USB to Serial Problems

[cardcleaner]

I was wondering if anyone has had any problems useing a usb to serial adapter with windows vista.

I recently bought one of these cables because my new computer didn't have a serial port.

It worked good with my ISO for about five keychanges then I started getting write failed over and over untill my card finally went no atr.

I'm up and running again with a different card and my old computer but I'm trying to figure out if the usb to serial caused my card to fry.

[ruciz]

buy a USB ISO, then you won't fry $275 cards.

Or:
1)don't use vista
2)don't use a USB->serial adapter on any OS, especially vista.

You can get PCI Serial cards, or use a different system.
No serial ports + vista is a horrible combination for anything in this hobby. You need serial and LPT ports for 99% of the things that you wanna do.

[nomosno]

I didn't have much better luck using a PCI with XP on a year old computer.

[ruciz]

strange. USB->serial are nororious for not correctly working, which you found out.
I never had a single problem with my lava cards with emu, ISO or loaders.

[zman1858]

I am in the same boat...if I switch to XP Pro, will usb-serial work

[Bandit5906]

Some of the USB to Serial port cables are reported to work with Vista, but I do not know of any that will work with XP.

Why not just cough up the bucks for a USB ISO programmer and be done with it?
Seems a lot simpler to me.

Vista is not a working OS IMHO!

[cardcleaner]

I do have another computer I currently use for just for programming cards, so no big deal if usb to serial is a bad idea. I just thought maybe I put some settings wrong or something. I think I'll get a serial pci card

[JT]

I've read that some of these adaptors will work, but which ones and for what purpose is pretty hit and miss. Much better off to throw down the $35 for a PCI card with a couple serial ports on it and do it right. Save yourself the hassle.

[rg6a]

strange. USB->serial are nororious for not correctly working, which you found out.
I never had a single problem with my lava cards with emu, ISO or loaders.

You said it and I suggested that Manufacturer about a year ago in a reply here. Rather than spend $15 on some cheap Chinese card go with that one, it's commercial grade and used by Labs for Data Acquisition purposes. Not cheap but well worth the price, since it works!

Apart from that, USB ISO is the way to go as someone else suggested. Cheap only ends up being more expen$ive.

[pecker88]

have a few usb-serial adapters from rat shack and they work great. They are about 40 bucks but work fine with winXP. Using one for an aux card with windows st19 and it hasn't hickuped in 3 weeks. Also works fine to write/read from cam using n2edit.

[harrybuckman]

have a few usb-serial adapters from rat shack and they work great. They are about 40 bucks but work fine with winXP. Using one for an aux card with windows st19 and it hasn't hickuped in 3 weeks. Also works fine to write/read from cam using n2edit.


exactly which one from ratshack they have two models??

[Bandit5906]

Cost as much as a PCI card!

[pecker88]

exactly which one from ratshack they have two models??

StarTech.com USB to RS-232 Serial DB9 Adapter

[JT]

StarTech.com USB to RS-232 Serial DB9 Adapter

Exactly. Get the real deal. I know it's antiquated technology, but it's what our equipment is designed to interface with. You can get expansion cards for laptops too, but they'll run you about $55. Don't waste your time with adaptors in this case.

[Bandit5906]

C&P

Folks, just sharing some info. I was looking through the various threads myself for my own education. Looks like there may be more and more folks looking for USB to DB9 adapters that work, specifically with Vista. Here is my experience.

Tried three (3) of them:

1. Dynex DX-UBDB9.
2. IOGear GUC232A
3. Cables to Go Model 26886

Some learnings. All worked fine under Vista with an Orange Nexus. However I also had a "no name no case" DB9 programmer. That programmer worked fine with a serial connection to the PC under Vista, however it would not work using the USB serial adapters. I am concluding then that not all programmers are the same.

They all installed on vitual Port 4. Setting for Read delay at 10, CMD delay at 50 in both RP and N2Edit.

Observations


1. Dynex seems to be the most written about. Vista Drivers come from the website, not with the retail package. The most expensive. Worked fine with the Orange Nexus, however not with the "no case no name" serial programmer. Dynex available predominantly in Best Buy both north and south of the 49th parallel. It uses a "Microsoft signed driver" from Prolific under Vista.

2. IOGEAR GUC232A avaliable at Tiger Direct. Vista Drivers come from the website, not with the retail package. Second most expensive. Worked fine with the Orange Nexus, however once again not with the "no case no name" serial programmer. It uses a "Microsoft unsigned driver" from ATEN under Vista.

3. "Cables to Go" Model 26886 also available at Tiger Direct. Vista Drivers come from the website. These drivers come with a nice and simple installer, and it even allows you to uninstall the drivers through the Vista install/uninstall programs menu. Just nice and clean. Like the Dynex it uses a "Microsoft signed driver" from Prolific under Vista. It was also the lowest cost of the three. Once again worked fine with the Orange Nexus, however once again not with the "no case no name" serial programmer.


Conclusion:

1. I went with the Cables to Go Model 26886 from Tiger Direct. Nice easy driver install and uninstall procedures. Also the lowest price. We'll run with it for now.

2. Also coming to the conclusion the not all programmers are the same. As mentioned all three adapters worked with an Orange Nexus with RP and N2Edit. None worked with the "no name no case" programmer through the adapter.

Hope this helps.