[chirp_users] Baofeng 888s cable issue

[Jim Unroe]

On Sun, Nov 20, 2016 at 10:37 PM, Garth Robinson
<soundtek at vodafone.co.nz> wrote:
> Hi Jim,
>
> ..... so, how can one guarantee ( without dismantling the cable ) that there
> is a genuine chip within the cable? I'm even suspect of the Baofeng cables.
>
> Garth. zl1tue  ..... an still shakin'

About 4 years ago I downloaded every version of Prolific driver for
Windows I could find. I installed them one by one from the most recent
to the oldest to find out exactly which driver was the absolute latest
that would work with a counterfeit Prolific chip. The answer was
v3.3.2.105. But although this driver works great with CHIRP, it is
incompatible with most programming software written for Chinese
radios.

So my testing continued. It wasn't until I got to the Prolific
v3.2.0.0 driver that it would work with all of my programming
software. And it works with the latest Prolific chips as well.

As you can see from the attached screen capture, I have 4 Prolific
drivers installed in my Windows 7 64-bit computer. I can switch
between these driver versions at will to determine if a Prolific type
chip is genuine.

So if you have a programming cable with a Prolfic type chip, there is
no need to test if it is genuine or not. Genuine Prolific chips are
rare. Out of some 20+ Prolific type chip based cables that I have
here, I only have 2 that know are genuine.

One came from a now out of business dealer. The description stated
that it contained a genuine Prolfic chip. It cost $10 more than the
non-genuine version that they also sold. The second came with (but was
purchased separately) a Wouxun KG-UV6D V2 radio that I purchased from
a USA dealer.

So if you run Windows XP or above, the non-destructive test to
determine if the Prolific type chip in your programming cable is
genuine is pretty simple. Plug it into the USB port and wait for the
latest Prolific driver to install. Then try it out. then if it works
(not likely) it has a genuine Prolific chip. If it doesn't work (very
likely) it has a counterfeit chip.

But if you already have the programming cable, it is too late to worry
about which type of Prolific chip is in it (genuine or counterfeit).
Just download, install and select the older Prolific driver (it works
for both).

v2.0.2.1 Windows XP
v3.2.0.0 Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10

If the idea is to avoid the hassle of dealing with counterfeit
Prolific type chips, then note the following.

A genuine Baofeng (the radio manufacturer based in China) programming
cable is virtually guaranteed to have a counterfeit Prolific chip.

If the listing states that the programming cable only works with older
versions of Windows or states that it does not work with the latest
versions of Windows, it is a good bet that is will have a counterfeit
Prolific chip. The same goes for listings where there is no mention of
the chip the programming cable contains.

So the best thing to do to avoid the driver hassle is to look for a
cable with an FTDI type chip. Even FTDI chips can be counterfeit, but
even the counterfeit chips currently work with the latest available
device drivers.

Although I mostly use Prolific type chips here, I do have some with
genuine FTDI chips. My source for the last few has been Baofeng Tech
(the radio dealer based in the USA).

Jim KC9HI
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