USB to Serial Adapter works with some but not other uses?????

Hello Windows World!

I'm an HVAC Tech who is pretty computer savy and carry a laptop with me on
the job to "talk" to various HVAC systems.

I have a Dynex DX-UBDB9 USB to Serial adapter. All drivers are up to date,
even got a new one from windows update not long ago.

When I had an XP laptop everything worked fine. Now, I have a Vista laptop
and everything is not fine.

Here's the problem. I use a program to get information from several types
of Trane equipment. It's called LitePort, and it basically translates the
blinks of an LED on a circuit board into real information I can use for
troubleshooting. This worked under XP and works under Vista.

Well that's really not a problem as it works. Info comes in from the serial
device is translated.

However, I also have programs to talk to and program devices from Johnson
Controls. These are basically computers controlling HVAC equipment. It's
kind of an opposite internet connection, in that you Upload from and Download
to the component.

There is some info I can get from the controller (other computer) but I cant
open up full communications, which basically screws me.

Why doesn't this work?

Could it be because Vista doesn't come with Seriaal Keys?

Might something like SKeys help?
--
Jarredsdad

I'd be tempted to ask Johnson Controls what their criteria is, they may have
a patch.

--
A Professional Amateur...If anyone knew it all, none of would be here!

Change Alpha to Numeric to reply
"Jarredsdad" <> wrote in message
news:6B99FD66-F670-43A5-BEB7-...
> Hello Windows World!
>
> I'm an HVAC Tech who is pretty computer savy and carry a laptop with me on
> the job to "talk" to various HVAC systems.
>
> I have a Dynex DX-UBDB9 USB to Serial adapter. All drivers are up to
> date,
> even got a new one from windows update not long ago.
>
> When I had an XP laptop everything worked fine. Now, I have a Vista
> laptop
> and everything is not fine.
>
> Here's the problem. I use a program to get information from several types
> of Trane equipment. It's called LitePort, and it basically translates the
> blinks of an LED on a circuit board into real information I can use for
> troubleshooting. This worked under XP and works under Vista.
>
> Well that's really not a problem as it works. Info comes in from the
> serial
> device is translated.
>
> However, I also have programs to talk to and program devices from Johnson
> Controls. These are basically computers controlling HVAC equipment. It's
> kind of an opposite internet connection, in that you Upload from and
> Download
> to the component.
>
> There is some info I can get from the controller (other computer) but I
> cant
> open up full communications, which basically screws me.
>
> Why doesn't this work?
>
> Could it be because Vista doesn't come with Seriaal Keys?
>
> Might something like SKeys help?
> --
> Jarredsdad

"Jarredsdad" <> wrote in message
news:6B99FD66-F670-43A5-BEB7-...
> Hello Windows World!
>
> I'm an HVAC Tech who is pretty computer savy and carry a laptop with me on
> the job to "talk" to various HVAC systems.
>
> I have a Dynex DX-UBDB9 USB to Serial adapter. All drivers are up to
> date,
> even got a new one from windows update not long ago.
>
> When I had an XP laptop everything worked fine. Now, I have a Vista
> laptop
> and everything is not fine.
>
> Here's the problem. I use a program to get information from several types
> of Trane equipment. It's called LitePort, and it basically translates the
> blinks of an LED on a circuit board into real information I can use for
> troubleshooting. This worked under XP and works under Vista.
>
> Well that's really not a problem as it works. Info comes in from the
> serial
> device is translated.
>
> However, I also have programs to talk to and program devices from Johnson
> Controls. These are basically computers controlling HVAC equipment. It's
> kind of an opposite internet connection, in that you Upload from and
> Download
> to the component.
>
> There is some info I can get from the controller (other computer) but I
> cant
> open up full communications, which basically screws me.
>
> Why doesn't this work?
>
> Could it be because Vista doesn't come with Seriaal Keys?
>
> Might something like SKeys help?


I worked a couple of summers at a control systems engineering company when I
was a student, a decade ago. I mostly worked at the 'bureau' where we
controlled (mostly Trend outstations) through the internet. I did have to
go on site a couple of times to dial in directly using a laptop with serial
connection a couple of times, but that was the job of the field engineers.
A lot the work that the company was doing those days was replacing older
outstations in fear of the millennium bug, lol. The company was booming, so
they were in desperate need of people who knew about computer networks.

Well, anyway. Did your old XP laptop have a proper serial port? Those USB
> serial converters are not 100% compatible.

ss.

"Not Me" <> wrote in message
news:%23Et%...
> I'd be tempted to ask Johnson Controls what their criteria is, they may
> have a patch.

Yeah, maybe the software is designed to work with XP's built in serial
support, and not third party support that you would have to use with Vista.

ss.

In article <6B99FD66-F670-43A5-BEB7->,
Jarredsdad <> wrote:
>
>Why doesn't this work?
>

I also use a laptop to talk to serial devices. USB-Serial adaptors
are a crapshoot. Most are designed to support ONLY PDA's or ONLY modems
and don't really pass a full range of signals. Some work perfectly with
one pc and not at all with another.

My solution was to pick up an old Thinkpad T23 for 200 bucks. It's
got a real serial port and is very thin and light. Also if it walks away I
won't be heartbroken. Any old laptop of similar vintage would do, a dell
600 or whatever.

"the wharf rat" <> wrote in message
news:fr4g28$487$...
>
> My solution was to pick up an old Thinkpad T23 for 200 bucks. It's
> got a real serial port and is very thin and light. Also if it walks away
> I
> won't be heartbroken. Any old laptop of similar vintage would do, a dell
> 600 or whatever.

Ha. I was going to suggest that too, but a ThinkPad X31 (or X32)
ultracompact. I have one, and an X40 (which does not have a serial port).
They are small enough to carry everywhere you go.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:...
>>
>> My solution was to pick up an old Thinkpad T23 for 200 bucks. It's
>> got a real serial port and is very thin and light. Also if it walks away
>> I
>> won't be heartbroken. Any old laptop of similar vintage would do, a dell
>> 600 or whatever.
>
> Ha. I was going to suggest that too, but a ThinkPad X31 (or X32)
> ultracompact. I have one, and an X40 (which does not have a serial port).
> They are small enough to carry everywhere you go.


Oh, and of course run XP on that older laptop, as Vista will be a dog, and
has no standard serial support.

ss.

"Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "Jarredsdad" <> wrote in message
> news:6B99FD66-F670-43A5-BEB7-...
> > Hello Windows World!
> >
> > I'm an HVAC Tech who is pretty computer savy and carry a laptop with me on
> > the job to "talk" to various HVAC systems.
> >
> > I have a Dynex DX-UBDB9 USB to Serial adapter. All drivers are up to
> > date,
> > even got a new one from windows update not long ago.
> >
> > When I had an XP laptop everything worked fine. Now, I have a Vista
> > laptop
> > and everything is not fine.
> >
> > Here's the problem. I use a program to get information from several types
> > of Trane equipment. It's called LitePort, and it basically translates the
> > blinks of an LED on a circuit board into real information I can use for
> > troubleshooting. This worked under XP and works under Vista.
> >
> > Well that's really not a problem as it works. Info comes in from the
> > serial
> > device is translated.
> >
> > However, I also have programs to talk to and program devices from Johnson
> > Controls. These are basically computers controlling HVAC equipment. It's
> > kind of an opposite internet connection, in that you Upload from and
> > Download
> > to the component.
> >
> > There is some info I can get from the controller (other computer) but I
> > cant
> > open up full communications, which basically screws me.
> >
> > Why doesn't this work?
> >
> > Could it be because Vista doesn't come with Seriaal Keys?
> >
> > Might something like SKeys help?
>
>
> I worked a couple of summers at a control systems engineering company when I
> was a student, a decade ago. I mostly worked at the 'bureau' where we
> controlled (mostly Trend outstations) through the internet. I did have to
> go on site a couple of times to dial in directly using a laptop with serial
> connection a couple of times, but that was the job of the field engineers.
> A lot the work that the company was doing those days was replacing older
> outstations in fear of the millennium bug, lol. The company was booming, so
> they were in desperate need of people who knew about computer networks.
>
> Well, anyway. Did your old XP laptop have a proper serial port? Those USB
> > serial converters are not 100% compatible.
>
> ss.

Exactly right. They often seem not to adhere
100% to the RS-232 spec, which states that signal
levels need to swing both positive AND negative from
0 Volts. They often just go from 0 to +5, which
is not spec.

The most reliable I have used are based on the Prolific
PL-2303 chip, like this one:

http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/S...productID=2066

I used this on a Vista laptop to connect to my cell
phone and Globalstar sat phone with no problems.

I guess you will just have to try multiple adapters until:

a) you get one that works
or
b) you try them all and none of them work.


>
>

No, your missing the point. It worked on XP but only half way on Vista.

The software works with 95 upto XP. The work Laptop is 98 and has a serial
port.

Why does Vista allow minimum funtionality? Why can't the USB to Serial have
2 way communications.
--
Jarredsdad


"Synapse Syndrome" wrote:

> "Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> >>
> >> My solution was to pick up an old Thinkpad T23 for 200 bucks. It's
> >> got a real serial port and is very thin and light. Also if it walks away
> >> I
> >> won't be heartbroken. Any old laptop of similar vintage would do, a dell
> >> 600 or whatever.
> >
> > Ha. I was going to suggest that too, but a ThinkPad X31 (or X32)
> > ultracompact. I have one, and an X40 (which does not have a serial port).
> > They are small enough to carry everywhere you go.
>
>
> Oh, and of course run XP on that older laptop, as Vista will be a dog, and
> has no standard serial support.
>
> ss.
>
>
>

Ooops, it also will work on a Vista machine with a serial port.
--
Jarredsdad


"Jarredsdad" wrote:

> No, your missing the point. It worked on XP but only half way on Vista.
>
> The software works with 95 upto XP. The work Laptop is 98 and has a serial
> port.
>
> Why does Vista allow minimum funtionality? Why can't the USB to Serial have
> 2 way communications.
> --
> Jarredsdad
>
>
> "Synapse Syndrome" wrote:
>
> > "Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> > >>
> > >> My solution was to pick up an old Thinkpad T23 for 200 bucks. It's
> > >> got a real serial port and is very thin and light. Also if it walks away
> > >> I
> > >> won't be heartbroken. Any old laptop of similar vintage would do, a dell
> > >> 600 or whatever.
> > >
> > > Ha. I was going to suggest that too, but a ThinkPad X31 (or X32)
> > > ultracompact. I have one, and an X40 (which does not have a serial port).
> > > They are small enough to carry everywhere you go.
> >
> >
> > Oh, and of course run XP on that older laptop, as Vista will be a dog, and
> > has no standard serial support.
> >
> > ss.
> >
> >
> >