[GreenKeys] Re: USB to Serial...

[gil smith]

Hi Jack:

For ITTY, all you need is the audio output from the laptop.  I had fun with 
ITTY until my dovetron stopped working -- nuther project to get to someday.

For HeavyMetal on a laptop, well, can't be done as far as I know.  Ahh, the 
death of the serial port.  Yes, you can get adapters for USB to serial.  I 
have a couple and they seem to work fine for ASCII applications, though the 
throughput seems slower than a built-in serial port provides (just an 
empirical observation based on firmware load times for products around here).

I like one that is built into the DB9 connector, and uses a standard 
detachable USB cable to connect to the laptop.  I use it all the time.  Got 
it from Fry's Outpost ($20):
http://shop4.outpost.com/product/4532637

I got the other one at staples, and it was labelled as a "PDA adapter."  It 
has a 6-inch section of stiff cable with a usb connector on one end and a 
largish pod with the DB9 on the other end.  This requires an additional DB9 
M-F cable, and the pod is always in the way.  Maybe a USB "extension" cable 
would be better for this one.  Kinda looks like this:
http://shop4.outpost.com/product/2978905

However, I have never found one that allows the 5-bit transfers used by 
HeavyMetal or RTTYArt -- maybe Bill or Bill or someone on greenkeys knows 
of one, but I have never heard of one that supports the port-tweaks used by 
these programs.

However, the adapters work just fine with TTY-Connect, since it just uses 
ascii at 38400.  I'm playing with an ethernet option for it -- dunno if 
anyone is interested.

thanks,

gil


At 10:45 AM 4/2/2006, you wrote:
>Gil,
>...any hints on how to get a serial port connection out of a laptop that
>only has USB ports? I retired my COMPAQ to the ham shack and want to use it
>for ITTY and Heavymetal..and it doesn't have a COM port for Heavymetal!!!
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jack



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