BCD996T why 9 pin no usb

[lightningbird]

Why a serial port instead of a usb. most lab tops dont have a serial port.my sony vaio doesnt eather. they could have put a usb.usb its what is standered know.my computer doesnt work with the adapter cabel.

 

[rdale]

Because all computers either have a serial port, or the ability to add a USB > serial converter (which is available from Uniden.) Older PC's can't go from serial to USB.

 

[K9GTJ]

Because all computers either have a serial port, or the ability to add a USB > serial converter (which is available from Uniden.) Older PC's can't go from serial to USB.

Sure, I bet there are lots of people sopending $500+ on a scanner that have not updated their PC in the last 6 to 8 years. That reason doesn't hold any water.

 

[b52hbuff]

Sure, I bet there are lots of people sopending $500+ on a scanner that have not updated their PC in the last 6 to 8 years. That reason doesn't hold any water.

How about this for holding water...

The serial chip is integrated into the microcontroller so it reduces power consumption, lowers part count, makes radio smaller...

Once you support the serial protocol, you don't need to write USB drivers. If Uniden came out with a USB-only solution, then Mac, Linux and other non-windows-based computers would need to have usb drivers written for them. Now uniden only needs to specify a single spec (e.g. the command protocol) instead of two (e.g. command & usb driver).

 

[garys]

Or, not everyone, in fact most people don't use a laptop to program the radio. Most use a desktop which already has serial ports.

Some people act like buying a USB<->Serial device is the end of the world.

Gary

 

[trunker0205]

Or, not everyone, in fact most people don't use a laptop to program the radio. Most use a desktop which already has serial ports.

Some people act like buying a USB<->Serial device is the end of the world.

Gary

I ordered the scanner package from scannermaster which included the ARC-996 software ane the usb to serial connector,then when it arrived they said it was on national back order,come to find out I have a serial port on my PC.

 

[dfw1417]

usb port

Its actually a big pain in the butt the adapters. Since you can't use 2 of the same type of adapters on the same computer because the computer won't install the same drivers twice. So if you control more than 1 radio with an adapter you have to get 2 different adapters in order to even control them both with separate programs.

Since the STANDARD is NOW USB for computers MANUFACTURERS of equipment connected to computers NEED TO MEET THE STANDARD OR MOVE ON!

Just my 2 cents.

 

[rdale]

Not sure what you are talking about... I use the exact same USB adapter for the Pro96 cable, UASD cable, and an old digital camera too! It's really not that complicated.

 

[b52hbuff]

Not sure what you are talking about... I use the exact same USB adapter for the Pro96 cable, UASD cable, and an old digital camera too! It's really not that complicated.

I think he means the other way...
What if you want to control two radios, can you hook up multiple USB/Serial dongles?

 

[Al42]

Not sure what you are talking about... I use the exact same USB adapter for the Pro96 cable, UASD cable, and an old digital camera too! It's really not that complicated.

At the same time? He's saying that you can't plug in 2 of the same adapters at the same time, because the computer won't install drivers for them. I've never tried it, but if it's true it's a failing of XP, not a failing of the scanner manufacturers. What a stupid idea - give us 3 USB ports, but we can use only 1 at a time, or we have to buy 3 different model adapters?

 

[rdale]

You can add multiple serial/USB connections at the same time - you assign them different serial port numbers.

 

[loumaag]

This is a constant complaint from people who don't understand that RS232 is the standard used in communicating with radio equipment. Why? Because it is, live with it! USB is not the standard for radio equipment, it really is not the "standard" for computers either but that is a different topic. Every vendor who installs a USB communication port in their device must supply a custom written device driver so that their device can talk to the computer. Not so with RS232, the standard is RS232 and any device (or computer) that wants to "talk RS232" uses the same standard.

If you own a computer that doesn't have a RS232 port on it, then go out and buy a USB->Serial adapter and install the driver for it, then you too can talk to radio equipment and I don't mean just scanners.

kokomo1:
Lots of people use their old computers as a dedicated machine to talk to - control - program their radios including scanners.

dfw1417:
Of course you can't install two copies of the same driver :roll:
But that doesn't mean you can't "run" multiple copies of the same driver addressing different devices. (That is the real advantage of USB by the way.)

 

[squirrel]

I have 3 identical serial-to-usb adapters and I can use all of them at the same time with no problems. You just have to set the comport up for each.

 

[jrplmil]

I use 4 usb ports and you can add up to 256 ports. I use multi adapters and with my old laptop it will assign the comm port depending on where I plug it in at.

 

[grem467]

in fact most people don't use a laptop to program the radio.

and what exactly are you basing that on?

 

[DaveIN]

I know serial is easy to use. Plug it in, set the baud rate, Data Bits, Parity, Stop Bits, and Flow Contol (unless you tell your Butel Arc software to poll it for you), and then maybe the radio setting are correct too. Hmmm... BCD996T/BCT15, front port or back? What about the cable, do I need a Null-modem adapter???.. And so on...

*Icom* now uses USB ports on the IC-R20, IC-R/PCR-1500/2500 and provide the USB driver.

If you use a USB/Serial adapter, you need a driver. As the older computers with serial die off, you still need a driver for the new one with USB ports.

 

[garys]

and what exactly are you basing that on?

My highly scientific poll based on sampling of everyone's computer across the nation via secret Microsoft encoding.

Okay, it's a guess.

Gary

 

[loumaag]

Okay, it's a guess.

:lol:
I will say, that I much prefer carrying the laptop to the truck to dismounting the radio(s) to carry it/them to the desktop.
:lol: