pda->usb->RS232

[Rainer Queck]

Hi Paul,

So, then you're stuck. Unless the USB port on the PDA can be used as a
host ...

It looks like I am lucky
Joseph brought up a point, that the - what I thought is only a USB socket -
has both in it:
- USB
- RS232
Which would make sense for cables like:
http://www.handynow.de/handy-shop/Handy+Zubeh%F6r/T-Mobile/Y-Kabel+USB%20Seriell

I will order me one of them and then see....

Regards
Rainer

 

[Dick Grier]

There are no USB serial adapters that can be used with compact devices.
Devices, in general, are USB clients, not USB hosts. A USB host is
required. And, the USB adapter manufacture would have to provide an
appropriate driver. So, you cannot get there from here -- as of today.

--
Richard Grier (Microsoft Visual Basic MVP)

See www.hardandsoftware.net for contact information.

Author of Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications, 4th
Edition ISBN 1-890422-28-2 (391 pages) published July 2004. See
www.mabry.com/vbpgser4 to order.

 

[Dick Grier]

Hi,

If your device does not have a built-in serial port (and many do not), you
must use a Compact Flash serial adapter (if your device supports these).
Otherwise,

There are no USB serial adapters that can be used with compact devices.
Devices, in general, are USB clients, not USB hosts. A USB host is
required. And, the USB adapter manufacture would have to provide an
appropriate driver. So, you cannot get there from here -- as of today

--
Richard Grier (Microsoft Visual Basic MVP)

See www.hardandsoftware.net for contact information.

Author of Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications, 4th
Edition ISBN 1-890422-28-2 (391 pages) published July 2004. See
www.mabry.com/vbpgser4 to order.

 

[Rainer Queck]

Hi Dick,

thanks for your coments.

As it looks by now, I seem to be lucky. The connector on my mdaII seems to
have pins for rs232 too, which I was not aware of until yesterday, since I
up to now only have a USB cabel hooked up to it.
The cable shown at :
http://www.handynow.de/handy-shop/Handy+Zubeh%F6r/T-Mobile/Y-Kabel+USB%20Seriell
seems to make make use of that. Also I realized in the Active SyncSettings,
that there are options for "<Baudrate> Standard" wich also points into this
direction.
I will get me this cable, and see if this assumption is right.

Regards
Rainer

 

[Dick Grier]

There are sites on the internet that have cables for different devices. You
might take a look at http://www.expansys-usa.com/ to see if they have one.

--
Richard Grier (Microsoft Visual Basic MVP)

See www.hardandsoftware.net for contact information.

Author of Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications, 4th
Edition ISBN 1-890422-28-2 (391 pages) published July 2004. See
www.mabry.com/vbpgser4 to order.

 

[Markus Humm]

There are no USB serial adapters that can be used with compact devices.
Devices, in general, are USB clients, not USB hosts. A USB host is
required. And, the USB adapter manufacture would have to provide an
appropriate driver. So, you cannot get there from here -- as of today.

But yes you can! Buy a Pocket PC with USB host (available today!) and a
FTDI based USB to RS232 cable and then look at FTDI's website for the
driver. It is there. I haven't tested it but it is there!

Greetings

Markus

 

[Markus Humm]

Hello,

what PDA model do you have?
Acer n30/n50 or Toshiba?

Greetings

Markus

 

[Markus Humm]

Hi Floyd,

I have a MDA II (in case you know this pda type) and the only cable I can
attach to it is the USB cable.
Would that work, if I use a USB to Serial device?

Afaik there is a RS232 cable for the MDA II, did you ask T-Mobile?
Otherwise search for it. Officially there is no such cable for the
MDA III but I already had one in my hands and I got it working!
So don't let you be fooled!

Greetings

Markus

 

[Markus Humm]

Hi Paul,

thanks for the information.
So for my project I have to either find a pda with rs232 or use blue tooth
(how ever that can bee achieved).

A cheap one e.g. is HP rx1710 or similar. Don't buy a Acer n30 for
RS232, it can't power it actively! A FSC pocket Loox 410 works as well...

Greetings

Markus

 

[Markus Humm]

You seem to be getting mixed up between the USB and RS232. They are both
completely separate and you do not need to concern yourself with USB. Using
the cable in the link I sent (and likely the one in your link) you will be
able to communcate using serial comms, (it will likely appear as comm1 to
your program).

Yes, but be aware that in case of problems one must disable incomming
connections while using RS232, at least on the MDA III because the IrDa
port conflicts with the RS232 UART...

Greetings

Markus

 

[Chris Tacke, eMVP]

Pocket PC's with USB host are still very rare. It's more common that they
have an exposed UART through their cradle connector.

--
Chris Tacke
Co-founder
OpenNETCF.org
Are you using the SDF? Let's do a case study.
Email us at d c s @ o p e n n e t c f . c o m
http://www.opennetcf.org/donate

 

[Dick Grier]

Good luck. Untested is not a great recommendation. Also, finding a PPC to
use will not be a pleasant task (also untested, just IMO). I've heard of
only one (Toshiba), and it isn't very up-to-date. There may be others, but
they are few and far between.

Dick

--
Richard Grier (Microsoft Visual Basic MVP)

See www.hardandsoftware.net for contact information.

Author of Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications, 4th
Edition ISBN 1-890422-28-2 (391 pages) published July 2004. See
www.mabry.com/vbpgser4 to order.

 

[Markus Humm]

Good luck. Untested is not a great recommendation. Also, finding a PPC to
use will not be a pleasant task (also untested, just IMO). I've heard of
only one (Toshiba), and it isn't very up-to-date. There may be others, but
they are few and far between.

a) untested means that I installed that converter cable successfully on
the PDA but didn't test my app. so far!

b) finding a PDA isn't that hard, look at Acer n30 or n50.

Greetings

Markus

 

[Rainer Queck]

Hi every on, interrested in this subject!

To keep you updated....
In the meanwhile I have ordered and received one of those Y-Cables and
started my first testing with VS2005 and its SerialPort from my MDA II.

It works!

No I will have to work me through the details ;-)

Regards
Rainer

 

[Rainer Queck]

Hi every on, interrested in this subject!

To keep you updated....
In the meanwhile I have ordered and received one of those Y-Cables and
started my first testing with VS2005 and its SerialPort from my MDA II.

It works!

No I will have to work me through the details ;-)

Regards
Rainer