Based upon an industry-standard 8051-compatible processor core, Bridgetek/FTDI's FT51A brings enhanced IO bridging to 8-bit MCU technology with integrated USB device and hub port capabilities ideal for cascading distributed computing tasks over USB. Other IOs, including UART, SPI, I²C, ADC, and PWM, are ideal for data acquisition and control applications supported with 16 Kbytes internal program Flash and 8 Kbyte data RAM to store and run applications.

FTDI's FTPD-1 programmer/debugger module provides the ideal bridge between the USB port of the PC and the 1-wire debug interface of the FT51A. This module facilitates linking hardware with the Eclipse-based FT51A design environment for loading code into the FT51A chip and for debugging code developed to run on the platform. The module has a mini USB connector to interface to the PC side and a pin header interface for attaching a suitable interface cable to the FT51A board design.

The UMFT51AA development modules provide full hardware feature support for the FT51A MCU. In addition to the DIL pin headers for access to IO such as UART, SPI, I²C, ADC, and PWM the modules also provide type A USB plug and socket connections to allow attaching USB peripherals or cascading boards in a distributed computing solution via the FT51A USB hub port.

FTDI's FT51A IC is ideal for data acquisition and control applications. To allow developers to try out some of these features, the FT51A-EVM module offers a complete solution with the features listed below.