BC296D: Programming cable adaptor for BC296D

[Tim-B]

Is there a serial to USB adaptor that will work on a Windows 7 laptop with the programming software for the BC296D? I am asking because the older programming cable I have for other brands of scanners will not work with newer versions of windows even if the hardware fits using an adaptor. Will serial to usb drivers work to read from and write to this scanner using a serial to USB adaptor?

 

[hiegtx]

Is there a serial to USB adaptor that will work on a Windows 7 laptop with the programming software for the BC296D? I am asking because the older programming cable I have for other brands of scanners will not work with newer versions of windows even if the hardware fits using an adaptor. Will serial to usb drivers work to read from and write to this scanner using a serial to USB adaptor?

See Connecting scanners via USB - The RadioReference Wiki

I've seen a number of comments that this adapter works:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007T27H...e=df0&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B0007T27H8

 

[Tim-B]

I saw the newer ones sold by uniden and scanner master that have a usb plug on them but they wont fit the 296D. Does anyone know if the generic converter referenced in this part of the wiki page will work with windows 7?

QUOTE FROM THE WIKI PAGE:

Generic USB to RS-232 serial converters

If the programming cable for your radio requires an Serial interface (DB9 female) and your computer only has USB ports, you will need to utilize a USB to Serial (DB9 male) Converter. They are available from various retailers. Cables which use the FTDI chip or authentic Prolific PL2303 chipsets work the most reliably.

Uniden's USB-1 cable, as well as cables provided by GRE and RadioShack use only authentic chipsets, and are more likely to include continued forward support.

Note: some very inexpensive converter cables (<$10) are available, but many use counterfeit chipsets; Prolific has made their 2013+ drivers incompatible with inauthentic chips.
Note: older Uniden USB-1 cables may not be able to work with newest driver and an older driver may be need pre-2012 click here for older driver.


Driver websites

FTDI Drivers
Prolific Drivers

 

[hiegtx]

I realize that the USB-1 cable (neither the 'old' nor 'current' version) will work for your 296D. I have a currently unused 250D that has a cable other than the USB-1 style.

The Trendnet adapter I linked has been reported by several members to work on various Windows versions, including Windows 10. However, I personally have not used one, as my two desktop pc's have 'real' serial ports. One had it on the motherboard. For the second one, I added an internal card serial adapter in an unused slot on the system board. That would not be an option on my laptop.

 

[Tim-B]

I called a computer store near where I live and they have one of those. I will give it a try. Thanks.

 

[ka3jjz]

Tim when you get your cable home, try to go to the cable company's support website, if they have one. Sometimes they will have more up-to-date drivers than the one that would come with the cable.

Always check to see if their driver says it's compatible with Win7 (and more specifically, which version of Win7, including the 64 bit version...)

And just to anticipate the question about software, you really have 2 choices - ARC250 from BuTel (sold via Scanner Master) and ProScan. The authors for both can be found on this site.

Mike

 

[teufler]

I use the adapter, by Tripp Lite, U209-000-R. Works for my 296D and others

 

[Tim-B]

Okay, I have it up and running and I am playing with the trial version of pro scan now. Thanks for your help.

 

[fleef]

FYI i know the issue has been resolved, this is just a Me Too. I have an old old Serial to USB cable that I bought with a TenTec receiver almost ten years ago. I never checked chipset or whatever, just connected it and it works on Win 7 & I had no problem with installing Prolific Drivers (u can find them anywhere online including Uniden Yahoo! groups files which is a great place to find any files by the way Join the groups)

I'd been fiddling and steaming out my ears trying to get a certain Serial to USB cable that I bought at Staples (not the one I already had all along, a new one I got) that turned out to be a special transmitting data kind that I could never get to work. All this time Ive had the cable I needed all along, connected to another receiver but I never plugged it in to see if it would. Thought I had to buy a "special kind" of cable to work with the Uniden- I didn't. Just any old cable will do, at least did in my case.