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#263468 - 24/08/2005 22:03 USB -> Serial dongle for Mac?
tonyc
carpal tunnel

Registered: 27/06/1999
Posts: 7058
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
I bought a GWC UC320 USB->serial dongle, having seen some sketchy evidence that it was supported on the Mac. Well, turns out it's not, and doesn't work. Does anyone know of a USB->Serial dongle that does work on OS X? The only laptop I have is my Mac, and I need to occasionally view my empeg's serial output in the car.
_________________________
- Tony C
my empeg stuff

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#263469 - 24/08/2005 22:27 Re: USB -> Serial dongle for Mac? [Re: tonyc]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
On a related note, I also recently purchased a USB-serial dongle.

The bluetooth ones I got earlier appear to have tiny buffers, and drop characters at 115200, though they are good enough for the empeg connection regardless.

So I tried a couple of the $10 adapters, and neither of those could manage even as well as the bluetooth dongles at 115200, let alone at higher speeds --> tiny buffers that pretty much need h/w flow control for anything above 56K. And the empegs, and most embedded platforms I work with, do not implement RTS/CTS h/w flow control.

So, I eventually plunked down CAD$30 for one from "The Source by Circuit City" (the company formerly known as Radio Shack Canada). Bigger, bulkier than the $10 ones, and with a longer cable (I keep it permanently coiled up, don't need the length), and.. it manages 460800 bits/sec without any flow control, and without dropping characters.

Cool!

So the point is.. YMMV.

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#263470 - 25/08/2005 00:58 Re: USB -> Serial dongle for Mac? [Re: tonyc]
jimhogan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 06/10/1999
Posts: 2591
Loc: Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
Keyspan, my son, Keyspan.

For all I know these are the same as what Mark pointed to rebranded, but they seem intent on supporting Macs, and the fact that they sucked ass under VirtualPC is probably *not* their fault.

If I got off my ass and dug around, I could probably find one to send you.
_________________________
Jim


'Tis the exceptional fellow who lies awake at night thinking of his successes.

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#263471 - 25/08/2005 03:15 Re: USB -> Serial dongle for Mac? [Re: jimhogan]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
My kernel reports the dongle as a Prolific PL2303 USB to serial adaptor.

Impossible to know that without purchasing / installing one, though.

Cheers

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#263472 - 25/08/2005 05:24 Re: USB -> Serial dongle for Mac? [Re: jimhogan]
tonyc
carpal tunnel

Registered: 27/06/1999
Posts: 7058
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
Quote:
If I got off my ass and dug around, I could probably find one to send you.

Were you to do so, I would be the happiest fat kid in the entire world, and I would happily cover shipping/handling.
_________________________
- Tony C
my empeg stuff

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#263473 - 25/08/2005 10:48 Re: USB -> Serial dongle for Mac? [Re: tonyc]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
I'll check tonight to see if the one I have works on my Mini.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#263474 - 25/08/2005 12:59 Re: USB -> Serial dongle for Mac? [Re: mlord]
shadow45
member

Registered: 19/03/2002
Posts: 144
Loc: Florida, USA
is that the lossy one with the small buffers? or the good one

I have one and it works OK for my GPS testing @ home. I only run 9600 though.

pl2303 has reverse engineerd open-source drivers, should be somewhat portable to MacOSX..

I bought mine from NewEgg.
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::: shadow45

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#263475 - 25/08/2005 13:12 Re: USB -> Serial dongle for Mac? [Re: shadow45]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
I've never had any problems with the PL2303 based cables I've got.

Prolific already give you a Mac OS X driver...

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