usb HOST for your next μc project

I was trolling the interwebs for something else, and ran across this gem:

https://www.saelig.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=UI1E3&Category_Code=

several times I've seen posts here of people wanting to implement a USB HOST interface on their microcontroller - this little module appears to do just that! it sports all sorts of interface options, and comes on a handy little DIP type daughter board... and it's cheap!

Just as I thought, they are using an FTDI IC. Alot of small comming up companies are taking this approach in producing these modules. The FTDI backpacks are nice but are well beyond my range of acceptable pricing. I go straight to the source and incorporate the FTDI component directly to my boards for 1/5 the price of the module kits. USB at even $4.00 is still the most expensive component on my boards nearly doubling the cost of some of my BOMs.

Strange, FTDI has set the bar by providing actual Micro$oft certified drivers for most o.s. versions, even x64. May the books and walls of history covet FTDI's name for all times. This is not easy task, I do this regularly and trust me you do not want to ever be involved in driver certification if you life dependend on it. Yet, FTDI site has been on and off lately and now has been down all together! Talk about balance in the universe.