Friend wanted to give me programmer board for me to try to learn but it use serial RS282 connector, but i don't have it on my labtop. I was told centain USB to serial converter don't work. The best is to build your own using FTDI chip. I wish i knew how to do it. But is there on the market that i can buy that is ready made USB to RS232 (Real or future UART) or even PCMCIA to RS232 (Real or latest UART), eeerrr....cheap? That way, i can get started learning the coder immediately.
Any help would be appreciated.
PS : I seened eBay sell a lot of those USB/PCMCIA to serial RS232 adapter really cheap. Which one will work best?
Some programs works with just about any USB-to-RS232 adapter.
Some programs on the other hand fails to use quote a number of adapters. It's probably a question of timing, since the USB interface - and the huge FIFO normally available in the adapters - leads to longer latencies. Some programs assumes that a received character should be visible almost instantly.
Try to ask around for an adapter you can try. If it works, then you know what to buy.
I would guess that you can get two or three USB-to-serial for the price of one PCMCIA-to-serial, but the prices may be different where you live.
I use the PL-2303 without problems ~$20
www.amazon.com/.../B00073MPAS
I think you're right: the problem lies in the programs, not the adaptors.
Programs that use the serial port purely for its intended purpose of transferring data should work with any and all adaptors;
Programs that try to play "clever" tricks by, for example, manipulating the modem control signals are likely to fail - because it was never intended that those signals should be used in that way.
The same can be said of much stuff that relied upon non-standard use of the parallel port...
Always beware of such tricks - and anyone who recommends them...
true in many cases, however FlashMagic (not an 'amateur issue') has problems because many such adapters do not handle DTR/CTS etc, correctly and, quite often (flash write time) a flash update programm need to take a break from receiving data,
Erik