[Elecraft] USB to Serial Ports adapter: a product test

[Don Wilhelm]

That "explanation" dances all around the real world situation.  The 
Chinese have been making cheap counterfeit Prolific and FTDI chips. Both 
Prolific and FTDI have produced drivers which detect those counterfeit 
chips to protect their intellectual property.
While the counterfeit chips may work fine when used under Windows XP, 
they will not work with the newer Windows 7 or 8 drivers.

Yes, there are "workarounds" - turn off Windows updates and load the 
older drivers which do not have the detection algorithms.  I would 
prefer not to do that, and I have been burned several times with the 
Chinese counterfeit transistors and ICs.  I ordered what was supposed to 
be 2N5739 transistors which are no longer available from reliable 
manufacturers.  I had to throw all 10 of them into the trash because 
they did not work above the audio range.  The SSM2165 used on the K2 
KSB2 board is an obsolete part, but is advertized from Chinese vendors - 
unfortunately, that chip does not work, so it is "buyer beware".  If you 
buy counterfeit goods, it is just like getting a counterfeit $100 bill, 
it is worthless.  Unfortunately, there are vendors who are listing 
'workarounds' in order to sell their counterfeit products rather than 
'raising hell' to stop this proliferation of counterfeit devices.

I cut the USB end off the USB to Wouxun adapter that had the counterfeit 
chip in it and will be connecting it to a DB9 connector.  I can then 
connect it to either a real serial port or to a good USB to serial adapter.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/28/2014 1:11 AM, WA7SPY wrote:
> Here is a very good explanation about USB to serial port converters. ( see below) You pay a higher price but the recommended one works with my Windows 7 PC. I have had no problems connecting older RS232 equipment to my Windows 7 PC. It works like a champ.
> I have no interest in the US Converters but there products work well!
> http://www.usconverters.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=62
>
>
>
>> On Mar 27, 2014, at 8:57 PM, Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I have had an experience with the Chinese "fake" Prolific USB to serial chips.  A Wouxun VHF/UHF handeld would not work with my Win7 computer because the Prolific drivers identified the chip as a fake Chinese knockoff.  I tried the solutions in the web as well as the older Prolific drivers with no great success.  I even tried the Linux solutions and was not able to program the handheld (I am not a Linux guru, but I followed the instructions).  Simply, it did not work, and I am not willing  to keep a Windows XP computer going just for these Chinese fake chips.  I bought the programming cable in good faith, but that faith has been destroyed by the Chinese fake chips.
>>
>>