usb/serial converters W10

[rodekyll]

I've been tinkering with windows 10 and usb/serial converters, such as we use with VDSTS and Guzzidiag.  I use  the 'prolific' chipset for both the 'hockey puck' gps receivers and the usb/serial converters.  The hockey puck I've been able to bring forward as far as W7.  My dongles (converters) have not moved forward -- always had to replace them with an opsys change. 

I am not having any luck moving my existing usb/serial conversion devices forward to W10 (although the program software seems to be working).  This could be problematic for those of us with usb/serial converters and diagnostics software.  What experience are the W10 folks having with this issue?  What works?  What doesn't?

Please keep on-topic.  Trolling won't be tolerated.  Thanks.

[oldbike54]

 Dangit , can I at least cast from the bank ?

                                                                              "Dongle" 

  Dusty

[rodekyll]

As long as it's the right bank.

[pauldaytona]

the ftdi drivers work fine in w10. If it works in w7 , it can could work in 10.

[Wayne Orwig]

I've used four of them now that worked.
One is the FTDI chip in GuzziDiag. As expected, I needed to install the older driver that supports that software.
The other three I use at work. They are with various customer radios, and I only know I plugged them in, and they worked. They appeared to be different brands. I don't have them in front of my so no idea what chip set.

I have one with no name, I just now plugged it in and the driver called it "ATEN". Using Tera Term and shorting pins 2 and 3, I get data echoed.
Another with "U232-P9" labeled on it. The driver never installs correctly. But then, this is out of a system that was struck by lightening. It gets very warm when plugged in. 

I THOUGHT one of these was a Prolific, but I guess not.

[rodekyll]

the ftdi drivers work fine in w10. If it works in w7 , it can could work in 10.

I was hoping that what worked in 7 would work in 10, but the prolific chipsets aren't real mobile that way.  The dongles have always needed replacement, although the actual usb devices (like the gps receiver) have been more versatile.  I've hit the wall with both with W10.  They claim to install but when I try to use them they revert to the dreaded 'error 10 -- the device can't start.'  Attempts to update drivers result in 'the best driver is already installed' messages.

So you've successfully used FTDI chipsets with W10?  Could you point me to the chipset rev or products that use them?

Wayne -- are you saying I should or should not attach the devices to a lightning rod?

[ITSec]

It depends on which Prolific chipset is in the devices you use. Some have end-of-lifed (again), others (later versions of the 2303, etc) are being supported with a new Win10 driver. See http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/newsdetail.aspx?news_id=35 for the details and to load the driver outside of the Windows Update process.

My USB-serial adapter uses the ATEN chipset and works as far as I can tell; my USB-OBDII adapter (serial hides inside, of course) uses FTDI and also works.

Over the years, the ATEN-based units have been the most reliable in my experience, transitioning from XP to 7 to 8 and now to 10.

[rodekyll]

I have some customers using the ATEN chipset up to W7 with good results.  My personal problem has been finding legitimate products.  For some reason SIIG, ATEN, and PROLIFIC chipsets and devices are frequently counterfeited.  I don't know why -- they are such low dollar items I can't see how the scammers make a profit at it.

Yes, the V11 prolific installer is what I'm trying.  I can't get it to poll the devices for their rev#'s in W10, which has always been my first clue that it's not going to happen for a given opsys.

[pauldaytona]

For someone with a new osx mac, who had measurment devices, and needed a serial usb, I ordered this one, it's made by FTDI, and worked without driver in osx. OSX has an ftdi driver in the kernel. I'm shure this works with any windows
http://nl.farnell.com/ftdi/ut232r-200/adapter-cable-usb-rs232-2m/dp/2352013

[rodekyll]

The link comes up in Dutch, I think.  The dongle looks familiar -- I think I've got some mac users with white ones that are literally plug-n-play (as were the prolifics on W7).  Thanks.  I'll try crossing the number into an English browser and see what happens.

[rtbickel]

Whaaaa?  My laptop has Vista and my VCR constantly flashes 12:00.

[rodekyll]

So is your dongle operational?

[pauldaytona]

The link comes up in Dutch, I think.  The dongle looks familiar -- I think I've got some mac users with white ones that are literally plug-n-play (as were the prolifics on W7).  Thanks.  I'll try crossing the number into an English browser and see what happens.

was easy, check the flag in right hand corner, comes to this:
http://www.newark.com/ftdi/ut232r-200/adapter-cable-usb-rs232-2m/dp/06X1123?ost=2352013

[Wayne Orwig]

The other three I use at work. They are with various customer radios, and I only know I plugged them in, and they worked. They appeared to be different brands. I don't have them in front of my so no idea what chip set.

It looks like the various radio cables that I have are FTDI chipsets. No problems.

[rodekyll]

was easy, check the flag in right hand corner, comes to this:
http://www.newark.com/ftdi/ut232r-200/adapter-cable-usb-rs232-2m/dp/06X1123?ost=2352013

Hey -- I'm a computer mechanic.  They let me fix them; they don't let me DRIVE them . . . .   

Thanks for the confirmation, Wayne.  It looks like for the conversion dongles the FTDI will be a (spendier but) universal solution.

Now -- as far as W10-compliant USB GPS receivers . . .   I know that the PS/2 and [XX]-353 type hockey pucks are good for mac and windows up to 7.  I've just confirmed that there is no driver for 10.