Help on connection issue

Folks - just got delivery of the AP1200GTO :shock: :shock: :shock:

This thing really is a beast. I'm afraid to stick the C8 on it 'cos it'll look so puny...

Anyway, I want to connect my laptop to the mount. The mount comes with two RS232 ports but my laptop is USB only.

Can I connect with adapters (if available) or a custom cable (RS232 one end, USB t'other)?

If yes, can I assume that the mount will still communicate with the laptop?

Also, is there a limiting length of cable I can use - I need about 30 feet...

Cheers

Dave McD

What type of laptop its it? it should have a serial port on it which is what the RS232 is, or you can get an adapter see www.ramelectronics.net/html/usb_serial.htm
or Irish site www.lindy.com/eire/catalog/07/00d/index.php

But your laptop should have a serial port..!!!

Not sure if you can get 30ft but you can get a repeater and two 15ft cables, these are also available on the site mentioned.

Hope that's of some help to you

Folks - just got delivery of the AP1200GTO :shock: :shock: :shock:

This thing really is a beast. I'm afraid to stick the C8 on it 'cos it'll look so puny...

Anyway, I want to connect my laptop to the mount. The mount comes with two RS232 ports but my laptop is USB only.

Can I connect with adapters (if available) or a custom cable (RS232 one end, USB t'other)?

If yes, can I assume that the mount will still communicate with the laptop?

Also, is there a limiting length of cable I can use - I need about 30 feet...

Cheers

Dave McD

dave,
i got a usb to rs232 to usb cable in peats in dublin, sweex is the manufacturer. it works very well and i use it to connect my lx200 gps to my dell laptop which has no serial ports and runs win xp pro. link below.
stephen.
www.peats.ie/cgi-bin/shop/db.cgi?view=1&...&path=14x106x617

Stephen - 45cm is a bit short and its a tad on the expensive side...

Would this do the job? Or is 9m (30 feet) too long for effective signal transmission? Seems like a good price though...

www.expansys.ie/product.asp?code=USB-9M_...dd=USB-9M_USB-SERIAL

Lexi - no serial port on the laptop. There is an expansion slot but I need that for the wirless network card...

Cheers

Dave McD

But your laptop should have a serial port..!!!

Not necessarily. Serial ports are legacy ports - most laptops are phasing out all legacy interfaces - so no parallel, serial, ps2 ports on some of the new laptops (and some desktops).

You can get USB/RS232 converters - there's one here . On the same site you can get USB extension cables. Don't know about 30 feet though - you'd end up with degradation of the signal i think.

Dave,
There are a number fo RS232-USB converters out there, BUT
not all programs will work with them, some simpler programs cannot figure out that the USB port is been used for the serial port.
The only way is to try and see.
You'd think for that kind of money that they'd slap on a USB port!

Have fun!