Is it possible to setup a single SPI Master, and several dozen SPI slaves on
basically the same chain?
At the rate you are going, you will probably solve it before you get
this answer!
The answer is yes, by definition. It would not be a "bus" if it could
not address multiple devices.
I want to setup my PIC16F74 as a SPI master, and then have it talk to
several MAX7301's using only the single SPI output on the PIC. Anybody know
of a way of doing this?
If you must use a microprocessor, that is another level of learning
you will have to endure. Depending on your application this could be
as easy as the parallel port on a PC and VisualBasic. Since you seem
to already have a PIC, the documentation from Microchip is quite
extensive, and I believe that they offer a subroutine library for SPI
work.
You will also need a compiler and emulator, and probably a way to
design printed circuit boards. How you fell onto the PIC so quickly
is a bit of a mystery, and you may want to shop around before
selecting a device. Among many options, you should also consider the
Hitachi H8 and Atmel AVR parts. I recommend the CodeVisionAVR C
compiler for the AVR, which comes with an extensive SPI library and
excellent technical support.
But to answer your question from yesterday, the power-pole connectors
by Anderson are a very good industrial option, easy to use, rugged and
configurable. <<
http://www.andersonpower.com/products/pp/pp.html>>
Kevin