usb - serial cable problems

[fusion1296]

hi all ,
been programming my Hummy for years from the serial port on my laptop , well laptop has died so i got a usb - serial cable to us with other laptops , well i now have 3 usb - serial cables , the problem is i can conect to the hummy but it is sooooooo slow ,if its keyfiles its ok cos they are small but if its settings or firmware it takes ages ( i mean hours ) with the old serial port it took about 3-4 mins to do a firmware update , ii have tried 3 cables and 2 laptops same results , i have check com port speeds in programs and all looks good , can find any settings that can be changed in device manager for the usb com port , i have update the drivers over the internet , any idea why its slow , are others using a usb - com cable , i know some are as i was recommended the cable a while back but cant remember who.
thanks :)

[Prontopro]

You need a null modem serial cable to program the hummie. If your USB to serial is giving a serial output I'm surprised that it's connecting at all.

Are you able to virtually configure the output?

If you have a null modem serial cable try plugging that in between the serial output of the USB cable and the humax.

Config:

PC - (USB-Serial) - (null modem) - Humax

[fusion1296]

hi thanks for your reply , yes i have it set up as usb-serial then the null modem cable that i normal plug into my serial port before my laptop died .
i have tried loads of settings in the device manager but i cant get it to go any quicker ???

has anyone got this solution to work and if so which usb -serial cable is being used and what settings ??
thanks :)

[Gone_Fishing]

You must have the USB > Serial adapter plugged in when you go to device manager or you wont be able to see it or change the speed

Have a look at mine


TNT

[Prontopro]

This old thread has a link at the bottom for a cable that works as a true RS232 port.

https://www.satpimps.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58299&highlight=serial+cable

[fusion1296]

hi , thanks for your reply , mine is com port 4 also , when i go to the settings , there are many , i have spent 2-3 hours changing all settings and i have got them to go a bit quicker ( i have 3 to try ) but still very slow , how long does it take to do a firmware update assuming its a full update , all modules , mine take about an hour and a half , before it took 3-4mins .
the fastest adaptor of the 3 is a prolific brand , do you know which one is yours ??
if its not a total pain could you attach screen shots of the settings page both basic and advanced ??

thanks :)

just saw post from Prontopro thanks for the link , i will try to get 1 of the 3 i have working if not will try one in the link thanks for your help

[Prontopro]

hi , thanks for your reply , mine is com port 4 also , when i go to the settings , there are many , i have spent 2-3 hours changing all settings and i have got them to go a bit quicker ( i have 3 to try ) but still very slow , how long does it take to do a firmware update assuming its a full update , all modules , mine take about an hour and a half , before it took 3-4mins .
the fastest adaptor of the 3 is a prolific brand , do you know which one is yours ??
if its not a total pain could you attach screen shots of the settings page both basic and advanced ??

thanks :)

just saw post from Prontopro thanks for the link , i will try to get 1 of the 3 i have working if not will try one in the link thanks for your help

The prolific chipset should work. Have you tried setting the port to either com1 or 2 in the advanced port settings?

[Gone_Fishing]

Double click the USB serial one and then click the port settings tab and then set "Bits per second " to its highest value thats the only setting that effects speed

You might want to click restore defaults first as you have been changing things


TNT

[fusion1296]

hi , i have tried com 1,2 3 and 4 same on all , also i have been in the advanced settings and changed speed etc , stop start bits flow etc , the only thing that i can get it to go a bit faster is to change the buffers , that seems to help a bit , its just strange that i have tried 3 adaptor cables on 3 laptops all with the same results .
i will keep trying dont want to give up , how long on average should it take to upload a full firmware via this sort of cable ??
thanks to both of you for your help :)

[Prontopro]

hi , i have tried com 1,2 3 and 4 same on all , also i have been in the advanced settings and changed speed etc , stop start bits flow etc , the only thing that i can get it to go a bit faster is to change the buffers , that seems to help a bit , its just strange that i have tried 3 adaptor cables on 3 laptops all with the same results .
i will keep trying dont want to give up , how long on average should it take to upload a full firmware via this sort of cable ??
thanks to both of you for your help :)

It should be as fast as a standard null modem cable. 1-1.5 mins max for a full upload, 30 secs for settings and 5-10 secs for a keybin.

[Gone_Fishing]

Just out of interest do you have USB 1.0 or 2.0 on your pc

BTW if you change the buffer setting its the buffers that get the filled quicker not your humax


TNT

[fusion1296]

hi all,
thanks for the times , i am no where near those times .
i have 3 laptops i can use they are all usb 1 and 2 , i have changed them in the bios to be usb 1 , then 2 then both , no difference .
i am one of those people that like to get things to work but as my other half pointed out to me , does it matter how long it takes when we only have to do a firmware occasionally and its fast enough on keybins as they are so small , she says why dont i just leave it to upload over night and it ill be done in the morning , she's got a point i guess .
thanks again for all the help you have given me :)

[Prontopro]

hi all,
thanks for the times , i am no where near those times .
i have 3 laptops i can use they are all usb 1 and 2 , i have changed them in the bios to be usb 1 , then 2 then both , no difference .
i am one of those people that like to get things to work but as my other half pointed out to me , does it matter how long it takes when we only have to do a firmware occasionally and its fast enough on keybins as they are so small , she says why dont i just leave it to upload over night and it ill be done in the morning , she's got a point i guess .
thanks again for all the help you have given me :)

She has and she hasn't. There is a restriction going on somewhere. It might possibly be corrupt drivers. Why not try uninstalling the drivers. Do a regedit (if you feel comfortable doing that) and remove all references in the registry then attempt a clean install. That's the sort of thing I'd be looking at doing now as all other possibilities appear to have been exhausted. Just check that you've got the most up-to-date drivers for the cable.

It's like owning a fast car and not being able to use it in anything but first gear. You can still drive around in it but it will take you longer and you won't get the satisfaction that it's performing as it should be. Only women accept a compromise situation like this.:D

A final thought. Your laptop didn't die whilst being connected to the humax did it? Is there a possibility that the Humax RS232 port is knackered somehow?

[fusion1296]

hi ,
i trashed one on my laptops reloaded XP then used the cable and still the same , tried all 3 cables same results .
i was wondering if it could be my hummy but i got a mate to bring his laptop round with a real serial port and its very quick , i can only assume i have 3 duff cables ??? bad luck or what ?

i read the post to my other half and she says she needs a compromising nature to put up with men !!:D

thanks for your help :)

[chumpy]

I use the prolific with a Toshiba A60 and I've used it with a couple of other laptops as well.The driver sets it up on com4 and I connect the null modem cable from the hummy to the end of it. Works just like a normal serial connection, 3 minutes for the full patch.
regards Mick