OT : Laptops, Serial Ports & Diving!

Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here have had
problems.

Has anybody had success with/can recommend a USB -> Serial converter that
should work with -

Nokia 7110
Garmin GPS
Aladin Download

Cheers

Keith L

Had similar problem with new laptop and Suunto interface.
Got a suitable adaptor cable on ebay for about £13 - works well for Suunto
download.
- see
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=27709737 00

Fred

"Keith Lawrence" <false@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:brhm9j$34qp5$1@ID-217789.news.uni-berlin.de...
| Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here have
had
| problems.
|
| Has anybody had success with/can recommend a USB -> Serial converter that
| should work with -
|
| Nokia 7110
| Garmin GPS
| Aladin Download
|
| Cheers
|
| Keith L
|
|
|

Keith Lawrence wrote:
> Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here have had
> problems.
>
> Has anybody had success with/can recommend a USB -> Serial converter that
> should work with -

> Aladin Download

Sorry Keith, but you can't get a USB->Serial to work with the Aladin.
Something about the way the timings happen and interupts or somesuch.
The only way you can do it is with a PCMCIA Serial card, which are pricey.

See ya
John

John Kendall wrote:
> Keith Lawrence wrote:
>
>> Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here
>> have had
>> problems.
>>
>> Has anybody had success with/can recommend a USB -> Serial converter that
>> should work with -
>
>
>> Aladin Download
>
>
> Sorry Keith, but you can't get a USB->Serial to work with the Aladin.
> Something about the way the timings happen and interupts or somesuch.
> The only way you can do it is with a PCMCIA Serial card, which are pricey.
>
> See ya
> John
>

I too had no success when I tried using my Uwatec Air Z02 and memomouse
with a USB->Serial convertor and version 2.12 of DataTrak. I do notice
from the Uwatec web site that version 3 of the DataTrak software does
claim to be more compatible though I'm not able to test this myself.
Extract from release notes:

DataTrak/DataTalk 3.00 ReadMe 24.9.2002

Changes since version 2.12
- this is a 32-bit version for Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000 and XP
- serial communication renewed to work with USB to serial (RS-232)
converters
- problem with Windows short date format using MMM for month is corrected
- support for different Windows user profiles and privilege levels
- some other minor bug fixes

Simon

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 12:49:54 -0000, Keith Lawrence <false@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here have had
> problems.
>
> Has anybody had success with/can recommend a USB -> Serial converter that
> should work with -

I don't know any of theses but a problem with the Aladin might be that
it uses non-standard hand-shaking, see

http://www.muenster.de/~matthias/aladin/protokolle.htm

so the laptop has to have direct control of the DTR (data terminal
ready) pin. So the USB-serial converter has to work at some lower
layer of the protocol. The good news is that if there is any software
that works it's likely that many of the other free ones might do as
well even if the original datatrak by Uwatec doesn't (which comes from
the stone age of PC's anyway).

Just my $.02
Robert

--
..oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo. oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oO
Robert C. Helling Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
University of Cambridge
print "Just another Phone: +44/1223/766870
stupid .sig\n"; http://www.aei-potsdam.mpg.de/~helling

> Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here have
had
> problems.

Apart from getting the physical serial port, you also need to be careful
because a lot of the interfaces need more power than the typical laptop
serial ports give out - I know that my Suunto interface (home made) won't
work on a few laptops because of the power from the serial port.
But you can look for adaptors for serial ports - try www.ebuyer.co.uk or
www.komplett.co.uk - both good reliable shops with good prices.

David

In article <bsspsu$l21$1@hercules.btinternet.com>,
n.hall@nospam.virgin.net says...

> "David Walker" <wbsdavenews@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:bs5jg8$6ie$1@wisteria.csv.warwick.ac.uk...
> > > Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here have
> > had
> > > problems.
> >
> > Apart from getting the physical serial port, you also need to be careful
> > because a lot of the interfaces need more power than the typical laptop
> > serial ports give out - I know that my Suunto interface (home made) won't
> > work on a few laptops because of the power from the serial port.
> > But you can look for adaptors for serial ports - try www.ebuyer.co.uk or
> > www.komplett.co.uk - both good reliable shops with good prices.
> >
> > David
> >
> >
Top posting modified...
>
>
> Missed the original posting on here, but I've used a Belkin USB hub that has
> a built in serial port. The USB hub doesn't require a seperate power supply
> so can be use on the move if required.
>
> Neil
>

What's the Belkin model number Neil ?

Dave

Dave

Not sure of the model number because I use it at work, but I think it's
probably F5U012u. It has 3 USB ports, a parallel and serial port. I use it
cos I have an external ISDN TA that is driven from a serial port and my
laptop doesn't have a serial port.

Belkin do at least 2 other models with serial ports - the F5U116u has 2
serial ports. You'll need to find the best model for you. The Belkin website
is at http://www.belkin.co.uk/

Neil

btw I don't work for Belkin, I've just used several of their products and
been pleased with them. There are probably other manufacturers who make the
same devices and you may be able to get them from shops like PC World or
Dixons



"Dave" <capt80@home.atm> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a5bffe86381b78e989887@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk...
> In article <bsspsu$l21$1@hercules.btinternet.com>,
> n.hall@nospam.virgin.net says...
>
> > "David Walker" <wbsdavenews@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:bs5jg8$6ie$1@wisteria.csv.warwick.ac.uk...
> > > > Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here
have
> > > had
> > > > problems.
> > >
> > > Apart from getting the physical serial port, you also need to be
careful
> > > because a lot of the interfaces need more power than the typical
laptop
> > > serial ports give out - I know that my Suunto interface (home made)
won't
> > > work on a few laptops because of the power from the serial port.
> > > But you can look for adaptors for serial ports - try www.ebuyer.co.uk
or
> > > www.komplett.co.uk - both good reliable shops with good prices.
> > >
> > > David
> > >
> > >
> Top posting modified...
> >
> >
> > Missed the original posting on here, but I've used a Belkin USB hub that
has
> > a built in serial port. The USB hub doesn't require a seperate power
supply
> > so can be use on the move if required.
> >
> > Neil
> >
>
> What's the Belkin model number Neil ?
>
> Dave

Hi All

Success!

I've just downloaded the Uwatec Data 3.05 from the Uwatec site (see
http://www.uwatec.com/english/framem06.htm) which claims "Serial
communication renewed to work with third party USB to serial (RS-232)
converters"

I'm using it on my Dell laptop via a Belkin F5U103 USB to Serial adapter. No
problems with the serial adapter so far, it does my phone, my GPS and now my
dive computer.

HTH

Keith L

Hi all,
missed the original post too, but I use a USB to rs232 adapter (20 quid -
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?...SB-SERIAL-CONV
with my homemade Suunto Vyper interface and suunto solution interface and it
works fine on my rs232 port-free laptop. Took under a minute to sort out.

Steve Cowley
Manchester University Sub-Aqua Club
spam@stevecowley.com
(replace 'spam' with 'diving')

"Dave" <capt80@home.atm> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a5bffe86381b78e989887@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk...
> In article <bsspsu$l21$1@hercules.btinternet.com>,
> n.hall@nospam.virgin.net says...
>
> > "David Walker" <wbsdavenews@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:bs5jg8$6ie$1@wisteria.csv.warwick.ac.uk...
> > > > Help! New laptop, no serial port - I know that a few others on here
have
> > > had
> > > > problems.
> > >
> > > Apart from getting the physical serial port, you also need to be
careful
> > > because a lot of the interfaces need more power than the typical
laptop
> > > serial ports give out - I know that my Suunto interface (home made)
won't
> > > work on a few laptops because of the power from the serial port.
> > > But you can look for adaptors for serial ports - try www.ebuyer.co.uk
or
> > > www.komplett.co.uk - both good reliable shops with good prices.
> > >
> > > David
> > >
> > >
> Top posting modified...
> >
> >
> > Missed the original posting on here, but I've used a Belkin USB hub that
has
> > a built in serial port. The USB hub doesn't require a seperate power
supply
> > so can be use on the move if required.
> >
> > Neil
> >
>
> What's the Belkin model number Neil ?
>
> Dave