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Author Topic: Does anyone have suggestions for Serial adapters for new laptops? Robert LaValley Expert Film Handler Posts: 104 From: Tampa, FL Registered: May 2007 posted 09-07-2010 09:21 PM                     I have a brand new dell with windows 7 on it. It has one of those express card slots as well as 4 usb ports. I need to find an adapter to interface with equipment RS232 style. Any suggestions? The crappy usb to serial adapter that I got does not work with CP650's which is half of my problem. I believe though I got what paid for on that one since it was way cheap. So I'm looking for something that will actually work. Any suggestions?  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-07-2010 09:27 PM                     Robert, I am using the Keyspan USB to serial adapter and it works great with all the Dolby and QSC hardware I have encountered so far. Here's a link to one supplier, do a Google search and you might find it cheaper: (though this is where I got mine) LINKY  |  IP: Logged Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 09-07-2010 10:40 PM                     Aten USB to serial adapter - even works with THX R2 analyzer  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-07-2010 11:12 PM                     The Keyspan is one of the best I've found on the USB->RS232 front. However, I have run into situations (particularly in A/V stuff) where it chokes. I like the SocketCom PCMCIA serial adapters (if your puter has that slot). They behave like hard serial ports and are high speed. Never had it choke. Steve  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 09-08-2010 01:32 AM                     Ya, even some of the new laptops are void of the PC slot now ... like floppy drives: a thing of the past ...  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-08-2010 03:21 AM                     This is what I use... Dell legacy port extender  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 09-08-2010 06:49 AM                     Express Card slots, unlike the older PCMCIA, PC-Card, etc. slots carry only PCI-Express and USB signals. It's quite unlikely that someone builds a serial card using the PCI-E interface. So, with ExpressCard, you will have the same driver/interface as with external USB-Serial converters, a standard plain vanilla USB-Serial bridge. I would simply try different brands until you find one that works. Actually there are more possible issues than just the brand or type of converter. Usually the problem is on the application side, not being able to access virtual com ports or higher port numbers. Windows7 will not make things easier on the driver side. Keyspan is certainly a good choice. Dell still sells notebooks with 'real' COM ports. Sometimes it is better to buy a phased out second hand XP business notebook for 100-200 US$ with a real COM for this type of work. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Bruce Hansen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 847 From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-08-2010 07:59 PM                     There might have been a driver that came with the USB to RS232 adaptor, try running that. If no driver came with it, try finding one.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-09-2010 08:33 AM                     I use the Quatech SSP-100-G PCMCIA serrial port and have had no issues which was not the case with the USB ones  |  IP: Logged Robert Minichino Master Film Handler Posts: 350 From: Haskell, NJ, USA Registered: Dec 2005 posted 09-09-2010 09:08 AM                        I've found the best converters, even for fussy devices that aren't really RS232, are based on the FTDI FT232 chips. I've got some no-name converter off of eBay that uses this chip and it works great.  |  IP: Logged

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