USB Serial/Parallel adapter?

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hellosailor
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USB Serial/Parallel adapter?

#1 Post by hellosailor » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:38 pm

IBM/Lenovo make a USB adapter with one conventional serial and one conventional parallel port attached to it, but the list it as compatible only through XP--not Vista. Mainly to support legacy printers, and a legacy serial GPS--and boat instruments that still use the serial bus. (NMEA, but who's counting.)

OK, I've got Vista and there are times that I won't be able to use my "real hardware" ultrabay adapter, so I'm looking for a combination serial/parallel adapter (or two single adapters, if I must) that can plug into the USB port, and work in Vista. Preferably one with a Vista logo certification.

Has anyone had hands-on experience or one to recommend? Or does the Lenovo/IBM part work, just not updated in the description?

Wiz
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#2 Post by Wiz » Fri Jun 20, 2008 4:24 pm

I have a old "IBM USB Serial Parallel adapter" with one serial and one parallel port. When i switched to Vista i couldn't find any driver at the IBM website and according to the IBM website it's compatible with 2000/XP only. But i had to try so i plugged in the adapter and did choose to search online for a driver and obviously windows found a driver for the device. So even if it says 2000/XP only it works without any problems under Vista as well.

The part number on my adapter is 22P9035, but i found the exact same adapter on the IBM website with another part number so even if the part number is different it seems like the same device.

hellosailor
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#3 Post by hellosailor » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:14 pm

Thanks, Wiz. A lot of the USB gizmos are built on a handful of actual driver chips. The part number change could mean they changed suppliers and internals--and that could mean the gizmo uses a different driver, and you got lucky with one that has new drivers made for it. (Whether Lenovo knows about them or not.<G>)

I'll give you ten bucks for yours.<G>

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