Computer control cable

[gg750]

Does the 396 computer control cable use USB or is Uniden still on this serial kick? Has anyone looked at the back of a recently (past year or so) made PC (laptop's especially)? They seem to lack a serial port. They are a thing of the past and very few manufacturers put then in their PC's anymore..hopefully Uniden has cought on to this.

If they do still use serial cables, has anyone had luck with serial-to-usb adatpers?

Thanks
G

 

[hiegtx]

The cable for the BCD396T (as well as it's non-digital little brother the BC246T, which is actually the sane cable) uses the serial port. There have been scattered posts elsewhere. Some people are using the USB to serial adapters with no problems, while for others they are non-starters. Both my pc's (one less than 3 month's old, one about a year old) have serial ports, though the older one does not have a floppy drive.

 

[gg750]

None of the PC's in my house have serial ports..but they have plenty of USB. I don't understand why Uniden doesn't offer a USB cable. USB is MUCH more common in PCs these days than serial. It's very frustrating to have this software and not be able to use it without having to spend another 20 or so bucks for an adapter that may or may not work.

 

[MarkWestin]

I have the BC246T which uses the same cable as the BCD396T and am using a USB converter made by Manhattan Computer Products with it. It works very well. Actually I have four of them that I'm using on the same PC. From what I have heard, most problems can be addressed by using the latest drivers. The drivers which come with them can be several months old, so check the company's Web Site. You shouldn't pay more than $25.00 no matter what brand.

Mark

 

[ICP963]

None of the PC's in my house have serial ports..but they have plenty of USB. I don't understand why Uniden doesn't offer a USB cable. USB is MUCH more common in PCs these days than serial. It's very frustrating to have this software and not be able to use it without having to spend another 20 or so bucks for an adapter that may or may not work.
__________________
Pro-96
BC785D
BC296D

No serial ports, yet per your tagline you have 3 other scanners that have serial ports as well? The logic I think is that it is much easier to convert USB to RS-232 than it is to convert RS-232 to USB.

A serial port also makes it easier to use much older computers (Pre Windows-98) to be used for control and programing as well.

 

[Al42]

I don't understand why Uniden doesn't offer a USB cable.

Cost?

If they have to standardize on a single cable type, it's better that they ship a serial cable. There are USB->serial converters, but how many serial->USB converters can you find?

 

[gg750]

Yes, I have 3 other scanners that all use serial cables, and I've never been able to use software to program/control the scanners.

My point is this...it's very obvious that computer manufacturers are starting to abandon serial ports. There are very very few devices that use serial anymore. With the 396 being brand new with all the latest up to date technology, I would have also expected a USB cable for communication. Take a walk around Best Buy/Circut city next time you're there and look for serial ports on the back of laptops and desktops they have on display. It should be obvious to Uniden that computer technology is changing, and they offer a solution for their buyers in this changing market.

When the iPod was first introduced for Windows, they included both firewire and USB, so that uses of each platform had means of using their new pod right out of the box. For the 500 plus bucks we have to pay for these new tech packed scanners, I would expect the tools I needed to use the item right out of the box IN the box.

Sorry, Don't mean to sound like an over-agressive a-hole...just needed to vent and give my two cents on the issue.

G

 

[seamusg]

Yes, I have 3 other scanners that all use serial cables, and I've never been able to use software to program/control the scanners.

My point is this...it's very obvious that computer manufacturers are starting to abandon serial ports. There are very very few devices that use serial anymore. With the 396 being brand new with all the latest up to date technology, I would have also expected a USB cable for communication. Take a walk around Best Buy/Circut city next time you're there and look for serial ports on the back of laptops and desktops they have on display. It should be obvious to Uniden that computer technology is changing, and they offer a solution for their buyers in this changing market.

When the iPod was first introduced for Windows, they included both firewire and USB, so that uses of each platform had means of using their new pod right out of the box. For the 500 plus bucks we have to pay for these new tech packed scanners, I would expect the tools I needed to use the item right out of the box IN the box.

Sorry, Don't mean to sound like an over-agressive a-hole...just needed to vent and give my two cents on the issue.

G

How about if these computer makers make a machine that the customer wants with all the features the customers wants like a serial port??????

 

[TongSlinger]

I have a laptop and I tried to use PCMIA card with RS232 converter cables to use 2 serial ports to connect to my 246t. It did not work and i was told that the jumper cables (PCMIA card to serial were wired backwards. does anyone know where i can get the correct cables so i can control my 246t with my laptop?
Thanks

 

[swest90]

It is MUCH MUCH more complicated to get any data from a USB Device. The device has to have drivers for different operating systems. Serial is a very well understood well documented format. It is very easy to interface with with almost any programming or scripting language. Serial also works without having to use a computer, with some decent electronics knowledge you could have the serial data to out to a specialy made display for example. How would you do that with USB? Serial is just so much more accessible that it only makes sense. Sorry if your new laptops dont have serial ports, there are usb to serial adapters that will work, althought it seems only a few actually work well. Hope that shines a little light on the subject. Its all about accessibility.

Thanks
Shawn

 

[ICP963]

Yes, I have 3 other scanners that all use serial cables, and I've never been able to use software to program/control the scanners.

My point is this...it's very obvious that computer manufacturers are starting to abandon serial ports. There are very very few devices that use serial anymore. With the 396 being brand new with all the latest up to date technology, I would have also expected a USB cable for communication. Take a walk around Best Buy/Circut city next time you're there and look for serial ports on the back of laptops and desktops they have on display. It should be obvious to Uniden that computer technology is changing, and they offer a solution for their buyers in this changing market.

When the iPod was first introduced for Windows, they included both firewire and USB, so that uses of each platform had means of using their new pod right out of the box. For the 500 plus bucks we have to pay for these new tech packed scanners, I would expect the tools I needed to use the item right out of the box IN the box.

Sorry, Don't mean to sound like an over-agressive a-hole...just needed to vent and give my two cents on the issue.

G

No problem, no foul since we all gotta vent once in a while. I agree with you in some respects since the USB port might have been able to charge the 396 as well. Check out http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showpost.php?p=125980&postcount=521 I found of the three USB to Serial adapters that I have only the Belkin Model FSU109 works well so for for all the serial stuff I have. (Something this forum is all about, check out that thread as a few others mentioned others that worked too.)

If you are on a desktop computer there are numerous PCI serial port cards that should do the job and there are a few PCCard/PCMCIA serial cards out there that are said to work better than the USB adapters.

 

[gg750]

It's not more complicated to get data from USB. I plug in my Palm, the PC knows exactly what it is. I plug in a keyboard or mouse, the computer knows exactly what it is. Same goes for printers, cameras, external sound cards..etc. There is no configuring or drivers needed at all in most cases. If anything, I think serial can be more complicated. Drivers are often needed. The baud rates, stop bits, etc...all have to be configured, and for someone not computer savy, making those changes can be difficult. Serial may be well documented and a great option for the computer/electronics savy, but it's also becoming obsolete in the computer industry.

I just think that Uniden should follow the lead of other electronics manufacturers and include both options for users. Serial for those that want more control, USB for those that just want to plug in and go (or for those that don't have serial).

 

[swest90]

Please... Thats because there are already drivers on your system for those devices.

Thanks
Shawn

 

[gg750]

Obviously no one is going to see my viewpoint, so forget I brought it up.

 

[Al42]

I have a laptop and I tried to use PCMIA card with RS232 converter cables to use 2 serial ports to connect to my 246t. It did not work and i was told that the jumper cables (PCMIA card to serial were wired backwards. does anyone know where i can get the correct cables so i can control my 246t with my laptop?

The cables are unique to the pcmcia card. If you have a USB port available exchange the pcmcia card for a USB-serial converter, download the latest drivers and you're good to go.

 

[Al42]

It is MUCH MUCH more complicated to get any data from a USB Device.

Only if you don't have the correct drivers.

But if you think that's difficult, try to get USB data from an RS-232 port.

Serial is a very well understood well documented format.

Which is why a myriad of manufacturers over the years have produced serial ports and devices that won't talk to each other. (Try plugging a CoCo serial port into a PC.)

It is very easy to interface with with almost any programming or scripting language.

In a PC running Win2k or XP? The serial ports, even though they exist in hardware, are virtual ports - they're driven by software drivers. It's just that all serial ports these days are the same, so the Windows driver works with all of them - but they don't work any differently than USB ports.

Serial also works without having to use a computer, with some decent electronics knowledge you could have the serial data to out to a specialy made display for example. How would you do that with USB?

The same way. Any USB device will work with any other USB device that's made to work with it.

None of this, of course, changes the fact that USB->serial is available, while serial->USB isn't.

 

[Al42]

I just think that Uniden should follow the lead of other electronics manufacturers and include both options for users. Serial for those that want more control, USB for those that just want to plug in and go (or for those that don't have serial).

Would you be willing to pay the extra $50 for that additional cable? I have a number of USB-serial converters that work, so why should I pay for another one?

 

[wesct]

i just built a amd 64 bit machine and one of the things this person needed was a serial port. yes it has 8 usb ports, a raid controller 1 gig of ram high end video card- but it had to have at least 1 serial port.

wesct

 

[ICP963]

i just built a amd 64 bit machine and one of the things this person needed was a serial port. yes it has 8 usb ports, a raid controller 1 gig of ram high end video card- but it had to have at least 1 serial port.

wesct

This desire for systems with serial ports doesn't surprise me in the least. Especially considering the MANY external devices I use regularly on my computers here:

4 printers,3 parallel, 1 USB
1 computer GPS receiver, Serial
1 Garmin StreetPilot III GPS, Serial
1 Bearcat780, Serial
1 Bearcat SportCat200, Serial
1 Bearcat396, Serial
1 Bearcat250D, Serial
1 Bearcat296D, Serial
1 Bearcat895, Serial
3 Bearcat245's, Serial
1 Uniden MR-8100, Serial
1 PRO2006 w/HB-232, Serial
1 Yaesu FT7800, Serial
1 Trunker Interface, Serial
1 AEA-FAX Interface, Serial
1 AEA PK232 Packet Controller, Serial
1 TwoWay Pager Interface, Serial
1 commercial radio programer, Serial
1 Cellphone W/PalmPilot, Serial
1 USR external FAX/DATA modem, Serial
1 Digital-8 camcorder, Firewire
1 DVCAM camcorder, Firewire
1 digital camera, USB
1 Intel webcam, USB
1 Digital WX Station, serial
1 Terapin MP3 player, USB or Ethernet

That is 31 devices total: 2 Firewire, 3 parallel, 4 USB (1 could be used via Ethernet), and 22 Serial. Serial wins hands down here in spite of Microsoft's and various computer manufacturers efforts to pronounce it dead.

Don't get me wrong, I like USB and wish more newer devices did come with it as an option. I an not quite sure I understand why computer manufacturers are deleting serial ports considering that the parts needed to add them to the motherboard cost pennies in that stage.

 

[Voyager]

Don't get me wrong, I like USB and wish more newer devices did come with it as an option. I an not quite sure I understand why computer manufacturers are deleting serial ports considering that the parts needed to add them to the motherboard cost pennies in that stage.

It's called manufacturers wanting to dictate the market rather than cater to it. They don't want it, so they try to force that belief on you. If this trend continues, someone will make PCs with serial ports and will have a big leg up on the competition, THEN, they may learn the way free enterprise works (and it isn't give them what YOU want - it's give them what THEY [the consumers] want).

My last laptop had to have serial (as more than 75% of my applications only support serial), so that restricted my choices, but any laptops without serial never had a chance. That was my first criteria. From there, I STILL got everything else I wanted except a flexible OS - I got XP (no DOS access to the serial ports, so my apps run but won't work)

As a side note, if anyone knows of an app to regain control of serial port comms, please send me a note via private message. But again, as above, this is Microsoft wanting to be in control of everything you do with YOUR PC.

Joe M.