topic Re: USB to com (RS232) in PCs & Accessories

USB to com (RS232)

funkymonkeyman — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:15:59 GMT

Hi,

Due to the lack of com port on my CR21Z as with most new laptops i got a USB to Com (RS232) which works with Vista, it installs fine and dont have a problem with that. the problem i have is the program i need to use cn only work through Com port 1 or 2 but when i come to chnage the port number of the USB-Com-RS232 it says that both ports are being used. with some messing around i can connect useing com port 2 but only for 2 seconds before i see a runtime error 8020, on com port 1 i only get run time error 8018.

how can i find out what is useing both com ports 1 and 2 so i can change or disable?

thank you for reading

Ben

Re: USB to com (RS232)

kee-lo_ — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:06:56 GMT

Hi Ben,

This has been a problem ever since USB > RS232 started, it's very unstable and works like 1/100 times.

If you can, get a new piece of hardware, or contact the vendor of the software you need the dongle for.

Re: USB to com (RS232)

Blencogo — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:02:16 GMT

Hi Ben and welcome to Club Vaio.

I agree with Kee-Lo, USB to Serial converters are notoriously unreliable.

I have a weather station which requires a serial interface to update the database on the PC each month and I use one of these PCMCIA cards which gives two RS232/Serial outputs. With this card, I can change the COM Ports used in Device Manager.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=47115&doy=16m4

However, even with this card, I do get the occasional 'lock-up'. To be honest though it is not very often.

Re: USB to com (RS232)

funkymonkeyman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:28:32 GMT

thank you for your replys,

i have got the usb-com working but i keep getting run time error 8018 (it may be 8012) where nothing works but after uninstalling the Com mouse that is installed when the usb-com is pluged in i can get my laptop connected to a digital projector, but i can only sent one command (ie turn on) before i get a Run Time error 8020.

i have the opertunity to try thr usb-com on another vista pc (desktop) which i will give a go and report back but has anyone any more ideas how i could sort out this problem.

i am slighly shocked that sony dont have this as an accessories

Thank you

Ben

Re: USB to com (RS232)

funkymonkeyman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:25:19 GMT

Desktop did not work!

i had a look at the pcmcia card but i dont have the slot, i have a express card slot. i found this on ebay do you think this would solve my problems?

thank you for any help.

Ben

Re: USB to com (RS232)

Blencogo — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:18:46 GMT

It will all depend on how good the 'Downloadable Vista Serial Driver' is!!

Up to you - but at that reasonable price it is probably worth a little gamble.

Re: USB to com (RS232)

funkymonkeyman — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:33:46 GMT

i there any way of checking? i seem to be buying things left right and centre just to get a RS232 port.

Ben

Re: USB to com (RS232)

funkymonkeyman — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:35:44 GMT

what Sony say:

Thank you for contacting us.

Yes you would need to purchase this accessory.

If you type this into a search engine you will find lots of searches back on this.

We cannot guarantee that this will work as we do not support third party hardware.

We are very sorry that we cannot help you any further with this request.

Regards,

Claire
Sony Vaio Team

in going to try the ebay card and see if it will work, i'll keep you updated.

Ben