USB to RS-232 Adapters

[kmc123]

Has anyone here tried out a MULTI-PORT USB to RS-232 Adapter?

Here are two that caught my attention:

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Serial-COM-Port-RS232-9-Pin-DB9M-to-71-USB-Cable-NEW_W0QQitemZ360015171765QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item3 60015171765

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Serial-COM-Port-RS232-splitter-to-USB-2-5-feet-NEW_W0QQitemZ360015537485QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item3 60015537485

[daviddth]

I have a pair of 2 port ones I bought at a local PC show and in testing the REN-C it seems to work ok, but I have not tried both ports at the same time (Com 2 & 3), but they work individually OK.

I wont be continuing with it as in my test PC no ports show up after com 4 with 2 of the USB's plugged in, and I'll be needing 3 com ports this year, and this particular one (Chang Pro brand from memory) does not seem to like 2 of them connected. they show up in windows device manager, but not in vixen at all. I have a new show PC and it's going to end up with 8 com ports so the dongles wont be much use except for testing.

[kmc123]

Interesting - How are you doing the 8 ports in the new show PC?

2 on the motherboard and 3 dual port PCI cards?

What brand PCI cards did you end up using?

I was thinking of getting a 4 port PCI card, but they were much more than those quad USB's

(Which is why I was asking if anyone used the quad USB's with success in the first place.)

If anyone has had success with a particular 4 port PCI card - I'd be interested in hearing what brand / where you purchased it from as well...

Thanks!

[Wayne J]

I got this 8 port pci card off of Ebay for 59 bucks to the door. I have yet to install it, but I have heard it has been used by members here on the boards.

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3766/moxioho8.th.jpg (http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=moxioho8.jpg)

[daviddth]

I bought a 6 port PCI card and it works really well. AU$40 off ebay and it's not been tested fully yet, but Vixen sees the full 8 com ports in the PC so thats a plus.

[FireGod]

I got this 8 port pci card off of Ebay for 59 bucks to the door. I have yet to install it, but I have heard it has been used by members here on the boards.

I used this same PCI card. I used 5 of the ports. Since KC has allowed us to keep the ports open (a must if you use more than 3 ports) thye work fine. These MOXA cards can be found on eBay all the time. I have a 4 port that is extra if anyone is interested.

[kmc123]

Is MOXA the brand name of this 8 port card?
Hook me up with any model numbers or ID off of it if you can...
Thanks in advance!

[Wayne J]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Moxa-Smartio-8-Port-Serial-Card-C168H-PCI-with-CABLE_W0QQitemZ290200993111QQihZ019QQcategoryZ167Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[kmc123]

Thanks Wayne!!!

[XmasInGalt]

I got this 8 port pci card off of Ebay for 59 bucks to the door. I have yet to install it, but I have heard it has been used by members here on the boards.

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3766/moxioho8.th.jpg (http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=moxioho8.jpg)

Wayne,

Did you ever get the chance to test this board out? I ordered one on Ebay and was curious to know your results.... Thanks.

[BuzzKill]

I have had and used 8 port moxa board for years with my home automation projects. They work great.

[XmasInGalt]

Great news! Thanks Buzzkill.

[rstehle]

Hi gang, wanted to give you all a heads up that the old numbers for channels per com port have been revised upward. I recently tested 12 Ren 16's daisychained (192 channels) one Com 1, at 50 ms and it worked fine. KC removed the problem dimming levels in Vixen which effectively doubled the channel count per port.

[Mufassa]

Hi gang, wanted to give you all a heads up that the old numbers for channels per com port have been revised upward. I recently tested 12 Ren 16's daisychained (192 channels) one Com 1, at 50 ms and it worked fine. KC removed the problem dimming levels in Vixen which effectively doubled the channel count per port.

I updated the note at the bottom of the table so people dont try to double them again. Also to make sure they are using the Modified Renard Plugin.

-Greg

[Wayne J]

Wayne,

Did you ever get the chance to test this board out? I ordered one on Ebay and was curious to know your results.... Thanks.


Yes, I did actually, this past weekend. Works like a champ! You can do some cool stuff with it when you configure it. Set the baud rate to all at once, set their com port numbers to what you want. Anyways, I'm using 3 of the 8 ports and no issues during testing.

[XmasInGalt]

Yes, I did actually, this past weekend. Works like a champ! You can do some cool stuff with it when you configure it. Set the baud rate to all at once, set their com port numbers to what you want. Anyways, I'm using 3 of the 8 ports and no issues during testing.

Thanks Wayne. I'm glad to hear that since I went ahead and ordered it earlier. I figured for $30 + $11 shipping, it was worth the gamble. Did you test them at 115K ?

[Wayne J]

Thanks Wayne. I'm glad to hear that since I went ahead and ordered it earlier. I figured for $30 + $11 shipping, it was worth the gamble. Did you test them at 115K ?

No, I haven't, just don't have time to reflash the PICs and test right now. I may do that after the season is over and everything is still set up.

[BuzzKill]

BTW .. the $5 USB to RS232 adapters at www.ledshoppe.com work fine. You just have to find the right drivers. Vista will load automatically. For XP, download and use the drivers for a Prolific PL-2303.