[drats_users] USB adaptors

[W4UOC at aol.com]

I have successfully used D-Rats with various USB/Serial adapters but have  
found the Belkin one to work the most reliably.  
 
Tom Koch - W4UOC 
 
 
In a message dated 11/2/2010 1:57:38 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
dsmith at danplanet.com writes:

> I  wish we could put somewhere on the D-RATS site which adaptors "seem
> to  work" and which ones don't.  I know that everyone's results may  not
> be the same, but at least we might have a chance picking one that  has
> worked for others.  I realize that Dan doesn't really want  to
> recommend anything (I wouldn't either).  I have a computer  without
> RS-232 ports, and I don't even want to try D-RATS on it  because of the
> unknown quantity of USB adaptors I might need to  try.
> Just my thoughts...

Here is the problem with  that:

First, there are only a few companies that actually make USB  adapters. 
All the others just manufacture the plastic around the chip (and  
sometimes configure the chip to do specific things).  These companies  
tend to use whatever chip variant (and sometimes even different chips)  
according to the supply availability the week of production.  They  can 
hide these differences in the driver so that you don't really know or  
notice which variant you have.

Further, I have *only* had trouble  with specific adapters on Windows. 
Anything with a prolific chip on Linux  seems to be fine.  I'd hate to 
discourage someone from buying a cheap  one that is easily available 
because they think it might not work when in  fact it would.

With that said, I'm not averse to listing some  particularly heinous 
adapters, if there is good reason.  I also have  no problem listing the 
ones that are a sure bet (like the Keyspan  adapter).

If someone would volunteer to collect and filter reports of  specific 
adapters (brands, model numbers, revisions) and send me a list,  I'll 
post it in a FAQ entry or something similar.  Sound  okay?

-- 
Dan  Smith
www.danplanet.com
KK7DS

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