Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Converting Serial to USB, what's best? — Parallax Forums

Converting Serial to USB, what's best?

po2lepo2le Posts: 76
edited 2008-12-09 18:24 in BASIC Stamp
My BS2 Homework board, with PIC16C57C, uses a RS232 type of connection when its connected to my PC.· I believe its possible to convert to USB, but I don't know if there would be an advantage to that.
What are the advantages or disadvantages in using a USB connection?

I have another microcontroller which would also connect to the PC's serial port, will I be able to disconnect one microcont. from the serial port then connect to, and use, that port with another microcontroller?

If I used one as serial and the other as USB (not at the same time), would that work ?

Thank you
Patrick

Comments

  • stamptrolstamptrol Posts: 1,731
    edited 2008-12-07 21:19
    Patrick

    For your application, use the coverter sold by Parallax or one of the known compatibles (they are not all the same!).

    The usual reason to use USB is that newer laptops don't have the traditional 9-pin serial port. If your computer has multiple USB ports it is possible to put a converter on each and have them appear simultaneously as COM4, COM5, COM6 or whatever.

    Note that each instance of the USB on the PC needs the USB driver for that converter. Don't let Windows install the generic driver....it probably won't work.

    Cheers

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Tom Sisk

    http://www.siskconsult.com
    ·
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2008-12-07 21:40
    You should be able to just swap one microcontroller's serial port connection for another (as long as they're all RS232 signals ... what you'd expect with the DB-9 connector).

    What do you mean by your last question?
  • po2lepo2le Posts: 76
    edited 2008-12-08 01:58
    Ignore that second question
    Thanks for the answers.
  • morgandeomorgandeo Posts: 16
    edited 2008-12-09 07:49
    Hi po2le,

    What are the advantages or disadvantages in using a USB connection?

    Using USB connection you got speed in your work.I don't think there is a disadvantage using USB connection.
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2008-12-09 13:14
    One disadvantage to using a USB connection -- you MUST have an attached PC or Mac to use it. Because being a USB 'master' is hard. Being a USB 'slave' is easy.

    Now, RS-232, you can be 'master', 'slave', anything you want. Much more flexible if you want to get away from the PC.
  • po2lepo2le Posts: 76
    edited 2008-12-09 18:19
    allanlane5 stated:

    "One disadvantage to using a USB connection -- you MUST have an attached PC or Mac to use it. Because being a USB 'master' is hard. Being a USB 'slave' is easy.

    Now, RS-232, you can be 'master', 'slave', anything you want. Much more flexible if you want to get away from the PC"

    Does this mean that I couldn't use the BS2 in a remote location, away from the computer, if I would convert the BS2 to USB?
    If that's true, then I shall leave it as RS232.

    Patrick
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2008-12-09 18:24
    Yes, you COULD use it in a remote location, even if you had a USB version. You simply couldn't use the USB port for anything in the remote location.
Sign In or Register to comment.