[chirp_users] Baofeng 888s cable issue

David Ranch
Mon Nov 21 08:20:17 PST 2016


Great email Jim.  Any chances you can turn this into a FAQ answer on the 
Chirp wiki?

--David
KI6ZHD


On 11/21/2016 06:19 AM, Jim Unroe wrote:
> 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 isHey
> 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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