CAN bus to USB

[Jeroen3]

Does anyone know of any reliable CAN bus to USB interfaces?
I want to build my own application around it, so the api must be available.

Currently I have ADFweb HD67390's, but they can only do a maximum of 25kbaud (2 kBps) of actual bridging. A little poor, don't you think?
I'm investigating possibilities for a CAN bootloader, but at 25kbaud flashing (max) 1MB is going to take "forever". (~10minutes)
Although, you can load to multiple devices at once. But that will require some more advanced bootloader on-target.

Compared to 1 Mbaud uart, which will take 10 seconds, excluding overhead.

[dadler]

Does anyone know of any reliable CAN bus to USB interfaces?
I want to build my own application around it, so the api must be available.

Currently I have ADFweb HD67390's, but they can only do a maximum of 25kbaud (2 kBps) of actual bridging. A little poor, don't you think?
I'm investigating possibilities for a CAN bootloader, but at 25kbaud flashing (max) 1MB is going to take "forever". (~10minutes)
Although, you can load to multiple devices at once. But that will require some more advanced bootloader on-target.

Compared to 1 Mbaud uart, which will take 10 seconds, excluding overhead.

I have one of these: http://www.can232.com/?page_id=16

Works very well, is quite mature, and the company has been consistently updating the firmware over the lifetime of the product.

It has both a virtual serial port interface and a direct API (for faster speeds). I am quite happy with it.

I believe I purchased it from here, as they had it in stock: http://www.equinox-tech.com/products/manufacturer.asp?ID=15

Received in California 2 days after order was placed.

[max_torque]

I use these:

http://www.peak-system.com/PCAN-USB.199.0.html?&L=1

Cheap(ish), reliable, and has a free "API" for numerous languages/platforms

[TwinScroll]

Another one to consider :::

http://www.cananalyser.co.uk

Very good support from the developer.

[mikeselectricstuff]

FTDI's Easysync division do a few : http://www.easysync-ltd.com/category/123/canbus-solutions.html

[Jeroen3]

I forgot to mention it has to be isolated.
The CANUSB mentions in their manual they can only sustain 125kb for a short time.

[aiq25]

If you want to go Open Source you could use the USBtin. Although I tried to build the circuit and couldn't get it work. I ended up making a simple device using a PIC and CP2102 module from eBay, it was for a class and it worked very well for my needs. The USBtin would need some modifications in my opinion, look at the schematic.

http://www.fischl.de/usbtin/

[Jeroen3]

Open Source is typically very far away from begin user friendly. As are some proprietary solutions.
Using custom USB drivers and other non-signed stuff. Remember that all "users" are using Microsoft by default.

The HD67390's from ADFweb use FTDI chips which auto-install on almost every workstation on the planet.

[rollatorwieltje]

At work we use IXXAT USB-CAN Compact adapters, they work fine and can handle up to 1 mbit. It comes with a C and C# api. It can also report CANbus errors properly (instead of just saying "screw you, its broken"), which is useful for debugging purposes. They are quite expensive though, I though they were in the order of 200 euro.

[veeev]

I have this one: http://www.kreatives-chaos.com/artikel/can-debugger (Sorry, it's in German).
It uses the documented Lawicel protocol or a simple shell interface.
CAN is galvanically isolated, a termination resistor may be activated via shell interface.
I used it to communicate with my CAN-based home automation system. Hasn't disappointed me for 6 years by now.

[Christopher]

FTDI's Easysync division do a few : http://www.easysync-ltd.com/category/123/canbus-solutions.html

I have used the isolated version of this in an install and it works great. Easy USB/Serial interface

[free_electron]

i know a place  that uses this : http://www.gemac-chemnitz.de/en/products/can-diagnostic-systems/can-bus-tester

[SeanB]

To be fair Vince, you use it every day at work............

It can even change the radio volume for you.

[Kohanbash]

I use these:

http://www.peak-system.com/PCAN-USB.199.0.html?&L=1

Cheap(ish), reliable, and has a free "API" for numerous languages/platforms

There is an isolated version of this one (that costs more). I also use the PCAN-USB. The hardware is pretty good. The software is average and gives basic read and writing of CAN messages.

[nctnico]

Open Source is typically very far away from begin user friendly. As are some proprietary solutions.
Using custom USB drivers and other non-signed stuff. Remember that all "users" are using Microsoft by default.

The HD67390's from ADFweb use FTDI chips which auto-install on almost every workstation on the planet.

Still I would look for a solution which doesn't use FTDI or any other serial bridge chips. There is no reason why not to use a controller which has USB and CAN so you can have a CDC serial class device. That way the baudrate doesn't matter; the only limit is the 12Mbit USB provides.

[Christopher]

It's much easier (probably) to isolate uart serial than canbus.

You could roll your own but the solutions here are good enough

[Jeroen3]

I could run my own. Maybe I would, just because I can. For self-training purposes, I've never done anything with USB vcom other than 115200-8N1.

Isolating CAN is cheaper. You'd only need a few 10's mW of isolated power and two channels. Instead of 4 channels (rx/tx/cts/rts) and (several) 100mW of isolated power.
You isolate can before the transceiver.

[Mad ID]

Does anyone know of any reliable CAN bus to USB interfaces?
I want to build my own application around it, so the api must be available.

Currently I have ADFweb HD67390's, but they can only do a maximum of 25kbaud (2 kBps) of actual bridging. A little poor, don't you think?
I'm investigating possibilities for a CAN bootloader, but at 25kbaud flashing (max) 1MB is going to take "forever". (~10minutes)
Although, you can load to multiple devices at once. But that will require some more advanced bootloader on-target.

Compared to 1 Mbaud uart, which will take 10 seconds, excluding overhead.

I use PCAN from peak system, very good. They provide API.

[Jeroen3]

To make it even worse. The converter I'm currently using does not default to passive.
So when plugged in, it destroys 90% of the frames. 

Edit: This problem has been fixed in a firmware update.

[miguelvp]

I got recently 4 of these prototype boards:

CY8CKIT-059 PSoC® 5LP Prototyping Kit
http://www.cypress.com/?rid=108038


Have not played with the CAN bus but it's supported provided you use CAN transceivers for the differential signal.

Link to prototype chip details and datasheet:
http://www.cypress.com/?mpn=CY8C5888LTI-LP097

CAN docs:
http://www.cypress.com/?docID=19093

http://ia700402.us.archive.org/2/items/CanBusInPsoc5_482/CanBusInPsocReport.pdf

But I have no experience at all with CAN so not sure if it will fit your needs.

[kaz911]

Does anyone know of any reliable CAN bus to USB interfaces?
I want to build my own application around it, so the api must be available.

Currently I have ADFweb HD67390's, but they can only do a maximum of 25kbaud (2 kBps) of actual bridging. A little poor, don't you think?
I'm investigating possibilities for a CAN bootloader, but at 25kbaud flashing (max) 1MB is going to take "forever". (~10minutes)
Although, you can load to multiple devices at once. But that will require some more advanced bootloader on-target.

Compared to 1 Mbaud uart, which will take 10 seconds, excluding overhead.

The gold standard being used by a lot of companies as OEM is kvaser. And by gold standard I mean they are not cheap - but comes with free API and inspection tool. http://www.kvaser.com/ - Some of the OEMs that use them are Mercruiser, Navico (Simrad), MasterVolt CZone and others. (I know the before mentioned as I work with Marine stuff ) - I picked mine up cheap on eBay...

They just launched an Ethernet <-> CAN adaptor as well.

[Jeroen3]

I've bought a kvaser leaf. Overall first impresssion is great  .
- They are the only one to specify (or brag about) the maximum number of frames per second.
- They claim 1 driver to rule them all.
- They explain CAN bus on their website. So at least someone they hired knows stuff.
- They sell bare boards similar to the USB dongle.
- Their CANking tool works nice. Looks feature packed.
- Virtual can networks.
- Multiple application on 1 piece of interface hardware.
However:
- It isn't fully plug&play, a 7 MB driver installer for windows is required. But maybe that is not actually needed when deploying custom application using kvaser drivers.
- Not a fan of the DB9 connector. But old habits standards die hard.

As I'm seeing now, with CANKing, I'm able to generate 90% of 250kb bus with random frames.

[kaz911]

Cool - let us know how you get on

[Jeroen3]

I forgot. I quickly made this based on earlier attempts with different interfaces to determine if the api is worth it.
https://github.com/Jeroen6/QtKvaser

It is. You'll need 1 dll, and there is only 1 driver to install for all kvaser devices. 
You can install the driver yourself, they share the .sys/.inf files. But you can also call the installer (8MB) from your application. With arguments to opt-out or run in the background.

The api seems quite large. But I got it working with the basics.
For more elaborate applications you might be interested in filters and callbacks or events.

And you can actually connect 2 sessions to 1 interface. Just be aware that both can't be used to initialize the bus parameters.

I also contacted them to ask if they have DIN Rail solutions. They don't have now, but will have in the future.

[kaz911]

I mainly use mine for reverse engineering the protocols and then I have a TI based launchpad board with my own CAN bus design on top working with the protocols. There are about 9 different "non-standard" marine CAN networks + NMEA 2000...

I forgot. I quickly made this based on earlier attempts with different interfaces to determine if the api is worth it.
https://github.com/Jeroen6/QtKvaser

It is. You'll need 1 dll, and there is only 1 driver to install for all kvaser devices. 
You can install the driver yourself, they share the .sys/.inf files. But you can also call the installer (8MB) from your application. With arguments to opt-out or run in the background.

The api seems quite large. But I got it working with the basics.
For more elaborate applications you might be interested in filters and callbacks or events.

And you can actually connect 2 sessions to 1 interface. Just be aware that both can't be used to initialize the bus parameters.

I also contacted them to ask if they have DIN Rail solutions. They don't have now, but will have in the future.