Re: USB to Serial converter

robert.macnutt@xxxxxxxx wrote:

I bought a generic USB-to-Serial converter, based on the Prolific
PL2303 chip, but haven't been able to get it to talk to my Magellan
SporTrak Map GPS. The driver loaded fine, and Windows recognizes the
new COM port, but MS Streets and Trips 2006 doesn't see it.

You might try some of the driver here if those are not the ones that came with it:

http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/downloads.asp?ID=31

I plugged a modem into the converter, and was able to communicate with
it using Hyperterminal, but only at 2400 baud - no matter what baud
rate I selected for the port (using Windows Device Manager).
<snip>

Sometimes you have to run the driver install before plugging in the adapter. If you did not do it that way, you might try uninstalling the drivers and reinstalling them without plugging the adapter in. Also, if you see any yellow question marked unknown devices from failed install in the Device Manager, remove those and do a restart.

If the driver install works, you will see a COM port appear in the Ports COM & LPT category in the Device Manager after you plug the adapter in.

Do you have a GPS receiver? If you do, connect the adapter to the USB port, identify the COM port, then connect the receiver to it. Do it after the GPS receiver has a fix because many GPS receivers will not output NMEA data unless they have a fix.

Then start Hyperterm, choose Connect using the COM port of the adapter. Then set the port settings to 4800, 8, None, 1, and Hardware (defaults except for the baud rate).

If the receiver is outputting NMEA data strings, you should see them.

Hyperterminal is not a benchmark for quality as far as terminal programs go but it will usually work if nothing else is available.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA (jackerbes at adelphia dot net)
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine dot com)
.

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