Uniden Serial Cable/USB Converter Information

[NickFury]

I was wondering if someone could update something on the serial cable included with various Uniden Scanners. The 396t, the 996t, and 396xt, and 996xt and other Uniden Models.

It would be nice on the Wiki Pages for various Uniden scanners, if there was a mod included for converting the serial cable to USB? To use a serial/usb converter. I have 3 of these cables, and am going to get some kind of USB Converter for them, to utilize them.

For only $5.86 each when QTY 50+ purchased - USB to Serial Convert Cable(DB9M/USB B female converter and USB A/B cable) | USB to Serial/Parallel Converters

I found some postings related to it, but it would be nice to have something in the Wiki page, so people can use the cable, instead of spending $30 bucks on a cable, when you can get something for less then $10 bucks to use the cable that is included with the radios.

Anyone noticed anything on the wiki pages on using these included serial cables with serial/usb convertors?

I am guessing a lot of people have these cables just sitting in a box, or a drawer unused...It just seems like a waste of a cable, that will do the same thing as the USB-1 with a serial to USB converter.

 

[UPMan]

Note that many of the very inexpensive cables use a counterfeit PL2303 chipset. The latest Prolific drivers are able to detect whether the chipset is authentic or not, and will not operate the counterfeit chip-based cables.

 

[fxdscon]

I was wondering if someone could update something on the serial cable included with various Uniden Scanners. The 396t, the 996t, and 396xt, and 996xt and other Uniden Models.

It would be nice on the Wiki Pages for various Uniden scanners, if there was a mod included for converting the serial cable to USB? To use a serial/usb converter. I have 3 of these cables, and am going to get some kind of USB Converter for them, to utilize them.

For only $5.86 each when QTY 50+ purchased - USB to Serial Convert Cable(DB9M/USB B female converter and USB A/B cable) | USB to Serial/Parallel Converters

I found some postings related to it, but it would be nice to have something in the Wiki page, so people can use the cable, instead of spending $30 bucks on a cable, when you can get something for less then $10 bucks to use the cable that is included with the radios.

Anyone noticed anything on the wiki pages on using these included serial cables with serial/usb convertors?

I am guessing a lot of people have these cables just sitting in a box, or a drawer unused...It just seems like a waste of a cable, that will do the same thing as the USB-1 with a serial to USB converter.

There is a list of USB to Serial converters in the WIKI already.

Connecting scanners via USB - The RadioReference Wiki

Scroll down to where it says:

"Generic USB to RS-232 serial convertors"

As Upman noted, beware of counterfeit Prolific chipsets, as well as other connectivity issues with some of the "bargain" converters.

The device that you link to in your post is included in the WIKI list, along with some problems with it:

http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-scanners/98215-before-you-buy-usb-1-cable-4.html#post1498757

Read from that post to the end of the thread.



.

 

[UPMan]

I've also updated the wiki page to have a more prominent warning regarding the counterfeit chipset issue.

 

[jsncrso]

To late for me. I bought one of the cheap USB-RS232 converters for a few bucks on ebay. After trying about 10 different drivers, the one that finally recognized the converter wouldn't operate it.

This is why I still have legacy ports on my high end computers, you don't have to worry about driver issues

 

[cpuerror]

I bought a PCI Serial card. Works wonders better than anything USB that I've used (though I haven't used the USB-1).

 

[GTR8000]

The TRENDnet TU-S9 has performed flawlessly for me, and can usually be had for around $11 on amazon.com.

 

[NickFury]

TRENDnet TU-S9

Yes, the Trendnet TU-S9 might be the way to go. For $30.00 bucks, I can use all 3 cables, vs spending $90.00 on 3 USB-1 Cables.

It's great there is a computer control page on the wiki, but it would be easier for people if it was listed/linked on the wiki pages for radios with computer control, especially the Uniden Models, since they seem to include a cable that is not usable with Modern Computers.

I did find a Pentium III Toshiba notebook for 7.00 dollars that had a serial port on it and was running Windows 2000.

At least the home patrol has a normal USB port.

ANT. Jack - SMA Type

Phone Jack - 3.5 mm (Stereo Type) - 32 ohm (Stereo headphone) - 64 ohm (Earphone)

Line Out Jack - 2.5 mm (Stereo Type) - 600 ohm for Audio Output

DC Power Jack - EIAJ Type-3 (Center Positive)

GPS Interface Jack - 4-pin Mini Type (RS232C)

USB Jack - 5-pin Mini USB Type

Memory card Slot - MicroSD Type

The only proprietary port that needs a Uniden cable on the Home Patrol is the GPS interface, 4pin mini type RS232C.

I am kind of amazed on the similar loading architecture of the software to the Garmin Nuvi, and TomTom, they all power up, and load their firmware/software very similarly, and seem to be using the same architecture, and programing language.

They all seem to be using similar capacitive touch screen architecture also.

Uniden is producing the HomePatrol in Vietnam, another excellent Communist State producing Radio's for the American market.

Uniden seems to have a long history of having radio's produced all over Asia, Philippines, or where ever they can have them slapped together.

I can try one Trendnet TU-S9 cable, and if it works, I'll use it for the 3 cables I have, and that solves the Uniden Cables being useless. Plus saves me from spending 100.000 bucks or so getting 3 USB-1 cables.

 

[fxdscon]

It's great there is a computer control page on the wiki, but it would be easier for people if it was listed/linked on the wiki pages for radios with computer control, especially the Uniden Models, since they seem to include a cable that is not usable with Modern Computers.

That page is well linked as you describe. For instance, if you look in the WIKI for the BCD996T, any features/functions that would require connecting to a computer - such as programming, or firmware updates - are linked to the "Connecting scanners via USB" page.

 

[ka3jjz]

Yes, the purpose of that page is to consolidate all the pertinent information on USB cable connections in a single spot to make it very easy to find it. It's directly linked off the main home page just for that purpose, and also linked in the various 'Programming Your' articles, and in the software articles as well.

That article covers connections between Uniden, RS and GRE radios and the scanner. It's such a common question that if it were put on all the radios we have in the wiki, we'd have have to have 40 or 50 different links. Better to consolidate it where it's needed most, and in the topic that it almost always has something to do with - making the connection between the scanner, the PC and software (or firmware fixes).

Mike