Serial to USB converter cable - suggestions?

[demonboy]

Yes, I know this has been covered before but I just can't find a satisfactory answer at the moment.

I'm trying to hook my B&G CND chartplotter up to a new laptop that only has USB port. The serial cable I used to hook up to my old laptop worked fine but I'm on the market for a serial to usb converter cable.

Are there any out there that actually work reliably???

Thanks and regards,

Jamie

 

[VicS]

Maplin !

I just bought a USB to parallel cable from them for an old printer.

I think you may have a choice of a lead or an adapter.

 

[iangrant]

http://www.usbnow.co.uk/Cables-USB_to_RS232_Cables/c1_23/index.html?gclid=CLvyxoO85pACFQnklAodrhaZrA comes with the drivers as well and works

remember to right click my computer/hardware properties to re-asign the com port as your B&G may not like com7 or whatever

Ian

 

[Forbsie]

I got one of these from Maplin to connect a bank keypad to a laptop and it worked well.

 

[alan]

I have bought two recently from local computer shops (different makes); one to connect an AIS receiver to USB hub and thence to PC and the other to connect a Digital Multimeter to USB port on PC. Both have them have worked without any problems; you may need to set your comm port to what is expected on the PC (as somebody already said).

Alan.

 

[webcraft]

There are two reasons you can have probs with these:

1) Not all pins are connected - only necessary when 'hardware handshaking ' is required - e.g. Iridium phone. In this case buy one recommended by your supplier or just buy another one until you get one that works.

2) Windows keeps changing the COM ports (happens with GPS 'mice' and other widgets) - no problem once you are aware of it and know how to reset the com port inthe software that came with your device.

(One way to minimise the occurrence of annoyance no. 2 is to make sure that you always plug the same device into the same USB port)

All IMO and based on personal experience - your mileage may vary.

- W

 

[demonboy]

Thanks for your suggestions thus far. No problems with configuring the port when it was serial cable.

The issue is that Liz is returning to the UK at the end of the month and can pick up a converter cable. Getting a decent one that actually works here in Turkey is problematic.

 

[srp]

I think it's a bit more than a cable - the one I use with absolute reliability is made by Keyspan - www.keyspan.com

 

[david_bagshaw]

I use a sitecom one with a acer / vista laptop to connect to a garmin 128.

recommend.

 

[VicS]

Maplin ZP43W for the:
USB to Serial 9-Pin Male Adaptor
See http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29968&source=2001&doy=8m1 for all the details.

£19.99 (pity it was 35% off before xmas)
It may not be Vista compatible though.

See also A86AN USB to serial adaptor (with extension lead) at http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=-45&doy=8m1

 

[moody1]

Any except Belkin. I spend a lot of time on PC work and Belkin give more trouble than any other brand I have encountered. The best so far have had the PL2509 driver set, which as far as I can tell is a generic driver sold on to most brands. The beauty of the PL driver as well is they have periodic updates on their own site, without having to go to the cable dealers site.

Another has mentioned the Maplins cable - I think this is also a PL2509 cable based. It works - QED.

 

[moody1]

Sorry - correction ... Prolific

I must have had 1 too many martini's. I got my PL2509's mixed up with my Prolifics.

The best cables that we have found for USB - Serial have all had the Prolific Drivers on disk. No matter how many times we get another or install to another machine - someone seems to make the classic mistake. They plug in the cable thinking that it's all they need to do. Windows then installs what it thinks is best and it doesn't work. You then try to install the drivers from the disk and that fails.
The correct way is to install the drivers / disc data first and then when prompted plug in the cable. But of course now, having already had Windows install other, you need to uninstall that before doing the correct procedure.