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Did you buy non Parallax USB to serial converter? (Almost OT) — Parallax Forums

Did you buy non Parallax USB to serial converter? (Almost OT)

vaclav_salvaclav_sal Posts: 451
edited 2011-02-20 21:51 in BASIC Stamp
It has been posted here numerous times - buy Parallax USB to Serial adapter because it works with Parallax stuff.
Being retired and on fixed income I have an issue paying $15 for a device which is selling elsewhere for a $1.
That is nothing against Parallax, but simple consumer economy. And I'll buy Parallax specific product anyway.

I'll buy it and if it does not work I'll skip my next cup of coffee.

What I am asking - did you buy run of the mill Serial to USB adapter / cable and did it work for you on Parallax product?

Simple yes / no to keep it without prejudice.

No other comments are necessary, please.
Thanks for reading
Vaclav
.

Comments

  • wrightmewrightme Posts: 43
    edited 2011-02-14 07:22
    I used one that I had on-hand, and it works fine. Don't know about a $1.00 one though......
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2011-02-14 07:27
    The very cheap ones using Prolific chips seem rather troublesome. I've got one I bought many years ago which uses an FTDI chip, and I still use it with Win7, with updated drivers.
  • TomatoTomato Posts: 23
    edited 2011-02-14 07:37
    no. I have serial port lol
  • electrosyselectrosys Posts: 212
    edited 2011-02-14 08:44
    I have the FTDI module, but I also got some of the ~$1 Prolific chips, and they work very well with Propeller and other Parallax product. Somewhere here in the forum, there is a thread about all the different USB to Serial, that work or not working with Parallax products like (BS2 and Propeller).
  • Spiral_72Spiral_72 Posts: 791
    edited 2011-02-14 08:50
    We could not get the one sold at Radio Shack to work for programming the BS2. The Parallax worked great.
  • bsnutbsnut Posts: 521
    edited 2011-02-15 09:39
    I have a non Parallax USB to Serial Converter and it works for me.
  • Mark KiblerMark Kibler Posts: 546
    edited 2011-02-20 15:48
    .
    NO, non-Parallax USB-to-Serial adapters don't work well at all. We tried 3 or 4 different adapters (Belkin, etc.) in our various projects the past 3-4 years with no success whatsoever. We bought the Parallax OEM adapters and they work flawless. Save time, save money, shop Parallax.

    Mark - ARLISS Team New Hampshire
    :cool:
  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,245
    edited 2011-02-20 16:39
    I have had very little luck with "run of the mill" USB-Serial adapters, some of them won't work at all. The Parallax adapter works flawlessly every time.



    Paul
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2011-02-20 16:48
    My $7 TRW swap meet ATEN UC-232A works perfectly on every computer, XP/Vista, every board I've ever tried.

    http://www.aten-kvm.com/servlet/the-62/ATEN-UC-dsh-232A-uc232a-uc-dsh-232/Detail
  • vaclav_salvaclav_sal Posts: 451
    edited 2011-02-20 21:51
    Thanks for all replies.
    I went ahead I bought USB to serial converter on e-bay.
    Got the following responses from my Parallax SX OEM module
    No power – loop back Yes – this is OK
    Power - loop back Yes echo Yes - this is somewhat vaque information from the module
    With no COM available I received message to the effect that no serial port is available - as expected.
    With one COM port assigned in Windows received message “Scanning” and than
    message to the effect that no Stamp is available – not expected .
    The catch – after trying several times I got correct reply from the SX ( identifying the chip as SX and firmware version ) but then immediately received message that the hardware failed. I suspect the unreliable physical connection – I could not get the DB9 to screw in(!)


    My conclusions
    1.Too many unknowns – I can only assume how the interpreter starts communicating with the Stamp using RS232 protocol.
    2.Knowledge of driver (Prolific) does not identify the actual mechanics of the serial to USB connection .
    3.It seems that the actual manufacturer of the hardware cannot be readily identified (Made in China?)

    I am going back to plain serial COM port and maybe do some more testing.
    That is a different subject.
    Please consider this thread closed.
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