Fabricating Serial to USB cable help

[1Woodsman]

I have a Magellan Meridian Gold and I started to look for a serial to USB adapter to allow me to connect to my laptop. I found the price to be unjustifiably high here in Canada. The price is $30 if I can even find one that low, with them being as low as $2 to $3 bucks in the U.S. Then by the time I get it to my door with exchange, duties and shipping I’m back into a very unfair price for such a small piece of cable. What I would like to do is if someone had the necessary skill to be able to tell me how to fabricate one from my existing serial cable that is a genuine Magellan part and a sacrificial USB cable. I don’t think it’s too complicated for someone that knows what they’re doing because it’s only a few wires that can be used and there are only four pins to a USB connection, that I know of anyway. I would very much appreciate any help and input that anyone is willing to share with me.

 

Thanks, 1Woodsman

[+PDOP's]

It's not a matter of the different physical connectors a converter requires some brains (an integrated circuit). There are instructions here.

 

For a Canadian option for a prebuilt unit check out pFranc

Edited July 17, 2007 by PDOP's

[+trainlove]

You can't make what you are suggesting unless you are a rocket scientist or electrical engineer. It's not just connecting wire A to wire B. There are microprocessors and protocol converters and so on in a serial to USB converter. If you have any ham radio flee markets in your area (check the hamfest area of www.arrl.org) you might be able to get for a buck something I just got, a USB to serial + parallel + PS2 keyboard + PS2 mouse + ethernet + 4 more USB (i.e. a hub).

[1Woodsman]

thanks for the replies. With this new eye opening news I now realize all is not as it seems at first sight. I did think it was a simple connection of wires and that was that. I guess it's not such a bad price then, especially when you know the technical depth of the adapters involved. I'll just break down and buy one now that I do know. There is not much of a chance to get any ham flea markets any time soon in my area, so as I said, retail it will have to be.

 

Thanks, 1Woodsman

[+GPS Derek]

I actually pick up one at our local general flea market. Guy there sells all sorts of cable and wiring stuff. Think I paid $10-15 cash and it works, came with it's own drivers too.