"John Navas" <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote in message
news:3fn5q29t16mi5ai2kfumdl8scsp713r6uj@4ax.com...
> NOTE: This is posted as a public service, _not_ spam -- I have no
> connection to any of the companies below (except as a customer).
>
>
> My two GPS units (Garmin and Magellan) have serial interfaces, and my
> ThinkPad T41 notebook computer doesn't have a serial port, so I needed a
> good USB-to-serial adapter.
>
> My 1st try, a cheap generic adapter based on a "Huge Pine" chip,
> purchased on eBay, was a complete failure -- Windows XP couldn't even
> identify the hardware properly. In addition, the cable is relatively
> long (over 3'), and the serial connector has attachment _screws_ rather
> than (normally needed) attachment _nuts_. While I may have been unlucky
> enough to get a defective unit, my research suggests that these "Huge
> Pine" products are flaky, so I recommend avoiding them.
>
> My 2nd try, a generic adapter based on the Prolific PL-2303 chip, was
> successful -- it plays very well with Windows XP and with my GPS units.
> (Prolific-based adapters are used by a number of major OEMs.) It's a
> nice short (1') cable, and the serial connector has attachment nuts.
> Prolific-based adapters are readily available on eBay, but I purchased
> mine from local (San Francisco) vendor TekGems <http://tekgems.com/> for
> $10 -- see <http://tekgems.com/Products/SBT-USC1M.htm>.
>
> Although the adapter as supplied by TekGems comes with drivers on a mini
> CD, later drivers for Windows (2.0.2.1, XP Logo Certified), Mac, and Red
> Hat Linux, can be downloaded directly from Prolific. If you have
> difficulty with the Prolific Taiwanese website in English (as I did),
> use Google _cache_ from the Google search
> <http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aprolific.com.tw+%22PL-2303+Software+and+Drivers%22>.
> For Windows, run the Setup program _before_ attaching the adapter cable
> and driver installation will be smooth and painless.
>

USB to RS-232 adaptors seem to vary in their degree of compatibilty. I have
had no trouble with a no name cheapie off the internet (no idea about
anything else about it), others have had adaptors that work with some
peripherals but not others.