9 pin serial cable conversion

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AronDouglas

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I recently had a bad experience with the USB cable while programming my BCT15X (using FreeScan). For some reason my laptop would not recognize the cable nor would it find drivers for it. This required me to remove the scanner form the truck and program it via my desktop. At first my desktop found the scanner (COM port check), but when I attempted to transfer data if "failed" for some reason. It took several tries afterward to reestablish a connection, and when it did connect it slicked my scanner data. I did eventually get a good connection and successfully programmed in the new channels. Through my vague troubleshooting process, I think its the USB cable thats causing the problems (not the 9 pin serial cable), and that got me thinning. Could I take the supplied 9 pin serial cable and cut the scanner interface end off and put a USB plug on it? I know I could just go buy a 9pin serial to USB cable, but why do so when I already have all the parts.

If this has already been addressed, I apologize for bringing it back up. Thanks for any help.
 

fxdscon

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I recently had a bad experience with the USB cable while programming my BCT15X (using FreeScan). For some reason my laptop would not recognize the cable nor would it find drivers for it. This required me to remove the scanner form the truck and program it via my desktop. At first my desktop found the scanner (COM port check), but when I attempted to transfer data if "failed" for some reason. It took several tries afterward to reestablish a connection, and when it did connect it slicked my scanner data. I did eventually get a good connection and successfully programmed in the new channels. Through my vague troubleshooting process, I think its the USB cable thats causing the problems (not the 9 pin serial cable), and that got me thinning. Could I take the supplied 9 pin serial cable and cut the scanner interface end off and put a USB plug on it? I know I could just go buy a 9pin serial to USB cable, but why do so when I already have all the parts.

If this has already been addressed, I apologize for bringing it back up. Thanks for any help.

Both the front and rear ports on the scanner use RS232 Serial communications, and are not USB compatible as is (the front port is not a mini-USB port), just plugging them directly into a USB port on the computer will not work.

They must either connect to a RS232 Serial port built into the computer (if it has them), or be connected to a RS232 Serial convertor of some kind. That could be an add-on serial card installed in the computer, or an external Serial to USB convertor in-line with the cable, or built in to the cable.

.
 

AronDouglas

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fxdscon

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Well rats, I was hoping I could use my serial to usb cable ( this is what I have Amazon.com: TRENDnet USB 2.0 to RS-232 DB9 Serial Converter, TU-S9: Electronics with a female to female RS232 adapter http://www.amazon.com/Your-Cable-St...8&qid=1409106761&sr=1-1&keywords=rs232+female on one end so it can plug into the scanner).

According to the description of the cable you linked to, that cable does have a serial to USB convertor built into it. The rear port can be used for programming, but firmware updates must be done with the front port.

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