[Elecraft] [K3] Built in USB interface for K3

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> And, I know that I have lived in the Apple Mac world for a long time
> but I am finding it hard to understand why USB requires custom device
> drivers on Windows.  I know that I do not need that on my Mac
> computer.  The only time I have ever needed to install a custom
> driver for USB is because of the ham radio RS232 interface needs.

That is absolutely untrue as I have learned recently ...

Like Microsoft, although Apple will recognize a USB device in
System Profiler, it does not supply the drivers necessary for
the operating system to talk to those devices (e.g USBSerial).
It is the responsibility of the device manufacturer to supply
the appropriate operating system driver and install it (or
provide instructions for the user to install it manually).

In an overwhelming number of devices, USB is nothing other
than an alternative to the 8250 equivalent UART.  "USB"
simply embeds the UART in the accessory device and extends
the CPU peripheral bus to the device.  It is a way for the
computer manufacturer to move COSTS to the peripheral maker.

Except for very few devices, the communication between the
UART and device is a simple serial data stream - no different
than if the UART had remained in the computer and the data
transported as RS-232 signal levels.  The ONLY advantage to
USB is the ability to support higher data rates - up to 3
megabits per second - for mass storage and data intensive
devices like digital cameras and other A/V devices.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV

On 5/21/2010 10:05 AM, Phil Hystad wrote:
>> Industrial devices are still, and remain, invested in RS232.
>> Maybe there's a reason?
>
>
> This is a very surprising statement.  The only RS232 interfaces I
> see lingering around are from the ham radio community.  So, do you
> mean the ham radio "industry"?
>
> And, I know that I have lived in the Apple Mac world for a long time
> but I am finding it hard to understand why USB requires custom device
> drivers on Windows.  I know that I do not need that on my Mac
> computer.  The only time I have ever needed to install a custom
> driver for USB is because of the ham radio RS232 interface needs.
>