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belkin usb to serial help — Parallax Forums

belkin usb to serial help

ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
edited 2005-04-01 21:18 in BASIC Stamp
mad.gif·mad.gif X1000

I· can't get my belkin usb to serial adapter to connect to the bs2 at all. I have all the most recent software and such. PS.·I do not want to buy a new one. I won't. nono.gif I have read through all the related topics and can't get it to run.the attachment is a pic of my current settings(yes i have fooled around with them, these are the defaults) thanxmad.gifmad.gif

Post Edited (ShadowDragon) : 1/16/2005 7:34:31 PM GMT
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Comments

  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2005-01-16 19:37
    Hello,

    There are only two known types of USB to serial adapters that will work with the BASIC Stamp and they are·the Keyspan model 19HS and the FTDI USB to serial adapter that Parallax sells.· Here is a link for more information regarding the FTDI adapter:· http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=800-00030

    Dave




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    Dave Andreae

    Tech Support
    dandreae@parallax.com
    www.parallax.com



    Post Edited (Dave Andreae (Parallax)) : 1/16/2005 7:40:31 PM GMT
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-01-16 19:44
    There's not guarantee this will work, but you might try clicking on the Advanced button on the Port Settings tab and reduce the Latency Timer to the smallest possible value. We have found this to fix USB issues with other adapters. Again, though, no promises.... we went with FTDI as a supplier because their USB products work with ours.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 19:44
    like i said, no new adapters! i want my current. if you are telling me about new adapters, i don't need a new one. everything else that connects to my adapter works except the BOE. i only have the BOE for 2 more days mabye longer, and i need to use my current adapter.thank you
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-01-16 19:47
    Just so you understand, we do things that are LEGAL with a stock serial port that some USB adapters do not support. This is the problem; we're not saying that your adapter is defective, it just may not be compatible with the programming protocol of the BASIC Stamp.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 19:48
    where are these so called latency timers. i have pictures of my current settings attached on this forum's beggining.
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 19:51
    i am running xp and i have had problems with the xp drivers. i have hacked the windows 2000 drivers into my toshiba Satellite A60. everything except my BOE works fine.
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-01-16 19:55
    Apparently that feature does not exist with your driver -- you might check to see if Belkin has a better driver for USB devices. I've attached an image of the Advanced Settings available with the FTDI driver that we prefer.

    Let me reiterate the programming the BASIC Stamp requires more that straight serial comms (which your adapater probably supports just fine) -- we do some port pin manipulation that your adapter may not support.· There is nothing we can do about your incompatible adapter.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA

    Post Edited (Jon Williams) : 1/16/2005 8:01:06 PM GMT
    Advanced_FTDI_Port_Settings.GIF
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  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 20:01
    i have literaly searched over 300 web pages for support, drivers, etc. i had found a win 2000 driver that works. this is it. open it with note pad.
    INF
    INF
    U2SI.INF
    1K
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-01-16 20:04
    I guess that's good news for others that have the Belkin adapter. Thanks for posting the solution -- let's hope it works for everyone who tries it; just so long as everyone knows we haven't -- and probably won't -- test it.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 20:04
    i believe the one from the 1st reply is similar to mine
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 20:06
    no, the driver above is the one i currently use. it is NOT working with the BOE
    ·
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-01-16 20:11
    Sorry I misunderstood. Apparently that driver does not support the bit-control that programming the BASIC Stamp requires.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 20:16
    any way to edit the driver so that it does?
  • Alan BradfordAlan Bradford Posts: 172
    edited 2005-01-16 21:06
    HI,

    I have had the same problem with the Belkin USB adapter...Not only with the Stamp, but with Commercial PLC units (Allen Bradley,·and Automation Direct)

    The Belkin does not support all serial protocalls, and my call to Belkin Tech Support resulted in them saying it was a Windows·problem, not theirs and I should call Microsoft for a driver!!!.

    That unit is now peacefully residing in the rafters of a US Coast Guard Maintenance Building. Thats as far as I could throw it, and it stuck...Maybe it is a foot stool for a pidgeon!!!

    I bought a few other cheaper units that also did not work. I use the Keyspan unit (p/n USA-19W www.keyspan.com) and can talk to anything serial that I have tried, Stamps, PLC's, CNC Units, etc.

    Is it worth searching 300 web sites to avoid spending $59 on a keyspan unit?· Just avoiding the aggravation is worth the price.

    Thats my 2 cents worth....

    Alan Bradford

    Plasma Technologies
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-16 21:16
    it is worth it when you are 15, $500 in debt to your parents, for this computer, and have lots of things to do.
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-01-16 21:22
    ShadowDragon said...
    any way to edit the driver so that it does?
    Not by us ... that would be a Belkin thing.·

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA
  • Alan BradfordAlan Bradford Posts: 172
    edited 2005-01-16 21:39
    Hi Shadow Dragon,

    Please do not take ths is indifference or snobbery...But when I went to college I had a Professor who was always saying

    "It does not Have to work..just because you Need it to work" This was usually spoken after mass quanities of smoke filled the Electronics Lab.

    I hope you have some luck making the Belkin work, but if the hardware is not there, then all the software and drivers in the World, Mars and Europa put together will not make it work.

    Maybe if you promise to shovel the driveway,(or·mow the lawn depending on wher eyou live) you can convince the Bank of Mom & Dad to spring for another $59. Try the "Its a good learning experience" gig with them. It worked with my kids, But Im just a softie.· My youngest son made a model of the Eiffel Tower with Stamp-1 blinking lights when he was in 5th grade. (He is now a seinior in college) It was a good learning experience, and he still uses his electronics and programming skills in his Video Production courses.

    This is good life and career skills and hopefully this Belkin thing·will not set you back.

    I wish you luck.

    Alan Bradford

    Plasma Technologies
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2005-01-16 22:39
    I've had similar experience with the Belkin unit, and I was able to return it. I feel for you, when I was 15 I didn't have the $500 in the first place. The way Parallax uses the serial port is quite 'legal', meaning within the RS-232 protocol. I think Belkin took some shortcuts on their adapter, which works fine with PDA's, but does not fully support the complete RS232 switching signals.

    Sadly, the only solution seems to be to use a 'native' serial port, or go with the Keyspan or FTDI units. Having invested $100 or so in the BOE, another $50.00 for a serial adapter does seem steep. I'm sorry that's the way it's worked out.
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-01-17 00:52
    Please ... if you're going to exchange units get the FTDI. We fully trust FTDI and use their components in our own USB interfaces.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-17 02:54
    thanks for all that, but i had og. bought the adapter for the GPS. i use completely different drivers from other companys to get this thing going---just for the gps. it runs all the right baud rates and everything for the gps. i just am not sure if there is really nothing i can do. i blew off belkin on the phone 2 weeks ago and hung up on toshiba support roughly 3 days ago, (almost yelled at them once, i.e. i made multiple calls) and i just don't know. But thanks for all the help. (i am getting an A+ in the BOE class @ school. working with infrared now)
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-01-17 18:18
    can i rewire the cables to get it working?
    i may be in debt know, but i have plenty of cables
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-01-18 01:29
    ShadowDragon,
    Okay I'm going to tell you straight out... THE BELKIN ADAPTER WILL NOT WORK... Stop wasting time trying...
    I can tell you that the parallax adapter does work. There are probably other that WILL work too.

    Terry
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-02-28 18:19
    mad.gif·he belkin adapter is a FTDI or whatever. that is what i am saying. ANd don't give me any crud like the·"Bean" above. anything is possible, you just have to know how to do it. (don't give that "well, we don't know how to do it.") nono.gif
  • kb2hapkb2hap Posts: 218
    edited 2005-02-28 18:42
    Hey why dont you stop giving everybody a hard time. How many hours have you spent trying to get this thing to work? Obviously its not going to work! Yeah I'm sure you could get it to work but that work require you to rewire it and write your own drivers which I don't think is worth it. You could have already had the FTDI adapter and been happy. IT WORKS!!! I have one. also why would't you belive the people who designed and developer the STAMP and FTDI. Jon and Dave and the others at Parallax are extremely intelligent and there not out to make an extra buck from selling you there adapter.· They even suggested an adapter from someone else that works.

    PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE GET THE FTDI AND BE HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    DTQ
  • Jon WilliamsJon Williams Posts: 6,491
    edited 2005-02-28 19:29
    ShadowDragon said...
    mad.gif·he belkin adapter is a FTDI or whatever. that is what i am saying. ANd don't give me any crud like the·"Bean" above. anything is possible, you just have to know how to do it. (don't give that "well, we don't know how to do it.") nono.gif
    Okay, then, when you figure out how to make it work (because we can't), please do share.· We've spent hundreds of man hours on this problem and have found the FTDI to be the best solution to the USB/Serial "problem" -- that's why we selected FTDI chips for our built-in USB ports.

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    Jon Williams
    Applications Engineer, Parallax
    Dallas, TX· USA
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-02-28 19:41
    If you get it to work(and I sincerly hope you do), and share the solution, I will post a big fat apology to you and belkin.

    I tried the belkin, it didn't work. I tried the FTDI, it worked. I went on with my life.

    BTW I don't know what you mean by "We don't know how to do it". I am speaking only for myself, I'm not a Parallax employee.

    Bean.

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    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com
    ·
  • BorisBoris Posts: 81
    edited 2005-02-28 21:03
    Are you using a laptop?
    If not, what kind of computer comes witout a serial port???
    You can add a PCI card that will give you 2 serial ports
    http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=15-107-105&depa=1
    its only $17.99 from NewEgg.
    You can find them for about $5 at computer shows/sales, or any computer store pretty much.

    P.S. You need some anger managment. Cursing off Belkin is not going to help. They designed their cable to work with certain devices, not BS. Of course they are going to cut corners to make their product as cheap as possible and still do the needed functions.
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-03-15 18:52
    Thanks moderators, ShadowDragon if you are also using the JonnyIsGood moniker, I feel for you. I too was always strapped for cash growing up (my parents took all my chore money I earned growing up and put it in a bank account to keep for me for college, when I got it it was a whole $359, enough to cover a semester's worth of books and a couple trips to a fast food joint). Things can get very frustrating in such a situation. But please don't take your frustration out on other members, we are here to try and help you. If we become terse, its ussually because your not listening to what we are telling you. Again Im sorry for your predicament, but cursing is not an acceptable means for response, not in personal life, not in internet life.
  • ShadowDragonShadowDragon Posts: 51
    edited 2005-04-01 20:52
    sorry. Thanks all. i came up with a solution, now that i got a router, (and a couple copies of XP smilewinkgrin.gif ). I setup my old dell desktop computer as a server (btw, i have a toshiba satellite A60, wicked nice laptop for only $700) and use remote desktop and windows xp pro to connect to the server, and control the serial port on it, through my laptop. turn.gif It works......finally..... Thanks all for the help.

    ShadowDragon (and Yes, JohnnybeGood)

    PS.---- SRRY blush.gifblush.gif

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    I watch how the moon sits in the sky on a dark night,
    shining with the light from the sun,
    The sun doesn't give light to the moon,
    Assuming the moons gonna owe it one,
  • RancheroManRancheroMan Posts: 14
    edited 2005-04-01 21:18
    For anyone else interested this is what I use for my laptop..... it works great, and isn't too badly priced!

    http://www.hvwtech.com/pages/products_view.asp?ProductID=524
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