10 Sep
2011
10 Sep
'11
10:28 p.m.
Lately I've been wanting to do RS232 stuff with my laptop instead of
desktop machine. Would someone please recommend a good USB-to-RS232
converter?
--
David Griffith
dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
10 Sep
10 Sep
10:58 p.m.
---- David Griffith <dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu> wrote:
Lately I've been wanting to do RS232 stuff with my laptop instead of
desktop machine. Would someone please recommend a good USB-to-RS232
converter?
--
David Griffith
dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
A few years ago I needed to monitor multiple devices communicating over RS232. I bought
EdgePort devices from Digi International. Worked like a charm. Kind of expensive, but I
found several 8-port units on eBay for reasonable prices. They make several multiple port
models, up to 16-port units (IIRC).
Douglas Wood
11 Sep
11 Sep
12:04 a.m.
I have been using devices like this one quite happily:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-9-Pin-Serial-RS-232-RS232-Adaptor-Converte
r-/130477800614?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item1e61153ca6
At that price you can't really go wrong. I notice that there are some around
with a wire between the RS-232 connector and the USB plug, that might be a
good idea because on occasion I have unintentionally pulled the cable and
bent the device.
Regards
Rob
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-
bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of David Griffith
Sent: 11 September 2011 06:28
To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
Subject: Choosing a USB RS232 converter
Lately I've been wanting to do RS232 stuff with my laptop instead of
desktop
machine. Would someone please recommend a good
USB-to-RS232
converter?
--
David Griffith
dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
12:27 a.m.
On Sun, 11 Sep 2011, Rob Jarratt wrote:
I have been using devices like this one quite
happily:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-9-Pin-Serial-RS-232-RS232-Adaptor-Converte
r-/130477800614?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item1e61153ca6
At that price you can't really go wrong. I notice that there are some around
with a wire between the RS-232 connector and the USB plug, that might be a
good idea because on occasion I have unintentionally pulled the cable and
bent the device.
Something that concerns me is if the device properly supports hardware
flow control. Some don't, and a no-name device doesn't give me much to go
on.
--
David Griffith
dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
1:01 a.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-
bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of David Griffith
Sent: 11 September 2011 08:28
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: RE: Choosing a USB RS232 converter
On Sun, 11 Sep 2011, Rob Jarratt wrote:
Sorry, but I don't know, it suffices for my purposes which is just to
connect my PC to the console ports of my VAXen.
Regards
Rob
I have been using devices like this one quite
happily:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-9-Pin-Serial-RS-232-RS232-Adaptor-
Co
nverte
r-
/130477800614?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item1e611
53ca
6
At that price you can't really go wrong. I notice that there are some
around with a wire between the RS-232 connector and the USB plug, that
might be a good idea because on occasion I have unintentionally pulled
the cable and bent the device.
Something that concerns me is if the device properly supports hardware
flow control. Some don't, and a no-name device doesn't give me much to go
on.
11:10 a.m.
Something that
concerns me is if the device properly supports hardware
flow control. Some don't, and a no-name device doesn't give me much to go
on.
Sorry, but I don't know, it suffices for my purposes which is just to
connect my PC to the console ports of my VAXen. 
1:37 a.m.
David
FTDI's USB/232 offering, e.g. US232R-10 - is a "demo cable" : which
lives in my laptop bag, supports hardware control lines and is well
documented
http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Cables/USBRS232.htm
Additionally, the FT232 and FT245 devices implement JTAG over USB and
byte wide FIFOs, using certified drivers, and are available on modules
by FTDI and DLP http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Modules/USBRSxxx.htm
Regards
Martin
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of David Griffith
Sent: 11 September 2011 08:28
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: RE: Choosing a USB RS232 converter
On Sun, 11 Sep 2011, Rob Jarratt wrote:
r-/130477800614?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item1e61153ca6
> At that price you can't really go
wrong. I notice that there are some
around
I have been using devices like this one quite
happily:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-9-Pin-Serial-RS-232-RS232-Adaptor-Conv
erte
with a wire between the RS-232 connector and the USB
plug, that might
be a
good idea because on occasion I have unintentionally
pulled the cable
and
bent the device.
Something that concerns me is if the device properly supports hardware
flow control. Some don't, and a no-name device doesn't give me much to
go
on.
--
David Griffith
dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
7:50 a.m.
On 2011-09-11 02:37, Martin Bishop wrote:
Additionally, the FT232 and FT245 devices implement
JTAG over USB and
byte wide FIFOs, using certified drivers, and are available on modules
by FTDI and DLP http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Modules/USBRSxxx.htm
If you're into hardware devel/debug, check out ftdi and openocd in google.
There are converters out there, which have one channel rs232, and a pin
header for bit-banging hardware. That's what I use, since my laptop
doesn't have any real RS232 anymore.
9 a.m.
On Sat, 10 Sep 2011, David Griffith wrote:
Lately I've been wanting to do RS232 stuff with my laptop instead of desktop
machine. Would someone please recommend a good USB-to-RS232 converter?
Just about anything based on the FTDI232R chip will be a good choice.
g.
--
Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007
http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.
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Some people collect things for a hobby. Geeks collect hobbies.
ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment
A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes.
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Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical
minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which
holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd
by the clean end.
9:24 a.m.
I actually use a converter from Parallax based on the FTDI chip for all of
my vintage stuff. It's a PCB attached to a DE9M and a USB cable that's
detachable. Right now, it says out of stock ($14.99).
http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/28030/List/0/
SortField/4/ProductID/378/Default.aspx
Rich
On 9/11/11 12:00 PM, "Gene Buckle" <geneb at deltasoft.com> wrote:
On Sat, 10 Sep 2011, David Griffith wrote:
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.altair32.com
http://www.classiccmp.org/cini
Lately I've been wanting to do RS232 stuff with my laptop instead of desktop
machine. Would someone please recommend a good USB-to-RS232 converter?
Just about anything based on the FTDI232R chip will be a good choice.
g. 
9:45 a.m.
On 11 Sep 2011 at 12:24, Richard Cini wrote:
I actually use a converter from Parallax based on the
FTDI chip for
all of my vintage stuff. It's a PCB attached to a DE9M and a USB cable
that's detachable. Right now, it says out of stock ($14.99).
By and large, I find that the cheap Serial-to-USB converters work
just fine, but don't do the higher speeds (e.g. 250K bps), but top
out at 150Kbps. I think I paid about $3 apiece online.
Of course there are no drivers for MS-DOS, so it's not quite the same
as a real serial port.
How about USB-to-Parallel for non-printing uses? I know what the
protocol is for several of my parallel-port-interface devices, but
trying to get it through an adapter is a whole new experience.
About the only flexible design that I've seen that gives the ability
to manipulate individual pins is the DIY V-USB design using an AVR.
Are there any others?
--Chuck
11:58 a.m.
On 9/11/2011 1:28 AM, David Griffith wrote:
Lately I've been wanting to do RS232 stuff with my laptop instead of
desktop machine. Would someone please recommend a good USB-to-RS232
converter?
David,
As others have mentioned, the FTDI based devices are fantastic. I did
some software+hardware development with a device based on their chips
and I really like their stuff.
Their datasheets, schematics, documentation for using their .DLLs, their
Virtual Com Port (VCP, as they call them) drivers(certified, as someone
mentioned) are all top notch. I also used their product in a linux
environment too, and it just worked. They actually provide useful
information in their application notes.
I've had a few reasons to contact their tech support because I needed a
little hand-holding using some advanced features. They responded fast,
provided very useful information, and truly wanted to help. By all
rights, they could have blown me off or just linked me to the downloads
section. Instead, in addition to providing great help, even sent me
some minor cheatsheet information that they use internally to make life
easier.
FTDI rocks.
Keith
1:53 p.m.
Keith Monahan wrote about FTDI USB-serial/parallel interface chips:
Their datasheets, schematics, documentation for using
their .DLLs, their
Virtual Com Port (VCP, as they call them) drivers(certified, as someone
mentioned) are all top notch.
I disagree with respect to the datasheets, which do not provide the
information necessary to write a driver. There is no information on the
details of the USB protocol they use, and apparently that information is
only available under NDA, or by reverse-engineering their drivers.
Perhaps if you're satisfied with the standard drivers that doesn't
matter, but if you want to use the FTDI chip in an unusual environment,
such as from an RTOS on non-PC hardware, you're SOL.
It is a mystery to me why they do this; providing the technical
information would not hurt them in any way.
Eric
4851
days inactive
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12 comments
11 participants
participants (11)
-
cclist＠sydex.com -
cisin＠xenosoft.com -
dbwood＠kc.rr.com -
dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu -
emu＠e-bbes.com -
eric＠brouhaha.com -
geneb＠deltasoft.com -
keithvz＠verizon.net -
mjd.bishop＠emeritus-solutions.com -
rich.cini＠verizon.net -
robert.jarratt＠ntlworld.com