Precautions for USB to serial cable and hyper terminal?

Thread Starter

wannaBinventor

Joined Apr 8, 2010
180
I intend to do some serial communication to a PIC from my computer. I have a cable that converts my USB port data to serial.

I'm trying to find out what things I should be aware of when I try this out to prevent me from spending hours troubleshooting something that can't be troubleshot.

1) If I have one of those cables that plugs into your USB port and has a DB-9 serial connector on the other end, should I still be using a MAX-232 or similar chip between the computer (as in after the adapter cable) and the PIC?

2) I have windows 7 on a lap top with no COM ports (hence the USB), so I don't have hyperterminal. If I download a replacement for hyperterminal (what is recommended?), will it recognize my adapter cable as a COM port?
 

Thread Starter

wannaBinventor

Joined Apr 8, 2010
180
Thanks for the reply and the link!

I can't remember if I have any of those laying around, but I'll have to see. It's always nice to be able to eliminate half of the hurdles when you are doing something for the first time.

I tried to plug it in and see if it would detect it. No such luck. I tried to DL to PL-2303 driver for windows 7 but it still doesn't want to detect it. Is there another common USB to serial IC out there that I should try and DL the driver for?
 

Markd77

Joined Sep 7, 2009
2,806
From the search results for "windows 7 PL-2303" it seems like a lot of people have been having problems. Maybe there is a solution out there, maybe it's just easier to find another converter that has proper drivers for windows 7.
 
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