Radio Shack USB to BS2 adapter

[Bill P]

Jon,

I know this subject has been covered, but I just can't seem to locate the info.  Some months ago, I gave my grandson a homework board kit.  He just now tells me that his computer does not have a serial port.  Rather give up my adapter, will the one at Radio Shack work?  When this kid gets up to speed with P basic I will get him some Props and accessiores. He is a freshman in HS and involved in robotics.

Thanks, Jon for the answer I know I will be getting.

P.S. He will be here next Friday.

[JonnyMac]

It might work; it might not -- and RadioShack can't/won't guarantee it either way.

I know that answer is awful, but here's the drill: RadioShack (bless their pointy, cellphone-selling heads) is not really a technology company anymore, they're a big retail chain.  So a USB adapter is a USB adapter to them -- but that's just not the case.  Many cheap (the kind RS flogs) USB-to-Serial adapters do not pass all the signals through, and this can create troubles for the BASIC Stamp.  The other issue is drivers, something RadioShack doesn't even seem to consider with its products.

This is why Parallax went through the work of designing their own USB-to-Serial adapter (we were there at the time, and John B. actually designed it): to give Parallax customers a low-cost USB-to-Serial adapter that they know would work.

Please, save yourself a headache, even if you have to wait a couple days for shipping.  Go with the Parallax USB-to-Serial adapter; you'll be happier in the long run.  You can get it from us:

-- http://www.efx-tek.com/topics/usb-serial.html

... or from Parallax. 

-- http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampModules/tabid/134/txtSearch/28030/List/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName

Don't for get the cable!

[JonnyMac]

I just noticed that Parallax is bundling the adapter and a cable -- go with this:

-- http://www.parallax.com/Store/Accessories/CablesConverters/tabid/166/txtSearch/28030/List/1/ProductID/379/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName

[Bill P]

Jon:

Just found that I have 2 of these adapters.  Duh! old age is sometimes hard to live with.

Thanks for the reply.

Bill

[JonnyMac]

That's good news -- be sure to get the latest driver (you can find a link on our product page).