will a serial to USB adapter work with Mac OS X?

On 2008-01-29 18:36:30 -0800, ybukhman RemoveThis @hotmail.com said:

> Hi,
>
> I have an old Palm Pilot (Palm Vx) that connects to a computer through
> a serial port. My new Mac mini doesn't have such a port. Some serial
> to USB adapters (Nexxtech brand) are sold at the Source store, but the
> store clerk told me that Mac OS X doesn't have the drivers for them.
> Is this true? Is there any other way I might be able to link my old
> Palm to my new computer?
>
> Thanks.
>
> YB

Keyspan, sells those, I have used them they work...
--
Adobe - Preventing the case-sensitive revolution everyday
 >> Stay informed about: will a serial to USB adapter work with Mac OS X? 

In article
<c7298488-c3ab-4620-bdcc-fa38d8214827.DeleteThis@l32g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,
ybukhman.DeleteThis@hotmail.com wrote:

> I have an old Palm Pilot (Palm Vx) that connects to a computer through
> a serial port. My new Mac mini doesn't have such a port. Some serial
> to USB adapters (Nexxtech brand) are sold at the Source store, but the
> store clerk told me that Mac OS X doesn't have the drivers for them.
> Is this true? Is there any other way I might be able to link my old
> Palm to my new computer?

I used a Keyspan ['USB-28X'] converter to connect my Macs (now at
10.4.11) to a Palm VIIx and an old Garmin 12XL GPS unit for years with
no problems. Keyspan drivers are available at their web site:
<http://www.keyspan.com/downloads/>
 >> Stay informed about: will a serial to USB adapter work with Mac OS X? 

On Jan 29, 10:51 pm, nospam <nos....RemoveThis@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> In article
> <c7298488-c3ab-4620-bdcc-fa38d8214....RemoveThis@l32g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,
>
> <ybukh....RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > I have an old Palm Pilot (Palm Vx) that connects to a computer through
> > a serial port.  My new Mac mini doesn't have such a port.  Some serial
> > to USB adapters (Nexxtech brand) are sold at the Source store, but the
> > store clerk told me that Mac OS X doesn't have the drivers for them.
> > Is this true?  Is there any other way I might be able to link my old
> > Palm to my new computer?
>
> iogear & keyspan usb-serial adapters work with osx.  if the device uses
> a prolific chipset you might be able to get it to work with the generic
> prolific driver.

I've bought IOGear GUC232A adapter, and it doesn't seem to work for
me. I've installed their driver, and HotSync does show the serial
port on its list of connections. However, when I try to synchronize,
the adapter blinks its indicator light but no connection is
established.
 >> Stay informed about: will a serial to USB adapter work with Mac OS X? 

nospam wrote:
> > iogear & keyspan usb-serial adapters work with osx.  if the device uses
> > a prolific chipset you might be able to get it to work with the generic
> > prolific driver.

<ybukhman.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> replied:
> I've bought IOGear GUC232A adapter, and it doesn't seem to work for
> me. I've installed their driver, and HotSync does show the serial
> port on its list of connections. However, when I try to synchronize,
> the adapter blinks its indicator light but no connection is
> established.

I don't know anything about the IOGear adapter.

When I began looking into controlling robotic astronomical mounts and
robotic focusers, most of which are stuck in the serial past, I was
told that _the_ adapter to get was the Keyspan USA-19HS
<http://www.keyspan.com/products/usa19hs/>. This adapter works; I have
used it on a PowerBook G4 running Tiger and a MacBook Pro running
Leopard. Keyspan does a good job of keeping their Mac drivers current.
I also have a Keyspan Mini Port Replicator and a USB 4-Port Serial
Adapter. They also work well.

It should be noted that, if one wishes to use such an adapter with
Windows running under virtualization (Parallels or VMWare), one has to
un-install the Mac driver because it will not relinquish control of the
device to the Windows driver. The program "Keyspan Serial
Assistant.app," which is installed in your Applications Folder when you
install the driver, has an un-install routine under the "Settings"
menu. It is a simple matter to keep the installer package in one's
downloads folder in order to re-install at will.

Finally, RTFM. The Keyspan adapter must _not_ be attached to the USB
port while you are installing the driver. This is true for Mac OS and
Windows.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
 >> Stay informed about: will a serial to USB adapter work with Mac OS X? 

In article <250320082238532275%star@sky.net>, Davoud <star DeleteThis @sky.net>
wrote:

> nospam wrote:
> > > iogear & keyspan usb-serial adapters work with osx.  if the device uses
> > > a prolific chipset you might be able to get it to work with the generic
> > > prolific driver.
>
> <ybukhman DeleteThis @hotmail.com> replied:
> > I've bought IOGear GUC232A adapter, and it doesn't seem to work for
> > me. I've installed their driver, and HotSync does show the serial
> > port on its list of connections. However, when I try to synchronize,
> > the adapter blinks its indicator light but no connection is
> > established.
>
> I don't know anything about the IOGear adapter.
>
> When I began looking into controlling robotic astronomical mounts and
> robotic focusers, most of which are stuck in the serial past, I was
> told that _the_ adapter to get was the Keyspan USA-19HS
> <http://www.keyspan.com/products/usa19hs/>. This adapter works; I have
> used it on a PowerBook G4 running Tiger and a MacBook Pro running
> Leopard. Keyspan does a good job of keeping their Mac drivers current.
> I also have a Keyspan Mini Port Replicator and a USB 4-Port Serial
> Adapter. They also work well.

they're both good. the iogear has a larger buffer and therefore works
with more devices, such as garmin gps units. i had a lot of problems
with the keyspan & virtual pc, but none with the iogear.

of course, that's a non-issue now, with native garmin mac software and
vmware/paralells supporting usb.

> It should be noted that, if one wishes to use such an adapter with
> Windows running under virtualization (Parallels or VMWare), one has to
> un-install the Mac driver because it will not relinquish control of the
> device to the Windows driver. The program "Keyspan Serial
> Assistant.app," which is installed in your Applications Folder when you
> install the driver, has an un-install routine under the "Settings"
> menu. It is a simple matter to keep the installer package in one's
> downloads folder in order to re-install at will.

true.
 >> Stay informed about: will a serial to USB adapter work with Mac OS X? 

ybukhman.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com writes:

> > <ybukh....TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > I have an old Palm Pilot (Palm Vx) [...]
>
> I've bought IOGear GUC232A adapter, and it doesn't seem to work for
> me. I've installed their driver, and HotSync does show the serial
> port on its list of connections. However, when I try to synchronize,
> the adapter blinks its indicator light but no connection is
> established.

Palm has (or, had, I don't know if they still do) one of their own
serial to USB adapters. It's black, and doesn't have much in the way
of identifying stuff on it, but it does say "MADE IN CHINA [R] 01
163-0069" on the USB plug, and it works...

From the System Profiler -

USB Serial Adaptor:

Vendor Name: Palm Computing, Inc.
Product ID: 128 ($80)
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Serial Number: 00279622
Bus Power (mA): 500

I don't know what the difference is. I also have an IO Gear
adapter, which I use on another computer, at work.

Billy Y..
 >> Stay informed about: will a serial to USB adapter work with Mac OS X?