[1000mp] Signalink USB & 1000MP

[Kok Chen]

On Nov 11, 2010, at 11/11    8:18 AM, Jürgen and Kathy Nittner wrote:

> According to the customer service rep. at Tigertronics,  minimum for  
> the Signalink USB. is an OS of Windows 98 version 2  (which I don't  
> have) He mentioned that I could use the SL-1+ which will work with  
> older versions of Windows.

The only interface difference between the SignalLink USB and the  
SignalLink SL is the addition of the USB sound card in the USB version  
(they share the same VOX functionality).

With the USB SL (1 and 1+), you have provide your own sound card --  
which means that that sound card has to work on your OS anyway).  The  
box connects to your sound card, not to the computer (thus washes  
Tigertronic's hands of any computer/sound card incompatibilities).

That having been said...

The sound chip which is used in the SignaLink USB is the TI/Burr-Brown  
PCM 2902 series chip.  The chip provides direct interface to the USB  
connector.

The Burr-Brown 2902 is a 16-bit converter that uses standard USB Audio  
Class protocol.  If your OS works with an existing generic sound card,  
it should "just work" with the SignaLink USB.   (I use Mac OS, so I do  
not have any idea what Windows support or don't support.)

Therefore...

If your OS does not work with the SignaLink USB, it is also highly  
unlikely that it will work with any other sound card that you can buy  
to connect with the SignaLink SL1+ !  Unless you intend to connect the  
SL1+ to the built in sound cards of your computer (if so, be careful  
to inhibit the chimes and music that comes out of the computer to make  
sure they don't go out on the air when you run a VOX based PTT device  
like the SignaLink).

If you want to continue to pursue the SignaLink USB line, check if a  
standard run-of-the-mill 16 bit USB sound card works on your computer;  
you might be able to borrow one if you don't already have an arsenal  
of them in the ham shack.  If they work, chances are pretty darn good  
the SignaLink USB will work.

If you are running an old OS, you will definitely need to check with  
MicroHam if you want to use the other choices that I mentioned earlier  
(or interfaces from West Mountain or RigExpert that have built in  
serial ports).

For the boxes I mentioned, W4TV at MicroHam USA should have the right  
answer for you (Joe used to run Yaesu rigs like the 920 and 1000D).   
Any USB device that contain a serial port will need a custom driver  
since the serial protocol is not part of the USB Class definition.   
Drivers are both OS and manufacturer specific; they need to match  
(serial USB chip manufacturers include FTDI, Prolific, TrippLite/ 
KeySpan and SiliconLabs).

73
Chen, W7AY