USB to RS232 cable please help

[tempo123]

I would like to buy a USB to RS232 cable and on ebay there are tons....some tell me that supports RS232 serial interface DB25 or DB9.....doesn t mean anything to me ,can someone point me in the right direction please.many thanks

[benny/9]

I would like to buy a USB to RS232 cable and on ebay there are tons....some tell me that supports RS232 serial interface DB25 or DB9.....doesn t mean anything to me ,can someone point me in the right direction please.many thanks

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hi m8,
it can be tricky to get these devices to work. and once set up
you must always use the same usb port on your computer or it
wont work, i got a new computer running vista and i got a usb to serial
converter from maplins and it had a driver disc with it, but i did.nt need to use the driver disc when i pluged the usb to serial converter in my computer usb port a panel opened asking do you want vista to install a driver for this device i clicked yes and it works first class, this is what it looks like, a usb point on one end a 9 pin port on the other, this is what it looks like

[tempo123]

Thank you for the advice, so I just buy one and give it a go!

[wilf]

Make sure it a Null cable and not serial cable as they are wired different

[.: JaCkPoT :.]

I dont even know if ours is null or rs232.. how can you tell?

[wilf]

I cant tell from looking at it, Rs232 null cable or Rs232 serial cable look the same to me. when i bought mine i wasnt sure which i needed and the guy in the shop told me they were differently wired so i took both, fortunately i opened the right one first and took the other 1 back and he refunded me. Thats why i use a dealer instead of fleabay for things like this cos if you get the wrong one ends up costing you to return it

[benny/9]

the usb to serial converter is exactly what it says
it converts a usb port to a serial port and this device
requires a [null modem cable] as well as the usb to serial converter modern computers dont have 9pin serial ports and this converter is used so the null modem cable can be used to load software etc: from the computer to the receiever via the rs232 port on the receiver
and you can tell the diference this way a serial cable
has one female plug [a solid end with 9 pin holes]
and one male plug [ a end with 9 pins in the plug]
a null modem cable has female plugs on both ends
[ solid ends with 9 pin holes in both ends]

[.: JaCkPoT :.]

In that case i have a null cable..same on both ends..

[HaCKaMaC]

A serial cable has straight through wiring: pin 2 > pin 2, pin 3 > pin 3
A null modem has the wiring between pin 2 and pin 3 crossed: pin 2 > pin 3, pin 3 > pin 2

[benny/9]

serial and null modem cables are wired
differently a serial is straight wired and a
null modem cable is cross wired and you
can tell the difference by looking at them
even though these cables are commonly know as serial cables
[a serial cable] has male to female plugs [different ends]
[a null modem cable] has female to female plugs
[both ends the same] take a look at the two attachments

[benny/9]

removed the post was entered twice
and has be deleated

[.: JaCkPoT :.]

, this is very interesting little thread, im learning alot from it!

[tempo123]

Unfortunately for me I bought a cable on ebay and now I realized that I don t know if is a serial or null...on the description is not clear so what is going to happen if I try to use this cable to load a softcam?Am I going to damage the receiver?I am newbie so please an advice would be much appreciate.many thanks

[wilf]

No you wont damage the box m8 it just wont load the firmware

[tempo123]

OK, thank you very much so I ll give a try and if it works I have the right one, if nothing happen I have the wrong one, have I understoodright?many thanks