| Whether you are developing or | | | | market, no matter what programming language |
| reverse-engineering a USB device, programming | | | | they use. Hardware developers often use |
| an application with USB communication, or | | | | specialized devices and expensive software in |
| simply analyzing data sent and received via | | | | order to test and debug their products. One |
| USB interface, USB Monitor by HHD Software | | | | important thing that all of these tools lack |
| will expedite your project saving time and | | | | is source code debugging. In most cases, a |
| expense. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) has | | | | hardware developer is only able to see raw |
| become the most popular device communication | | | | data streams that have to be saved and |
| interface in modern computers. All external | | | | analyzed elsewhere. USB Monitor makes USB |
| devices that used serial or parallel | | | | debugging as simple as tracing the source |
| interfaces in the past, such as printers, | | | | code written in a high-level programming |
| scanners, modems, even mice and keyboards, | | | | language. Thanks to its ability to analyze |
| are now employing USB due to its vast | | | | Human Interface Devices (HID), Mass Storage, |
| superiority over the legacy interfaces. Many | | | | and Still Image USB protocols, you no longer |
| new classes of devices emerged in recent | | | | have to deal with binary data. Instead of a |
| years because of widespread availability of | | | | raw data stream, you will see a convenient |
| the highly versatile, high-speed USB | | | | presentation of the data sent and received by |
| interface. USB provides multiple benefits to | | | | USB devices supporting these protocols. One |
| the end user, including hot-plugging and | | | | of the most important aspects of developing a |
| automatic device detection by the host PC, | | | | new USB device or reverse-engineering an |
| superior transfer speeds, and easy | | | | existing one is the ability to capture data |
| expandability with external USB hubs should | | | | that is transmitted between the computer and |
| the need for more USB ports arise. Enhanced | | | | the USB device for later scrupulous analysis. |
| USB capabilities for end users mean much | | | | USB Monitor will either monitor USB |
| greater complexity for developers. All USB | | | | transmissions in real time, or store data |
| devices must respond to a certain set of | | | | into a log file for later playback and |
| commands with standardized responses in real | | | | analysis. It can even export the logged data |
| time. Monitoring and capturing the data was | | | | to many popular formats so that you can use |
| easily achieved with simple hardware in the | | | | your favorite third-party application to |
| days of serial and parallel ports; with USB | | | | process it. There is little need to use |
| it is not an easy task anymore, as all | | | | third-party software for working with data, |
| transmissions are encoded. Testing and | | | | as with USB Monitor you can use all six of |
| debugging USB devices requires additional | | | | its powerful analyzers at the same time, |
| tools that are able to capture and translate | | | | including URB View, Packet View, Statistics |
| USB data into meaningful output. USB Monitor | | | | View, HID View, Mass Storage View, and Still |
| by HHD Software ( is capable of conveniently | | | | Image View. Using USB Monitor helps you save |
| capturing and analyzing data transferred | | | | time and efforts on debugging or |
| between a Windows PC and a USB device of any | | | | reverse-engineering USB devices. Thanks to |
| class. If you ever created a software program | | | | its flexible licensing policy, its different |
| more complex than the famous 'Hello, World!' | | | | versions are powerful enough for the most |
| you most certainly know the importance of | | | | demanding user, and remain affordable for |
| debugging. Bugs are inevitable in any complex | | | | corporate or individual use. Download your |
| project, be it software or hardware. USB | | | | free evaluation copy at: |
| hardware is no exception. Software developers | | | | |
| are lucky enough to have a wide variety of | | | | More articles from this pro: Software Ltd. |
| source code debugging tools available on the | | | | |