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DRIVER SOFTWARE
FTDI's VCP (Virtual COM Port) drivers are provided royalty-free on the
condition that they are only used with designs incorporating an FTDI device (ie the
FT8U245AM and DLP-IO16). The latest release versions are available for download from
dlpdesign.com or ftdichip.com.
The VCP driver download file is a combined set of drivers for Windows '98, Windows ME and
Windows 2000. Unzip the file to a blank floppy disk or folder on your PC. The drivers can co-
exist on the same floppy disk or folder since the INF files determine which set of drivers to load
for each operating system version. Once loaded, the VCP drivers allow your application
software, running on the host PC, to communicate with the DLP-IO16 as though it were
connected to a COM (RS-232) port.
In addition to VCP drivers, FTDI's "D2XX Direct Drivers" for Windows offer an alternative
solution to the VCP drivers which allows application software to interface with the FT8U245AM
device using a DLL instead of a Virtual Com Port. The architecture of the D2XX drivers consists
of a Windows WDM driver which communicates with the FT8U245AM device via the Windows
USB Stack and a DLL which interfaces the Application Software (written in VC++, C++
Builder, Delphi, VB etc...) to the WDM driver. An INF installation file, uninstaller program and
D2XX programmers guide complete the package.
The latest version of the D2XX Direct driver adds support for simultaneous access and
control of multiple FT8U245AM devices. An Extended Open function (FT_OpenEx ) has been
added allowing the device to be opened either by it's Product Description or by Serial Number
both of which can be programmed to be unique. A complementary List Devices function
(FT_ListDevices) has been added to allow application software to determine which devices are
currently available for use, again by product description or by serial number.
Download FTDI Application Notes AN232-03, AN232-05, AN232-06, and AN232-07 for
detailed instructions on how to install and remove the drivers for Windows 98 and 2000.
EEPROM WRITE UTILITY
The DLPIO16 has the option to accept manufacturer-specific information that is written into the
93C46 EEPROM. Parameters that can be programmed include the VID and the PID identifiers,
the manufacturer's product string and a serial number.
FTD2XXST is the latest EEPROM serializer and testing utility for the FT8U245AM device. It
replaces the VCP based 232Prog utility. FTD2XXST is based on the new D2XX drivers and
will work on Win '98, Win ME and Win 2000 platforms. You must
download and install the latest release of the D2XX drivers in order to run this application.
Refer to the SER200.PDF guide that is included in the EEPROM Write Utility’s download zip
file for details on how to use the serializer.
If you have VCP drivers installed on the PC that is to perform the EEPROM write process you
must uninstall these drivers and install the D2XX drivers prior to running the serializer utility.
