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Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

If you have a question or need help, this is the place to be.
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jang430
Experienced User
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:24 am

Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

Post by jang430 »

I've used 2 such device, both didn't work. 1 was detected in windows 7 without error, the other installed properly but with exclamation in device manager. But neither gave me any event when connected to my Harman Kardon AVR or my Sharp Aquos LCD tv.

I have both devices' plugin installed.

Is plugging the serial on the tv and receiver enough to generate events in the log window?
blaher
Experienced User
Posts: 487
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 1:27 am

Re: Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

Post by blaher »

Unfortunately not all serial to USB adapters are created equal. The cheaper ones don't seem to work with some equipment, but something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-USA-19 ... B0000VYJRY seems to do the trick.

What sort of adapter are you using?
krambriw
Plugin Developer
Posts: 2570
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 2:51 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
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Re: Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

Post by krambriw »

Is plugging the serial on the tv and receiver enough to generate events in the log window?
No, you need at least the serial plugin

Before trying too much, please start with the basics

1) Start with the simple EG plugin named "Serial Port" and configure settings properly

3) Check if you receive something now. If not this needs to be solved before you think about other plugins

If it doesn't work, are you sure the cable is correct? Maybe you need a null-modem cable?

BestR
jang430
Experienced User
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:24 am

Re: Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

Post by jang430 »

I've seen that serial plugin. I tried to send commands to my Harman, but nothing works.

So now, my question will be, on what sample device can I send some generic serial commands just to check whether my PC/ Serial port is configured properly? I've tried installing http://www.serialmon.com, on my Windows 7 64-bit. The application comes up with error as soon as it starts. So I can't use it. http://www.techspot.com/downloads/780-f ... nitor.html This second one doesn't work either.

Another challenge though is whether my Harman 247 and commands that I saw for other Harmans are the same. I've seen codes for Harman 325 being different from what is shown on the Serial port thread for Harman Kardon on this forum.

I'm using a really cheap cable, available locally from one of the stores that sell cables. The cable is tested working by my colleague for other purposes.
pushpull
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:48 am

Re: Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

Post by pushpull »

You can try one of these listed here. Hyperterminal would work. You could loopback pins 2 and 3 of the usb serial cable and check the Echo typed characters locally in the ASCII Setup. You should get back what ever you typed in - "qqwweerrttyy" when typing "qwerty". Also, the Harman might use proprietary cable to hook up to the serial port on the back. Though, if it does, it might just be a null modem cable in disguise.
V_J
Experienced User
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 9:00 am

Re: Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

Post by V_J »

I use a Delock usb-serial adapter to connect to a Marantz SR6001. The adapter is recognized in windows, and a com port is added (in the driver properties, I can chose the number, it now is set to com3). In the Marantz serial plugin in EventGhost, I select com3 with the proper setttings, and it works...
I also can communicate using a serial terminal program (I used Putty: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/ ) and verify the communication.

Check that you are using the correct comport: my mainboard shows a com-port (com1), even though it does not have a physical connector for this com port (perhaps an internal one). I would also suggest trying if you can communicate with the Harman Kardon via a terminal. Make sure you have all the settings correct (baud, flow control, parity, ...). If it is like the Marantz, it should reply commands when you send commands. Ideal would be if you would have another serial device (old external modem or so) to test with.

Check if you need to enable the serial port on the Harman Kardon: on my Marantz, a powersaving setting influences this (power on via serial port is disabled when powersaving is on).
ssl-3
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 6:21 am

Re: Does serial to USB cable need a plugin?

Post by ssl-3 »

Seconded on not all adapters being created equal.

A bog-standard, cheap USB-RS-232 adapter outputs 0v-5v (TTL) signalling, while "proper" RS-232 uses something like -12V-+12V signalling to get the bits across.

Many things that are "RS-232" devices are perfectly happy with lower-voltage TTL signalling. Some are not. In all cases, a "real" serial port is ideal, in terms of compatibility and signal integrity...these can be added to any desktop computer, or a laptop with any manner of expansion slot.

If that can't work, any cheap adapter can be hacked up with a MAX232 chip for the soldering-inclined to make it output proper RS-232 voltages, but is not necessarily for the faint of heart.
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