Any Experience With Usb-> Serial Adapters?

[Yeedogga]

Hi all,

Just a quick question:

I have an Innovate LC-1 with a DB9 serial out- but my laptop does not have a serial port- I'm using a USB -> SERIAL adapter I bought from Jaycar.

I can get the LM Programmer software to recognise that the LC-1 is connected but it wont show up any data.

The LogWorks software wont recognise the LC-1 at all.

Free air calibration and setup was all done according to instructions.

Anyone else had any dramas/ experience with this?

Cheers

Chris

[Guilt-Toy]

common issue. those usb to serial adapters are a royal pain in the ass.

sometimes certain brands don't work with different devices but can work with others. its completly random.

check that the drivers are installed and they are the correct ones, check for IRQ conflicts as well.

also check another serial device with the usb -> serial adapter to make sure its working

do you have your laptop plugged into a 12v to 240v inverter? alot of the times those things cause lots of issues especially the cheap ones, try it with the laptop running on battery.

if all fails try another brand usb -> serial

I know i had heaps of issues with the USB cable for my Vipec ECU, as soon as i converted the cable to serial and used a serial port on the car pc all works 100% of the time.

good luck with it

Hi all,

Just a quick question:

I have an Innovate LC-1 with a DB9 serial out- but my laptop does not have a serial port- I'm using a USB -> SERIAL adapter I bought from Jaycar.

I can get the LM Programmer software to recognise that the LC-1 is connected but it wont show up any data.

The LogWorks software wont recognise the LC-1 at all.

Free air calibration and setup was all done according to instructions.

Anyone else had any dramas/ experience with this?

Cheers

Chris

[Grimnir]

I work with serial adapters all the time.

The best one I've found is a cheap STLabs unit. Can pick them up for about $35.

They've worked with all the PLC Devices I've had to connect to as well as all my alarm panels and access control boxes.

Also work well with my own Haltech.

[discopotato03]

If you look on some of the Boards in the US people using Datalogit and Innovate stuff found out which USB cables with the electronics in one of the plugs works . Off the top of my head Sewell (sp ?) do one that is supposed to work .

Honestly Lap Tops with serial ports are the way to go IMO and if you only use one for tuning cars they can be quite cheap for what they are through Ebay .

I have a Dell Latitude D610 on the way through Ebay and minus postage will owe me 380 .

Your call , cheers A .

[paulr33]

if you are still stuck trying to get it working

see if you can disable all the on board com ports and remove them from windows (right click, un-install)

make sure they are all gone and disabled (if possible, some bios's will let you)

and then install and use the USB dongle one - make sure its un-installed first

so you should have only 1 COM port, which is the USB and see if that works

like the others have said though, USB emulators are hit and miss

depends on the driver, the program and the adapter

best bet like disco said and what i do as well, buy an old dell laptop off ebay with a true serial port

perfect for everything you need for car tuning

[Guilt-Toy]

if you are still stuck trying to get it working

see if you can disable all the on board com ports and remove them from windows (right click, un-install)

make sure they are all gone and disabled (if possible, some bios's will let you)

and then install and use the USB dongle one - make sure its un-installed first

so you should have only 1 COM port, which is the USB and see if that works

like the others have said though, USB emulators are hit and miss

depends on the driver, the program and the adapter

best bet like disco said and what i do as well, buy an old dell laptop off ebay with a true serial port

perfect for everything you need for car tuning

the whole reason he is using a usb-serial adapter is because his laptop does not have any onboard com ports

[Yeedogga]

Thanks for all the replies guys, yeah the software is looking for the LC-1 at a COM port, but as Guilt-toy said, i don't have any COM ports.

From what i understand, the drivers with the adapter are supposed to make the USB input 'appear' as a COM port? Does this sound right?

Otherwise I have seen some SERIAL -> PCM CIA adapters that go into the network card slot. I might give that a shot, or buy another laptop.

I also had a quick read of an article on the web that said you can wire a DB9 serial plug into a DB25 com/parallel port and it works?

http://www.lammertbies.nl/comm/cable/RS-232.html

I'll be the first to admit I'm not great with computers so if this makes sense to someone...! Great!

Cheers

Chris

[MrStabby]

Thanks for all the replies guys, yeah the software is looking for the LC-1 at a COM port, but as Guilt-toy said, i don't have any COM ports.

From what i understand, the drivers with the adapter are supposed to make the USB input 'appear' as a COM port? Does this sound right?

Yes that's right.

Otherwise I have seen some SERIAL -> PCMCIA adapters that go into the network card slot. I might give that a shot, or buy another laptop.

I also had a quick read of an article on the web that said you can wire a DB9 serial plug into a DB25 com/parallel port and it works?

http://www.lammertbies.nl/comm/cable/RS-232.html

That wont help, its only changing the physical socket from DB9 to DB25 - you still have to have RS232 driving it. A parallel port isnt RS232 so you cant make a serial port out of it.

[Adriano]

Ive got a pcmcia card/serial adapter, does your laptop have a slot for it?

[Adriano]

I also have a laptop with a serial port if you want to use it, i think it has the tuning software for your ecu on it too.

[Yeedogga]

Oh Adrian where would we be without you? Tom mentioned you might be going for a test run with him? Maybe see if you can get the LC-1 to work with the PCM CIA thingo. I dont really want to buy another laptop. U rang before mate, did u get the size of your rad hose?

[TiTAN]

i have had this problem with USB > serial converters before, and 99% of the time it can be fixed by changing which com port the device is assigned to from device manager (change it to com1 or com2) some programs have issues talking to com8 etc, that they are normally assigned to.

From the device manager window, double click on the USB serial port. click the port settings tab and click advanced. select com port 1 or 2 (it will tell you if they are in use) click ok twice and you should be good to go.

Edited June 8, 2009 by TiTAN

[9krpm]

USB> Serial is a pain.

If it's not constant, it will be intermittent.

PCMCIA > Serial is better but can be annoying sometimes too when you knock it due to the tight space in the car. Then some new laptop only take the express pcmcia card

By the time you had enough with these connector you will get a cheap old laptop with a serial port just to muck around in the car....or get an ecu with a usb connector.

Edited June 9, 2009 by 9krpm

[discopotato03]

Yes I think that's ultimately the way to go , when it absolutely has to work use the proper tool for the job .

I've seen early Dell Latitude D400s and D410's going for two hundredish , actually those early critters were very good at using very little battery power which is what you want when out on the road .

The problem is that they may not be so good at playing a DVD movie or hardware intensive games - but the point of all this is tuning an engine management system so a fair bit of folding stuff hangs in the balance if it goes wrong .

Am sure quite a few here have had instances of the lap top lemoning out whilst tuning on the road and then your stuck with whatever settings your EMS feels like remembering .

It could be a long wait for a USB cable/co-operative Lap Top to get it right .

In my experience serial ports and cables either work or they don't , and another serial cable is inexpensive and reasonably easy to get .

A computer head friend of mine keeps telling me that very expensive scientific test equipment nearly always interfaces through serial RS232 hardware .

He also said that is the reason why expensive Business or Desk Top replacement Lap Tops tend to have serial ports where the home entertainment ones don't .

He has less than zero faith in USB and I agree that it often works poorly when you need it most , depends on the application I suppose .

If your car/engine/EMS is worth more to you than 200-250 buy a cheapie serial equipt lap top .

Only way to be sure , cheers A .

[infernooo]

I had a similar problem, I ended up getting it working by purchasing a new adapter from Jaycar and playing around with the ports COM settings.

[Yeedogga]

Thanks heaps for the help guys, Ill try everything suggested and see how I get on. Worst case scenario t I might have to invest in a cheapo laptop for tuning... Or just buy a gauge for the LC-1 (which would have been a smart idea from the start!)

Cheers all

Chris

[unique1]

silly question possibly but why dont the new aftermarket ecus on the market these days just come with a usb plug so u dont have to use a usb to com adaptor???? wouldnt this stop the problem? I have issues with my laptop and my autronic ecu but everyone elses laptop works fine using the same usb cable which is weird. Try an Aten usb cable i been told they are the best and only $35 or so, i was told to stay clear of Belkin which is sold in most places too.

[Yeedogga]

The ECU we are using has a USB and is fine, its the Wideband O2 logger we cant get to work. USB's are ritually shit though, I always have problems with USB stuff

[STATUS]

the one you got from jaycar is it in a clear smoked case with a few adjustable orange dashpots on it? if it is burn it ....... its your problem.

[Yeedogga]

Sorry champ you've lost me. I'm not sure what you are talking about.

Edited June 11, 2009 by Yeedogga