cooked. I dug out my license, registration and proof of insurance. Well, I was surprised when the officer didn't ask for them but addressed me by name. It was Sargeant Deeghan who came to visit me at work but I wasn't there. So he chased me down on the highway! He wanted to ask about the function of one of the radios and didn't want to wait until tomorrow, ha ha. Well I laughed all the way home after he also gave me a verbal warning about my speed. That day was a good day to have the police Sargeant as my friend.

13:15 So then, I hope you will remember that an alternating pair of lights is called "wig-wag" lights. 😀

[SCP-POOL]

I'm sorry, but it's just NOT a proper Sunday without a very informative & delightful visit with our true gentleman of a friend Christopher & Explaining Computers! 😇

[EJEuth]

Good topic indeed, but even more: your way of presenting contents (here and other videos) is pleasurable and enlightening. Thank you for all that!

[CyborgZeta]

I appreciate you continuing to show off different aspects of computer I don't tend to think about, or am otherwise unaware of. Thank you.

[horseradishpower]

This is a really important video, as this is the sort of thing that could be used for school science. Get a cheap old PC, get one of these boards, and start to create your own monitoring system built.

Lots of potential with it, thanks for making this video.

[fredwupkensoppel]

I always wondered why I never see these things being advertised everywhere. This is really handy for makers.

[timnixon]

I have a bmax B2-S arriving today (caught a great sale/discount, $104 versus usual $130-$160). Needed it since I threw away several old very slow laptops..
I've been looking for details on how to handle sensors, I2C and DIO natively using python from a "PC" and it sure looks like this is the definitive guide.
Like others I had missed several steps when looking on my own. I have a ton of ESP32s that work great but I also wanted to be able to log, graph and view the data easily under linux or Windows without needing a separate device to handle the data acquisition.. this seems to fit the bill.


I've always loved this channel!! Been working professionally with electronics and computers since 1973

[rvamark]

As I always say, every Sunday morning is Christmas morning when you listen to Christopher!

[makermelissa]

Great video. If you have a BME280 with a different address, like in this case, you can simply specify it when you initialize the library instead of editing the value in the library. This also makes installing updates much easier.

[MysteriousSlip]

Now this is a product that is seriously needed! Thanks for reporting on it! I tend to be slow to catch the newest trends these days.