+Pharmadude Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 I have an interface cable to connect my eTrex Venture to serial port of computer. I just got a new laptop today, and went to attach the GPSr - There is no 9-pin serial port. What to do? Quote Link to comment
+Cachetrotters Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 Return the laptop, of course. You've got to have priorities, sir! Or, you will likely have to get a USB to serial converter. Buy the best, because rumor has it that many brands have a lot of problems. don PS--if you've the means, a laptop with both would be better (Personally, I would never own any PC-style 'puter without 9-pin 232 port.). Quote Link to comment
Team VaxCave Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 RS232 is tech from the 70's. I still can't figure out why companies make products that use it. USB has been standard for 5+ years. I wanted to connect my eTrex Summit to my machine but I didn't have a cable for it. They wanted $20 for a serial cable. A serial cable for $20? That's madnesss. Then another $30 for the serial to USB adapter. Well, I used my serial to USB palm adapter, and made the serial cable from scratch. Not pretty but it works like a charm. Find a shot of the semi-finished product below. ==================================== Searching through the cave. Team VaxCave. Quote Link to comment
+Cachetrotters Posted May 24, 2003 Share Posted May 24, 2003 True, it is an old non-standard standard, adopted in 1960, revised as 232C in '69, and again as 232D in '87. However, it is still useful, and more importantly for me, manufacturers are still making equipment for it. While it may be fulfilling to make your own adaptations, most users just want to plug-and-go, like our topic starter. Until manufacturers make equipment with USB, Firewire, or any of the newer comm protocols, I say don't limit yourself unless you are prepared to make or purchase the necessary equipment. don Quote Link to comment
+Pharmadude Posted May 24, 2003 Author Share Posted May 24, 2003 Thanks for the tips, folks. I located one here GPS City, but if possible I would like to get one locally, since I am going away in a couple of days, and there's no time for mail order to arrive before I leave. Pardon the local references, but anyone know where to purchase one in the Vancouver BC area? So far I've tried London Drugs and Radio Shack with no luck. Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 FutureShop has a adapter for $50. PDOP's GPS Pages Quote Link to comment
+smithdw Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Pharmadude:Thanks for the tips, folks. I located one here http://www.gpscity.com/gps/brados/19181.2.9620798020276467516/usb4adapter.html, but if possible I would like to get one locally, since I am going away in a couple of days, and there's no time for mail order to arrive before I leave. Pardon the local references, but anyone know where to purchase one in the Vancouver BC area? So far I've tried London Drugs and Radio Shack with no luck. Check your local Staples store. They list stores at 3037-152nd Street (White Rock), 1322 West Broadway, 901 Seymour Street, 2105 Park Royal South. Our store here carries Belkin USB/Serial adapters. Also, call around to your local computer stores if you can't find it at Staples. "The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec." -Marcus Dolengo Quote Link to comment
+Pharmadude Posted May 25, 2003 Author Share Posted May 25, 2003 Just came from Staples and they don't carry it, BUT, I just called Future Shop and they have 1 in stock. I'm on my way now. Thanks all for your help! Quote Link to comment
+lightnsound Posted May 25, 2003 Share Posted May 25, 2003 Not that I have anything worthwhile to add to this thread, but it's exactly the answer to the question I have. I just bought a whiz-bang top o' the line Sony Vaio desktop that does video editing, acts as a medaa server interfaced to my home tv sets and stereo system, and I think it pops pop-corn, but I just cant find the application on the start menu. It has six, count 'em, six USB ports, two types of monitor outputs, two analog audio/video inputs, an anaglog audio/video output, and two firewire ports, but doesn't have one stinkin 9 pin serial port. I understand that space is at a premium on the notebooks, but this thing is 18 inches high. Dang-blam-it! thanks i feel much better now. Predicting is difficult, especially when predicting the future. Quote Link to comment
+nincehelser Posted May 26, 2003 Share Posted May 26, 2003 One thing about the USB adaptors...some of them don't work well on machines that don't have the traditional serial ports. Don't ask me why...that's what I was told by some tech support folks...they muttered something about there not being a certain type of chip on the motherboard that was apparently necessary for proper operation. I'm guessing some adapter manufacturers may have made some bad assumptions or cut some corners. I had one, and it would work fine sometimes, but then it would also periodically crash my machine (running XP). Removing the adapter cleared the problem, but I'm still looking for an adapter that will run cleanly. George Quote Link to comment
+Cachetrotters Posted May 26, 2003 Share Posted May 26, 2003 Try looking for an adapter that is externally powered. Here's why: Adapters that modify or condition a signal (change it's polarity, timing, go from single-ended to double-ended, etc.) at the interface require power to operate. It's not just a matter of swapping signals to different pin configurations. Most all cheap and not-so-cheap brands use power from the very signal they are trying to change. That's convenient, but not always good. At work we use adapters to go from Macintosh RS-422 single-ended 4-wire serial output to RS-485 differential serial intelligent transducers, and PC RS-232 2-wire serial outputs to the same RS-485. Plus, you have TTL to CMOS and back problems, depending on signal. These adapters require power to operate, but they don't take it from the computer. They provide their own from a 120V/9Vdc xformer. don Quote Link to comment
+lightnsound Posted May 26, 2003 Share Posted May 26, 2003 I think I'm just gonna throw a serial port card in the one slot open in the machine. Anybody think of a reason this would't work? Predicting is difficult, especially when predicting the future. Quote Link to comment
+smithdw Posted May 27, 2003 Share Posted May 27, 2003 quote:Originally posted by lightnsound:I think I'm just gonna throw a serial port card in the one slot open in the machine. Anybody think of a reason this would't work? Predicting is difficult, especially when predicting the future. That should work. The only thing that I can think of is that you will be using your only open slot. Be sure to get a standard RS-232 serial port card though. "The best way to accelerate a Macintosh is at 9.8m/sec/sec." -Marcus Dolengo Quote Link to comment
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