Problem with Serial to USB Converter

ian-and-penny · Post by **ian-and-penny** » 02 July 04 7:43 pm

Hi All,

I seem to be having a little problem with my hardware/software setup. I connect my (Magellan) GPS to my (Sony) laptop via a serial cable and a (Sitecom) serial to USB converter because my laptop doesn't have a com port.

I can use programs like OziExplorer, Discover Aus, Navigator etc to use moving maps & up/download waypoints tracks etc. However I can't up/download waypoints with GSAK (or more specifically the GPSBabel back end.)

Clyde has given me some pointers here. I have also done a quick test or two & determined that the combination of GPSBabel and my serial to USB converter is the problem.

So now to the questions:

Is there a software work-around?

If I have to shell out for a new converter, which ones work?

Which ones don't?

Regards

Ian

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 02 July 04 10:47 pm

I usually use Oziexplorer to upload the waypoints to my GPS but I will try GASK and the USB to serial converter on my laptop over the weekend. I'll let you know how it goes..

embi · Post by **embi** » 03 July 04 12:01 am

I have had this same problem and it has been a real pain.

I have been working on and off with the GPSBabel guru in the US and he has come up with a fix for this issue just yesterday. At this point in time he doesnt want this fix to become public as it still has one or two issues. Be patient and hopefully soon we will have a permanent solution.

ian-and-penny · Post by **ian-and-penny** » 07 July 04 9:54 am

Hi All,

I had a fun time last night. I uninstalled all six of the USB com ports in an attempt to "start over".

Interesting, because when I went to install a new one (read plug in the Serial to USB converter) the next com port available was always one number higher than the previous high.

In the end, and in despiration I ended up:
* installing a new Com port
* change the port number to n-1
* check for new hardware (com port refreshed to the new number)
* uninstall the port
* repeat until installed com port is Com 1

(If someone knows of a quicker & more efficient way. . . )

The upshot of all this is that I can now use GSAK to up/download waypoints to the GPS (where I couldn't before), and I don't need to invest in a new Serial to USB converter.

I could always use Ozie to up/download & use moving map but this wasn't always the most efficient or convenient way to do it. This usage/ability hasn't changed although I MUST remember to turn NMEA off after using moving map.

Cheers

Ian

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 07 July 04 11:27 am

The usb serial drivers look for the first available port. They usually assume the computers have com1 and com2 as physical ports and start their search at com3..
GPSbabel is a windows command line program. It may only search for com1 or com2.

embi · Post by **embi** » 07 July 04 11:39 am

here is what was happening with the issue

Hi, Mark.

I finally got the adapter in and after 8 hours battling 98 AND XP successfully got it installed. Once I had the stupid thing here and working making GPSBabel play nicer with it wasn't too bad. The early analysis shows this driver makes a mockery of the data timeout flags. Setting them absurdly large and then retrying seems to make it play nicer.

Please try the attached version. I hauled a quarter million waypoints through it on XP. I did't try it on a stressed USB bus. If you have, say, a streaming audio or webcam on it, I won't die of shock ift he driver becomes further unglued w.r.t. timing.

Don't consider this final and please don't redistribute it.

Please do let me know how this goes. I'll be quite busy this weekend and then heading to Alaska for two weeks, so I really wanted to get some kind of closure (even if tentative) on this...

Thanx,
RJL

EcoTeam · Post by **EcoTeam** » 08 July 04 9:29 am

I've heard that a lot of people with problems like this have found this converter to work when other cheaper brands don't:
http://www.dontronics.com/usb_232.html

EcoDave

ian-and-penny · Post by **ian-and-penny** » 08 July 04 11:22 am

Hi Embi

what brand of converter do you use/are having trouble with?

Cheers

Ian

embi · Post by **embi** » 08 July 04 12:10 pm

not sure what brand it is but I bought it from http://www.gpsoz.com.au/usb.htm.

Here is an image of it.

I'm not having issues now though. It has been fixed with the gpsbabel upgrade. This will be incorporated into GSAK as soon as all bugs are sorted out

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 08 July 04 4:39 pm

The ones I sell work well..

The issue is not the converter, rather the program..

riblit · Post by **riblit** » 08 July 04 5:16 pm

I have just downloaded GSAK Version 3.5 (Yes I know it has been available for a while) and tried sending waypoints to my etrex vista. My USB-Serial Adaptor is on com 3 and I just sent 752 waypoints to the GPS without problems using the serial to USB cable I sell. This cable is available to Geocachers for $33.00 inc GST.

Alby · Post by **Alby** » 21 July 04 10:15 pm

I recently bought a new laptop and had to go with the usb to serial, no worries there straight to and from the old Magellan with GSAK, Easy GPS and Magellan mapsend. The only problem I am having is I have lost my real time mapping. The GPSR and laptop are continually trying to connect, never seem to just get there. Any Thoughts.

ian-and-penny · Post by **ian-and-penny** » 22 July 04 9:30 am

Alby wrote:I recently bought a new laptop and had to go with the usb to serial, no worries there straight to and from the old Magellan with GSAK, Easy GPS and Magellan mapsend. The only problem I am having is I have lost my real time mapping. The GPSR and laptop are continually trying to connect, never seem to just get there. Any Thoughts.

On the GPS, turn NMEA ON for real time tracking & OFF to up/download waypoints, tracks etc.

Check the baud rate too.

Alby · Post by **Alby** » 22 July 04 11:41 am

I have checked all the settings, still it does not detect the GPSR when I start the log. Still send and recieve waypoints, tracks. Even autodetect tells me the GPSRis there. I just get the settings might be wrong and the unit may be broken message. The baude rate is fine, Nmea is ON. Still stumped.

ian-and-penny · Post by **ian-and-penny** » 22 July 04 9:33 pm

I'm puzzled,

from an earlier post you indicated that you could send to and from your GPS with Mapsend. To me this indicates that the GPS is at least communicating with Mapsend via the com port.

Can you view your GPS NMEA output with Mapsend?

As I'm not familiar with Mapsend I will have to defer to someone else with more knowledge in that area.

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