Serial to USB adapter

alnajjar1 · 2014-05-03 05:29

Hello,

I had to buy new laptop with annoying Win8.1 and now my Iogear GUC232A (ATEN based). I downloaded the Win8 drivers from Iogear still no luck. Other adapter GoldX (Prolific based) is officially not compatible according to Microsoft. I am stuck with dead old laptop and Win8 incompatibility.

Any idea how to get around this?

Do the Parallax adapters work on Win8? Has anyone tried them?

Thanks.

Al

Mike Green · 2014-05-03 06:02

Yes, Parallax adapters work on Windows 8. Make sure you download the current driver from FTDI.

alnajjar1 · 2014-05-05 05:29

Thanks Mike. Before buing the Parallax adapter, my laptop has USB3 ports. Do you think that may be a problem with the usb adapter?

Publison · 2014-05-05 05:49

There have been some problems reported with USB 3.0. Most laptops today have both USB 2 and USB 3. USB 3 will have blue inside the connector.

alnajjar1 · 2014-05-05 06:23

I only have 2 ports and both are USB3. The adapter that I have (IOGEAR GUC232A) worked perfectly on USB1 and USB2 and not on the new laptop. It must by the USB3 issue. Any work around? Is there at USB3 to USB1 adapter (couldn't find any on Google search)?

Thanks.

Publison · 2014-05-05 06:34

I guess that would be an issue with IOGear Tech Support. Parallax sells and supports the FTDI chipset. I could not find the chipset used in the GUC232A

alnajjar1 · 2014-05-05 07:54

Is the FTDI chipset USB3 compatible?

Publison · 2014-05-05 08:01

I'm not sure, but Parallax tech support should be open in a few minutes.

Tech Support: 888-997-8267

erco · 2014-05-05 15:12

I loved my ATEN UC232A adapter, but it's not compatible with Win8. I ran some diagnostic program on it and the particular chip inside (not FTDI, IIRC it is Prolific) isn't supported. It worked great on XP and Vista and was my preferred adapter in most cases. The price of "progress".

Edit: Now the ATEN website says it is Win8 compatible, mayhaps the latest driver will get it going: http://www.aten.com/products/productItem.php?model_no=UC232A

alnajjar1 · 2014-05-06 03:09

Thanks Erco. I got through to tech support at Iogear and they stated that my adapter is "probably too old and with a very old chipset". So I went to Tiger Direct, bought a brand new one (nothing on it with chipset info) and still the same problem. I was hoping to get this going fast because of some urgent projects.

Will order from Parallax today.

erco · 2014-05-06 12:57

Mine didn't work. While installing the driver it warned that older serial numbers wouldn't work.

Genetix · 2014-05-06 13:22

I've heard this I can't remember how many times, so I will just repeat it.
The BASIC Stamp has very strict timing requirements during programming so the Parallax Serial to USB Adapter is recommended.

erco · 2014-05-06 19:26

Here's a $4.15 PCI bus dual serial port card which claims to be Win7/8 compatible. I might have to try one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Ports-PCI-to-COM-9-pin-Serial-Series-Port-RS232-Card-Adapter-/291084499518?pt=US_Internal_Port_Expansion_Cards&hash=item43c5fcfa3e

And for you parallel port fans, also $4, PCI bus and Win 7/8 compatible. http://www.ebay.com/itm/IEEE-1284-25Pin-Parallel-Port-Printer-to-PCI-I-O-Controller-Card-Adapter-/301102005008?pt=US_Internal_Port_Expansion_Cards&hash=item461b13fb10

G McMurry · 2014-05-20 09:40

I have been using just about any junky USB to RS232 adapter I find on EBAY to program Basic Stamp. Must admit that I haven't jumped off the Win8 cliff yet, but anything that looks like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3Ft-Translucent-USB-2-0-to-DB9-RS232-Serial-Converter-Adapter-Cable-3-Feet-/380750042788?pt=US_Parallel_Serial_PS_2_Cables_Adapters&hash=item58a67896a4

will work fine with built in windows drivers. I did have to let one netbook I have go look for a driver, but it did it by itself and now works fine.

There are several USB to Serial adapters that are only TTL that you might have trouble with those. If you go for the ones with the USB to DB-9, you should be fine.

I buy these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-NEW-PL2303-USB-TTL-RS232-Convert-Serial-Cable-Connector-/141287376939?pt=US_Parallel_Serial_PS_2_Cables_Adapters&hash=item20e562482b to program my Propeller. As of yet, I have not been able to use my Propeller programmer on my Basic Stamp, Or, my Stamp programmer on my Propeller.

For what its worth...

Greg

Greg

erco · 2014-05-20 13:52

I've tried 2 or 3 of those blue usb/serial adapters but none have worked. Greg, you'll be a hero if you recommend a specific one that does.

The trouble might be inverted signals. One of the gurus in the PicAxe forum showed that the cheap CP2102 usb adapters worked only after adding two inverters : http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?18715-problem-with-downloading-the-program-onto-the-picaxe&p=174475&viewfull=1#post174475 I copied his and it worked fine for Picaxe, which only needs tx & rx lines, not true for the BS2.

G McMurry · 2014-05-20 20:44

Erco,

What are you programming? Stamp? Propeller? What? Sorry if you already said. Most Stamp interfaces I have seen are designed for RS-232 and my Propeller projects (and several others) all are TTL. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION.

Does it look like the adapter you are using is loading drivers?

Are you using Win8?

Is your problem a driver problem or a problem with whatever you are trying to connect it to?

Does it show up in the Windows Device Manager as a valid com: port? If the adapter does not show up as a Com? port in the device manager, then it will never work.

ATEN adapters are pretty well supported. I use the 4-port ATEN adapters for my more sophisticated RS-232 devices. I don't think ATEN makes a TTL adapter. For that you need the $2 I pointed out in my first post.

Greg

erco · 2014-05-20 21:47

Stamp. My Aten UC232a and Parallax FTDI adapters worked fine on both BS2's and PicAxes, so those use the same signals. I tried at least two of those blue ones you mentioned but no joy there. And the Aten is not supported under Win 8.

erco · 2014-05-21 09:00

More info on the blue serial adapters from "another" forum: http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?22575-Cheap-USB-to-Serial-adapter-to-leave-in-your-project&p=222280&viewfull=1#post222280

Shows two different types, and the one marked "fake" is the one I have here (which doesn't work), with the big epoxy blob. Maybe I got two of the fakes. Can't find the other one, I may have tossed it.

G McMurry · 2014-05-22 09:41

I'm afraid you are in a Windows 8 quagmire. Here is what I do...

I have an inexpensive Windows7 Netbook and I run dropbox between it and my main computer. All my software that I need to load into my device I can run on my main desktop system (fast computer and any operating system) then, when I want to load my board level devices, I use the Netbook. Because it is constantly in sync with my dropbox folder, there is no problem.

ATEN says that they have drivers for WIN8 on their website.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Greg

erco · 2014-05-22 09:58

G McMurry wrote: »

ATEN says that they have drivers for WIN8 on their website.

Yes, but it bombs on install and says the earlier versions won't work. Fortunately, Parallax's own fine FTDI adapter works fine.

I ordered the blue one in your link to try, too. Thanks.

erco · 2014-05-25 18:55

That new cheap blue USB adapter also goes in the junk drawer. Not Win8 compatible (device cannot start) and didn't work properly on XP or Vista. Downloaded recommended driver by seller from http://driverdownload168.com . Adapter installs and w/ PBasic editor it gives a "yes" to echo and loopback, but it can't ID or program a Stamp. Stick with Parallax's own fine FTDI adapter which works a treat!

BTW, this particular blue cable installs as a Prolific chipset, but it looks like the "fake" version (epoxy blob instead of IC visible) detailed in the post #18.

Serial to USB adapter

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