switch status for embedded system

Hello,

I have a low power embedded system that can read from a serial port.

I need 'something to read the status (pressed or not) of a micro switch (9 of them) with. I can use a serial port or usb port to do that with.
Any suggestions for something simple, small I can get of the shelf ?

thanks,

Ron

I'm not clear if the "low power embedded system" is reading the microswitches, or if they are being read by a PC?

Hello Mike,

the embedded system is pretty much a pc running a linux kernel. (I can write the software for reading the port myself)

I would like to read the 'status', to see if the micro switch was pressed.
I am looking around if I can find a small board that I can hook up the switches to and that I can simply see what switch was pressed.

thanks for your reply!

Ron

Does your system have ISA card slots? An old printer port board would do the job.

I was going to suggest a parallel printer port. They usually have about a dozen pins that can be read as inputs and about a dozen that can be outputs; some are bidirectional.

I buy up old DOS-only laptops that have parallel ports to use as controllers for a variety of projects, including data loggers, battery testers, etc. I have QuickBasic 4.5, which talks directly to the PP using the INP and OUT calls...