PDA Help! Serial to USB conversion

[+helkat22]

So I got a Palm Vx (which I thought was a USB device) off of eBay, and SURPRISE, it has a serial cable! I know I need a converter cable, but what exactly do I need to look for. I am using Windows Vista, if that matters. I was hoping to find one on eBay.

 

Thanks!

Helga

[+NightPilot]

You need a USB-serial adapter. Most should work. It converts a USB port to an RS232 serial port. For Vista, I have no idea whether anything at all will work. There have been reports of all sorts of problems with Vista, and I don't plan to start using it until at least service pack 2, if then. Palm's Quick Install tool doesn't work with Vista, so you can't use that. Good luck.

[+helkat22]

Oh my word...what have I done! Nothing is going to work for me! I have XP on my desktop, but I hardly ever use that...my notebook came with Vista.

 

Thanks

Helga

Edited June 8, 2007 by helkat22

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

I bought a serial to USB adapter and I have still not been able to get XP to recognize it. Ive asked all around about drivers for it and have not found one yet. I would love to be able to update my PDA from my Laptop, which has not Serial port on it

[+m+k]

we are having the same problems...had to buy the adapter...it came with a disk, and windows vista on the laptop won't seem to read the disk.....i'm computer illiterate anyway and about to give up.

[+helkat22]

Ack! This stinks! There has to be a solution that somebody knows about, right!??? How depressing! I thought I was really on my way to paperless!!

 

Thanks

Helga

[+traildad]

Ack! This stinks! There has to be a solution that somebody knows about, right!??? How depressing! I thought I was really on my way to paperless!!

 

Thanks

Helga

I don't know about laptops but I was able to work this out for my desktop. I tried several USB-Serial adapters and gave up. I then bought a add on serial port card. I installed it into my computer with ease and now I have a second serial port on the back of my computer. It works great. Search ebay or google or this forum for info. I have posted the name etc on this forum in the past.

[+JaySTE]

Does your PDA have an infrared sensor/transmitter? If so, maybe you can get an infrared adaptor that plugs into the USB port of your lap top and go that route for syncing your PDA.

USB / IRDA adaptors can be seen here: http://www.buyextras.com/irdaadapters.html...CFRZJYQod-FgJtg

 

Jay

[+Team_LPD]

I have a Palm m515 and it will not work with Vista, which is on my laptop.

 

The Palm works greatt on my desktop which has XP. My Palm came with the USB connection.

 

When I was using my Etrex Legend I bought one of those USB to serial connectors and it worked just fine.

[Dale_Lynn]

The following information was written for USB to SERIAL adapter cables related to communications between GPS and PC, however it may also apply to USB/Serial converters used with a PDA. One will have to make a leap of faith to use some information with PDA software when deriving parameters for COM ports.

 

Finding Com Port

 

It's quite possible your lap top or desk top machine can not "find" correct COM port!...

 

Or your computer does not have traditional serial port. (they are slowly going away in favor of USB). A USB/Serial adapter may be the answer for you.

 

FIRST and foremost, LOAD the USB drivers that came on CD included with USB/SERIAL adapter. Unless you do this everything else you try is a waste of time. IF this has been done them lets move on.

 

If you have Serial/USB adapter and are not getting it to work, suggest you delve into what COM ports or USB/adapter ports your "systems" have available or how they are configured ....

 

The major problem is usually identifying what COM port number the USB/RS-232 Serial Adapter was assigned by WINDOWS system. This is also valid for locating available hard wired serial ports. Port numbers can be verified in the "Control Panel" under "System" under "Hardware" under "Device Manager". Scroll down to “Ports” and it will tell you the “port number” and at what speed (baud) port is configured at. You can actually plug in and unplug adapter and see the "port" appear and disappear on ports field. Right clicking on "port" and selecting "properties" will tell you everything you need to know about port. This info is necessary to get EasyGPS and GSAK and “other” programs to communicate with GPS unit. Yes you do need to set baud rate on GPS to match computer COM port which may be set with whatever software computer is running. See instructions for GPS unit on setting Baud rate and other Serial Port parameters.

 

Most software applications and hardware (modems) like to work with COM 1 ... Also if you have any "synchronize” software running for a Palm or other hand held PDA, it grabs COM 1 and will not let any other applications use it. You may need to disable any synchronization software it you have it as a running application to release COM 1 if you have to use that specific COM port.

 

Also just plugging in a USB/Serial adapter to USB port may not trigger system to assign COM port number. In some cases you must have a valid device (GPS) on end of data cable from USB/Serial adapter and the device must be turned on for system to respond and assign a COM port number. Also having a loop back plug in USB/Serial adapter will trigger adapter/system to assign com port number if serial adapter requires a "valid" device on end of cable.

 

Also be aware you will most likely need to load USB/Serial Port adapter drives from included CD to get adapter to work properly. This should be done before plugging in adapter for first time.

 

 

 

 

Hyper Link Test

 

Here is procedure to test COM/SERIAL/USB port. It will work with both hard wired serial port (COM) on older computers or with USB/SERIAL adapters if proper drivers are loaded. This test will require a “loop back” plug for serial connector that has pins 2 and 3 connected (shorted) back to each other.

 

1. Determine COM port number using the process above to find the port number (Finding Com Port).

 

2. Open HYPER-TERM the communications terminal program that is standard part of Windows supplied utilities. If installed it may be found under “Communications” on main menus. (or any other terminal program you are familiar with).

 

3. Establish a “new connection” file name something like “serialist” or “loopbacktest”. Specifying the specific COM port number (found in above procedure). Set ASCII options to NOT echo characters locally (Uncheck - Echo Characters Locally).

 

4. Plug in USB/SERIAL adapter and install “loop back” plug on serial connector plug ( if using hard wired port on computer that is where loop back plug goes also) . IF you can now type characters on key board and see them appear on screen the com port and path (and USB adapter) are good. If you unplug loop back plug and then type and characters do not appear on screen this further verifies port is working properly and adapter is working. If you type and get double characters (aa-bb-cc) for each key stroke with loop back plug in place it means “local echo” is turned on. If you only get single characters when loop back plug is removed then it still proves serial path is good.

 

Hyper Terminal setup.

 

Start Hyper Terminal and when “New Connection” window box is presented enter your file name (“looptest” or whatever) Click ok.

 

Next box should say “Connect To:”

In this box, at bottom it should say “Connect Using“ and there should be a com port number ( mine comes up COM 4 - Yours may be different). Click OK.

Note: Hyper Terminal should only show you any valid COM ports available by system. IF you don't see and COM ports your adapter is not configured (drivers?). Your computers MODEM should also be listed if computer is so equipped and modem is “active”.

 

With loop back plug in place try typing. Do you get characters? Answer should be yes.

Remove loop back plug, do you get characters? Answer should be no.

 

If you need to change “echo” settings. Go to File drop down menu and click on Properties. In properties box, click on Settings Tab. In setting box select ASCII Setup. Either check or uncheck “ Echo typed characters locally” (what ever you prefer).

 

 

USB-PARAMETERS

 

I think if you will fine that if you set up port parameters in GPS and Software (GSAK-EasyGPS) to same as "default" parameters found in "properties" for USB/Serial adapter you will not have any connection problems.

 

Did you even know that there is a properties setting for COM port on control panel?. Try right clicking “Port" once you have hot swapped - plugged in USB/Serial adapter.

 

By default mine are:

 

Baud =9600

DataBits = 8

Parity = None

Stop Bits = 1

Flow Control = None

 

The driver "defaults" set in port parameters (Properties) in "hardware" can be adjusted and saved so every time you plug in adapter it will default to desired setting... You have to have software and GPS unit set to match.

 

I still believe most of the "problems" is not having "port defaults" at (initialization- plug-in time), software, GPS all set to same parameters.... And boot up has nothing or very little to do with it.

 

Though RS-232 Serial Ports are on way out, it would probably be a little beneficial for one to look up how they function and what parameters do..

 

<http://www.arcelect.com/rs232.htm>

 

FINDING - PORT

 

Here is how I find my USB/SERIAL adapter...

 

Easiest solution to find COM port is to go into "Control Panel" >> Select "System " icon >> Select "Hardware" >> Select "Device Manager" >> Scroll down to "PORTS" (COM & LPT) and see what new "port" pops up when you plug in USB/SERIAL adapter cable

 

Mine comes up as "Prolific USB to Serial Com Port (COM5) "

 

What ever Com port number USB port is assigned by "system" (COM5 in my case) is Com port number you need to use when setting up parameters/properties in your software used to communicate with GPS unit through USB/SERIAL adapter cable.

 

Be sure USB drivers for adapter cable are loaded from CD FIRST (or off I-net) before trying to plug in USB/Serial adapter cable.

 

Pretty much like other user described in previous responses..

 

In this cases you probably need to clean out drivers and reinstall them BEFORE you attempt to plug in adapter cable.... Even though BELKIN is brand name, Prolific makes about 90% of USB/serial adapters on market today...

 

 

NOTE: Some Garmin units using MAPSOURCE seem to prefer using COM 1 or COM 2 or COM 3. You may have to change parameters in “PORTS” setup (hardware manager) as units will not work is using COM 5 or COM 6 as USB/Serial adapter seems to think is ok…

 

 

 

Revised 11-18 -2006

 

 

Also most PALM/PDA software wants to use COM 1 as perfered port. If USB/Converter software does not have COM 1 set up into parameters PDA software is not going to see proper COM port and communications will fail.

 

Hope there is some clues in all this to help...

 

Dale

Edited June 8, 2007 by Dale_Lynn

[+NightPilot]

The easiest way to do this is to buy a PCMCIA serial port card. This gives you a serial port on your laptop, and you don't have to do any conversions. If you don't have a PCMCIA slot, well, you're SOL. People need to give some thought to the peripherals they might want to use before buying the computer. There is a reason those Palm IIIxe and similar models are so friggin' cheap. They work, but you have to know just a little about computers to get them to do it.

[+helkat22]

I got all excited and thought I was in the clear because my notebook has a PCMCIA slot...but I haven't been able to locate any serial port cards that support Windows Vista.

 

GRRRRRR!

 

Helga

[Dale_Lynn]

I got all excited and thought I was in the clear because my notebook has a PCMCIA slot...but I haven't been able to locate any serial port cards that support Windows Vista.

 

GRRRRRR!

 

Helga

 

Get name and model numbers and query manufacturer if their unit is VISTA capable. Just because it is not listed on box as Vista compatible does not mean it will not work... It just may be time before "new" packaging of product catches up with new operating system...

 

Also if you buy it and it does not work, check manufacturers website for upgrade software.... A lot of times hardware never changes, its just a dirver issue and manufacturer just has to update it. All you need to do in most cases is download it from manufacturer and install it.

 

Dale

Edited June 11, 2007 by Dale_Lynn