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VE3EFC
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 724
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 Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:43 am Post subject: No Serial Port on new computers |
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Hi Tim. You are correct many new computers do not have DB9 serial ports. The USB to serial port converter at Radio Shack was quite cheap and it worked well. We will look into your suggestion about PS2, and parallel ports as well as game ports, but I think these are also missing from new computers.
Last month I built a new computer with Intel motherboard. Guess what - no serial port. I asked the guy in computer store about buying a PSI card with serial port but he said most motherboards today still have the serial header pins on the motherboard. Sure enough he was right! I went to a computer junk store and bought a used internal serial port connector (one dollar) with the ribbon cable to connect to the motherboard. They had lots of these in the junk box. This connector was already mounted into one those L shaped brackets. So now I have a DB9 serial port sticking out the back of my new computer. |
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KB3NPH
Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 52
Location: Spring Run, PA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:08 am Post subject: Re: No Serial Port on new computers |
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| VE3EFC wrote: | Hi Tim. You are correct many new computers do not have DB9 serial ports. The USB to serial port converter at Radio Shack was quite cheap and it worked well. We will look into your suggestion about PS2, and parallel ports as well as game ports, but I think these are also missing from new computers.
Last month I built a new computer with Intel motherboard. Guess what - no serial port. I asked the guy in computer store about buying a PSI card with serial port but he said most motherboards today still have the serial header pins on the motherboard. Sure enough he was right! I went to a computer junk store and bought a used internal serial port connector (one dollar) with the ribbon cable to connect to the motherboard. They had lots of these in the junk box. This connector was already mounted into one those L shaped brackets. So now I have a DB9 serial port sticking out the back of my new computer. |
Thanks Doug for info. It would be nice if we could just put a ps/2 connector on our straight key and plug it into a ps/2 port without any software or adapters. Or maybe even wire a if we could find out the pin-outs for a serial to usb cable, and wire a usb plug directly to the cable for the key???? Maybe there is some freeware drivers available for such a connection without having to buy anything other than a usb plug.
I am also going to check with Gateway to see if there is a serial connector on the motherboard of this computer and try to find that adapter you were talking about. I know exactly what you are talking about, and I might even have one around here.
73s
Tim (KB3NPH) |
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VE3EFC
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 724
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't think you can do anything useful by connecting wires directly to a USB plug, except the 5 volt, 1/2 amp power can be used to run a light bulb or a fan. The USB driver expects to see an interface chip in the connected device. |
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