USB to Serial Adapters

wedge446 · Post by **wedge446** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:41 pm

I`m using an adapter I picked up from radio shack $39, works good on my HP zv6000

jakobsladderz · Post by **jakobsladderz** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:51 pm

The difference between the prolific PL-2303 and 2303X chips (I think that's the numbers) used in some of the USB-Serial coverters is that the X variant handles XON/XOFF handshaking internal to the converter rather than in the PC as the non-x variant does. with all of the buffering involved there could be overflow problems with the non-x variants if MS uses XON-XOFF (sorry, I don't know if it does or not, someone could fill in the blank here ). Most of them will do hardware handshaking internally.
I don't know about other brand chips, I have not looked up any other datasheets (I bought a nokia data lead that had the 2303X but didn't suit my phone, so I used the plug to make a proper USB phone lead, then used the 2303X to make a usb-serial lead...).

renns · Post by **renns** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:59 pm

Here's a deal on a USB-Serial adapter from Tiger Direct, an on-line electronics retailer from Toronto, Canada:

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/ ... &CatId=464

The price is $3.99 after rebate. I believe they offer free shipping within Canada as well. It's a 'Cables Unlimited' brand, and comes with a USB extension cable as well.

Disclaimer: I have not used this product, and cannot vouch for it's suitability for MS applications.

Roger.

Post by **efahl** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 5:49 pm

jakobsladderz wrote:if MS uses XON-XOFF

No, we turn flow control off altogether, as the data stream is binary and contains both xon and xoff characters as a matter of course.

Eric

Post by **efahl** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 5:51 pm

renns wrote:The price is $3.99 after rebate.

And that's Canadian dollars, so it's like, free!

renns · Post by **renns** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:22 pm

efahl wrote:
renns wrote:The price is $3.99 after rebate.
And that's Canadian dollars, so it's like, free! :)

Hey, easy now... We're up around 85 cents/USD these days. If you guys keep on borrowing abroad like you have been, it'll be reversed in a few years!

Post by **efahl** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 7:35 am

Roger,

Yeah, if I want to make fun of currency, there are always the yen and lire.

That's an amazing price though, I should get a few just to have them in my box for testing with various machines...

Eric

FoundSoul · Post by **FoundSoul** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:35 am

It's not $3.99 but I'm now stocking a USB-Serial converter for a pretty reasonable price, and I took the time to thoroughly test it (literally for 3 months) to make sure I didn't have any problems with it under various conditions / versions of MegaTune / firmware / laptops / etc. I actually didn't originally plan to test it that long but it just worked out that way. Anyways its rock solid and works in all conditions-- I can't make it fail and I don't have to tweak any settings at all. My price is $22 which I think is pretty reasonable still, especially when being tacked onto an existing order so shipping doesn't add anything.

It's on my site catalog in the 'Tuning Cables' section. For the time being there's a direct link in my sig below...

And yes-- this is actually the same one Tiger Direct is selling (at a major loss just to get you in the door) for $13.99 with the $10 rebate, with the full expectation you won't redeem the rebate or you won't fill the form out properly (believe me, I discussed this with Cables Unlimited directly). I can't blame some of you for going for this- I also can't sell it at a loss as they are though, I know some will go for the Tiger price and that's cool, though many of you guys have been very supportive and have actually turned down discounts that I've offered from time to time because you want to see DIYAutoTune be able to continue to contribute to the community-- I do keep things as affordable as possible, usually but not always cheaper than you can get it elsewhere.

I do appreciate your support more than you could know! Thanks!

Jim Blackwood · Post by **Jim Blackwood** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:14 am

Not paying attention, I bought an adapter which has standoffs instead of screws on the connector. I pulled off the standoffs and hooked it up but it didn't work, so I hooked it to a straight serial cable and hooked it up (which it would have done with the standoffs in place) and it still didn't work. I didn't even know you could buy them that way.

Hadn't seen this thread. Just ordered one from Jerry.

DieselSJ · Post by **DieselSJ** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:02 pm

I was having major problems with the tuning software I was using for our "other" system - I tried every USB/Serial connector I could find and none gave me a reliable connection. I even tried the one that they sell, and it didn't work.

I was on ebay a few weeks ago and found some very inexpensive PCMCIA serial cards. They were way cheap - like less than $20. Those are typically $100+. I figured what the heck and went with one. It works flawlessly. If you are not having good luck with the USB adapter, then this may be your solution. It is the Red Cheif brand.