USB port converters

[Speelgoedmannetje]

ARGH!
I'm angry.  :-x
2 years ago I bought a laptop. There was no serial-, parallel- and gameport on it. Fine, I thought. There are converters on the market for that, and with Windows API's it won't be a problem. Well, the first adapter I bought, an USB-to-Serial port worked indeed just fine, as well with data-transfer from and to my Amiga, as well data-transfer from and to my custom made pieces of hardware (with an Atmel controller).
It all worked flawlessly. So, next thing I bought was an USB to gameport. Some enlightened soul thought it was a good idea to decide what kind of gamecontroller I have, so it only works with cheap-*ss joysticks/pads, and not with the expensive joysticks. So I can throw away my sidewinder joypad. Hurray.
Next thing, I buy an USB-to-Centronics. Nowhere on the package it states that it can only be used with scanners and printers. It is unusable for me because I bought it to use it with the x1541 cable. Yippee, I can't do that either because some *sshole in charge of such a hardware company thinks printerports are only to be used for petty office thingies. USB printers and scanners are dead cheap nowadays. :roll: I mean, what does such a person think, if he think at all? One needs such a port for use with custom hardware!
But anyway, next I buy another usb to parallel port. On the package it states clearly that it's a parallel port. I asked the seller specifically whether it's a true parallel port and not 'a printer without a printer' and they stated that it is a true parallel port. I just plugged it in my computer and XP reckognises a printer. Tomorrow I am going back with this piece of cluelessness and demand my money back. :madashell:

[odin]

Okaphone? You'd think the guys behind the counter there know their stuff.

[Speelgoedmannetje]

odin wrote:
Okaphone? You'd think the guys behind the counter there know their stuff.

Yes, well, the last one I indeed bought there. Those guys know indeed their stuff, but I think neither could they have known, because the package is literally misleading.

[Cass]

Nowhere on the package it states that it can only be used with scanners and printers. It is unusable for me because I bought it to use it with the x1541 cable. Yippee, I can't do that either because some *sshole in charge of such a hardware company thinks printerports are only to be used for petty office thingies

It`s a system friendly version interface for connecting old printers, that are still useful in many offices (like the dot matrix printers).

The x1541 cable, needs a specific s/w that calls IRQs, and a major problem I had with a real centronics PeeCee mobo, was the OS! XP doesn`t allow direct h/w calls, so I needed a dual boot XP/Win98-MSDOS or a new dedicated Win98-MSDOS machine just for the C64. I gave up both solutions....

USB printers and scanners are dead cheap nowadays.

So are the old PCs with centronics and rs232 mobo ports ;-)


P.S. In case you make this work with a laptop, please give feedback on how you managed to do so ;-)

[bloodline]

Why not just upgrade to USB devices?

[Speelgoedmannetje]

Cass wrote:

Nowhere on the package it states that it can only be used with scanners and printers. It is unusable for me because I bought it to use it with the x1541 cable. Yippee, I can't do that either because some *sshole in charge of such a hardware company thinks printerports are only to be used for petty office thingies

It`s a system friendly version interface for connecting old printers, that are still useful in many offices (like the dot matrix printers).

The x1541 cable, needs a specific s/w that calls IRQs, and a major problem I had with a real centronics PeeCee mobo, was the OS! XP doesn`t allow direct h/w calls, so I needed a dual boot XP/Win98-MSDOS or a new dedicated Win98-MSDOS machine just for the C64. I gave up both solutions....

USB printers and scanners are dead cheap nowadays.

So are the old PCs with centronics and rs232 mobo ports ;-)


P.S. In case you make this work with a laptop, please give feedback on how you managed to do so ;-)

Ok, I have found a plugin for Dosbox for the use with Star Commander.
I haven't got room for an old PC, so that's out of the question.
However, I found an usb version of the x1541, but it's not 100% compatible.
Nevertheless, if on the box it states that it's a parallel port, I expect it to run as a parallel port and not as a printer. I paid bloody 17 euro's for it.

[Oliver]

I also find USB to ***** port converters to be complete crap.  Sometimes work for some things, that's all.  I tried using various port converters while developing hardware.  

Some don't work at all.  

Some overheat in just a few minutes, even with nothing plugged into them.  

Generally, they also do not recover from communication errors at all, which is a pain while trying to debug the new hardware, or when synch is lost.  

I just installed some real ports on PCI cards into my desktop machine at work.  They work, but they also overheat, so had to attach my own heat sinks to them.  

Arrrggggh, why is it so hard.

Oliver