PGDT Serial interface cable ...USB Alternative :D

[woodygb]

Segreen reports that he is using Prolific 3.2.0.0 Driver date 31.7.07 . Win 32 bit on a KPG-4 based homemade lead.
Nick is waiting for his Wife to find the lead ..but is using XP.

[Burgerman]

Same driver here, with the lead you linked to. 64 bit - no work...
Tried com 2, 4, 8 as well.

Dont get it. Unless its because I have mountains of other stuff using com ports, and USB serial devices?

But same on laptop.

But it DID work!

[woodygb]

I'm at a loss with the windows 7 64 bit thing...
I'd suggest perhaps a temp lead switch/swap ...your ICOM for the KPG-4 ( original lead type ) with Steve ...Segreen if he's willing to .

[brax]

I'll ask Brax ... I think I posted it with the original lead to him ... for a copy.

They appear to be EXACTLY the same as those on the ICOM disc.

I have upload copy of disk to the internet
https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B6Rxpd-FZKWUelltcVBsYVhiZFE/edit


brax

[woodygb]

downloaded and saved...
Cheers

[Burgerman]

Just tried that driver. No change.

Let me know where I can get the original lead, I will order one and test it.

[woodygb]

http://www.radioarena.co.uk/index.php?_ ... ductId=628

[Burgerman]

Ordered.

How was it wired? Will test ASAP.
It has to work, since the original did...

[expresso]

Would anyone know if this adapter - convertor is what i would need to connect the OEM cable to usb computer ?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

i maybe lucky and get a OEM original cable from PG - but its a serial cable - and would need to make it work with computer usb -

fingers crossed here - if anyone already uses an adapter - convertor which works - can you post a link to it - ?

thanks -

[brax]

i maybe lucky and get a OEM original cable from PG - but its a serial cable - and would need to make it work with computer usb -

-

Buying a usb to serial adapter is a high risk gamble from what i've heard. I've heard that those containing the FTDI chips are the best bet. P&G also supplies one that they recommend to use with their serial cables.
This appears to be a new online store set up by p&g. It wasn't there when i was searching for a cable.

http://pgdrivestechnology.com/remoteservice/serial-usb-adaptor-63-57-001.html

http://pgdrivestechnology.com/remoteservice/programming-cable-sa76525.html

looks like they take paypal. Has P&G started selling cables without having to buy the software package. Looks like they may have lightened up on their requirements.

peace
brax

[brax]

The cable link in the previous post is for the vr2, i'm only assuming it is the same cable as the pilot+, vsi, s-drive, and egis, since the same programming software is used to configure these controllers.



They are also offering free "Service Programmer software". Not sure what functionality it has. They are offering it as a means to reprogram a new replacement controller on vr2 with the file from your old controller. See:

http://pgdrivestechnology.com/remoteservice/programmers.html


peace

brax

[brax]

One more note about the above posts and the p&g online service store. I'm not sure if they will let the general public set up an account, but it appears they will. I clicked on the create an account link, all it asked for was 1st name last name and email address and create a password field, with a submit button. Not sure if that is the end of the create account process? But it looks promising for those that need a cable for the above mentioned controllers.

peace

brax

[woodygb]

Nice find Brax.

It's "service level" software .... not OEM ..BUT it's still a surprise to see PGDT relaxing the "rules" ...I wonder why?

Having the programming cable available to buy is GREAT!

[woodygb]

It seems that PGDT are now selling programming leads therefore the need for a homebrew cable is negated ....other than on the grounds of price.

However.

Here's a round up of the testing of the USB cables ...
The KPG-4 from Radio Arena appears to be the ONLY cable that is WIN 7 compatible .... all leads seem to work fine on XP.

Hopefully I can confirm this ... with the help of others ...in the next couple of weeks.


Desperate for a lead ...then buy the genuine one.

[malamar]

I'm quite lost with all this lead galore, glad Woody is caring for me...
I think that if Penny G is relaxing restrictions, must think that if the customer change parts by himself, She can't be held no longer responsible and sued for eventual disasters...

[woodygb]

Malamar,

B.M. has indicated that he will buy a KPG-4 from Radioarena ... If he does ...and has success... then I'll do the same for you.

I still need confirm my hypothesis that it's a Window 7 problem with the other leads types... so I'll probably ask Nick to test the ICOM lead as he has XP and a working lead.

If they work on XP then I can at least offer them to someone who has XP.

I'd like anyone with a lead to run this... and report back with the info.

PL2303CheckChipVersion.zip

(96.88 KiB) Downloaded 314 times

[Ashley G]

I know from years working "Help" for a multi-national comms programme that Macafee and Norton both have a bad habit of interfering with the way DLL files are handled at install, for random users.

I don't know if that's your problem here, but I can definitely confirm that extensive testing has revealed that the folk affected (and it isn't everyone .... Sod's Law rules) generally have no problem if they take Macafee / Norton completely out of the equation at installation time. You can put it back afterwards .... if you're daft enough. (I despise both those two progs and very much prefer MSE).

We never figured out quite why those progs do that. Just that some users - a fair sized minority - run into a brick wall which we only ever cured by recommending a complete removal and re-installation after removing Macafee / Norton.

Like your problem, however, everything looks normal when you check. It just won't work if you install over the AV stuff. As far as I know, those two are the worst offenders. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your solution is that simple too ....

Regards

Ashley

[Burgerman]

AVG pro here. And I always disable anti virus when installing drivers. So its not the problem here. I suspect when the new lead turns up, it will just work. Since the original woody one did.

And thats better than the official lead since I havent had a real 232 port for 7 years on any PC or laptop.

[woodygb]

Early next month I'll buy a NEW puter with Windows 7 ... then I can investigate myself without putting upon others.

edit ..I'm using Avira FREE & Malwarebytes FREE...never bother turning them off ..except when asked.

[Fulliautomatix]

And thats better than the official lead since I havent had a real 232 port for 7 years on any PC or laptop.

The official programming kit comes with an USB adapter.

[expresso]

i checked the site - which you can buy the cable and usb adapter - i tried to get the adapter and when i filled out the form - guess what - USA - America is not one of the countries in the drop down menu -

so We cant order them - only people living in the countries from the drop down menu are able to place an order - still not bad but if anyone in the states USA wants one - someone else would have to order if for them -

unless of course they offer the same service here in the states which i dont think they will - the reason they offer those options there is because dealers - vendors etc, are hard to come by - so the users are giving this option to do it them selves -

i was about to order the usb adapter but wasnt able too - they are out of stock here from PG - i have no word on the cable yet if it will ship today etc, - do you guys think its the best bet to just get the original usb adapter or buy generic one online ? the guy did tell me i can get them anywhere etc, - waiting for PG to open here - so i can give them a call - we are on different time zones -

[Burgerman]

tRIED SEVERAL. nON WORKED. oTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. tHERE ARE some THAT WORK, And the info is on the forum somewhere...

[expresso]

I just finalized my order from PG - i got lucky again and they had one last Serial to usb connector also - i purchased the cable and connector - shipped out today - i dont know if they will sell again to others - i guess nothing to loose by calling and asking for it - just be ware - they will ask questions etc,

if the link from PG which is selling the cable etc, from paypal - isnt it best to purchase from them in instead of trying to make the cable from scratch ? i know the price is higher etc, - but if nothing seems to be working right now -
thats an option for the people living in those countries and are able to purchase it - i was not able to from here - my country is not on the list - and in those cases - - someone in the country on the list - if they are willing to purchase for someone else and then ship it to them - another added cost but at least you get the cable and connection from PG -

its not that cheap but for what it does and being able to do it yourself anytime - is worth the price for me - total came out to $105 dollars - the serial to usb adapter was alot compared to online etc, - but at least i would know it will work instead of trying cheaper ones from online and hope it works etc, -

i think the best solution is if someone can purchase them for other users and reship to them - as long as they are willing to pay the cost - very little work involved

[Burgerman]

I suspect that when my new cable turns up on monday, it will work just fine. Its the same as woddys original one, and that did work. If it does then we have an easy cheap USB ready solution.

Will update soon! With links to working driver, and exact cable all being well!

[Ashley G]

i think the best solution is if someone can purchase them for other users and reship to them - as long as they are willing to pay the cost - very little work involved

Well, yeah, OK, but what you have to remember is ....

If woodygb and Burgerman can't get it working between them, then we know it's going to be made illegal in the next parliament to even possess one, obviously

The difficult gets done at once. The impossible may take a few moments longer ....

Regards

Ashley
(on cloud 9 cos his shiny new Odysseys arrived today )

[expresso]

If woody and burgerman cant get the cable working - then alot of people would be out of luck for real - i just got very lucky with PG - and i didnt get the cable yet in my hands to try it -

in worst case if no one can get it working again - next best thing would be for someone to purchase it for someone else - and mail it to them etc, - takes a little time and more money - but at least theres another way

if it wasnt for burgerman and woody - we all be out of luck -

thanks to them -

[brax]

Here's a round up of the testing of the USB cables ...
The KPG-4 from Radio Arena appears to be the ONLY cable that is WIN 7 compatible .... all leads seem to work fine on XP.

Woody,
The radio community is also having trouble with the prolific chipsets as well. I'm a ham and belong to the yahoo group HamRadioHelpGroup. This was a post that went across the group just yesterday. (copied with the authors permission)

I've used Prolifics for years with occasional issues, but usually installing yet another in a long line of new drivers has corrected the problem. Then, along came Service Pack 1 for Win 7. I have four different PC's that I use regularly, and after installing this Service Pack on them, two of the machines won't work with any Prolific chipset devices, one machine works with some of them, and the last one - a notebook running Win 7 Starter - works fine with them.

I have updated all the firmware, BIOS, and drivers for everything on two of these machines with no joy - the Prolific devices get an error every time. Researching the error reported leads back to Prolific. Prolific insists that the problem is due to widely circulated counterfeit chips. Personally, I doubt that story, because so many OEM manufacturers are using Prolific chips, and could they all be phony?

Meanwhile, FTDI chips work 100% of the time on all of the machines - no issues at all. Some ham manufacturers are switching to FTDI because of the problems with Prolific.

I, too, was happy with the Prolifics for a long time, but for whatever reason the FTDI's work better for me right now.

peace
brax

[ex-Gooserider]

Well, we know what to expect from Microsoft.... I haven't checked the sources, but for what it's worth, FTDI does have a published free (open) driver in the Linux kernel tree, but I think Prolific is still in the "binary blob" stage - which means that it's not maintainable, while the FTDI driver is... (Remember that Microsoft was KNOWN in the past to deliberately change their OS designs in order to break their competitors programs, and even now tries to block access to the FSF donation page with their filter software...)

I lucked into a P&G serial cable and an FTDI adapter is reported to work with it under Microsoft. I haven't gotten it working with WINE, but haven't put huge efforts into it (yet...) However there are several other options that I could also try, and I'm not going to corrupt my machine with defective by design ware...

ex-Gooserider

[malamar]

My W-7 ultimate 32 bits installed Service pack 1 by itself...
Now purchased a new Photoscanner certified just up to Visa: already trembling...

[woodygb]

Ordered.

How was it wired? Will test ASAP.
It has to work, since the original did...

http://www.radioarena.co.uk/index.php?_ ... ductId=628

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