[Cryptech Tech] Alpha board block diagram v0.001

[Павел Шатов]

On 26.03.2015 12:06, Benedikt Stockebrand wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> sorry for the delay again, but as usual I'm just catching up on things.
>
> Павел Шатов <meisterpaul1 at yandex.ru> writes:
>
>> I believe, what we actually need is FT232R from FTDI or maybe CP2104
>> from SiLabs.
>
> Aside from the fact that FTDI really screwed things up with their driver
> stunt (bricking counterfeit chips, search for FTDIgate if you need
> details) these chips have a rather nasty problem: They can be externally
> reprogrammed through the USB interface without any external jumper or
> whatever to turn that capability off.
>
> I don't even want to know what else you can do with these from outside
> (documented or undocumented), but I don't consider them trustworthy and
> I wouldn't be surprised if they lose so many customers over this that
> they may (be) run out of business; I personally won't consider them a
> medium to long term option anymore.

Benedikt, what do you think about CP2104 chip from Silicon Labs? It is 
slower than FT232, but they offer open source Linux driver for it.

Btw, as far as I know there are alternative open source FTDI drivers: 
http://www.intra2net.com/en/developer/libftdi/
Can we use them?

--
With best regards,
Pavel Shatov