EasyDCC to USB Port

[nbrodar]

 While waiting for CVP to ponder this, I'll ask here too...

I have CVP's EasyDCC system, and would like to connect it to my laptop.   Unfortunately, my laptop only has USB ports and the EasyDCC an RJ11 jack.

Any ideas how to connect the two?

Nick

[cacole]

 Radio Shack sells the Gigaware USB to serial port adapter.  Here's the information about it.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3120513 

[Valleycrest RR]

You should join the easydcc group on Yahoo and all your questions will be answered.

Tom

 

[trainnut1250]

cacole

 Radio Shack sells the Gigaware USB to serial port adapter.  Here's the information about it.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3120513 

 

Cacole,

 

Have you used this one???  I built one from materials that Al at CVP provided but I couldn't get it to work.. I put it off for later, I still am looking for a viable connector to program Tsunamis with JMRI...

 

Guy

[cacole]

 Guy,

Yes, I have one that I connected to an older HP computer running JMRI's Decoder Pro.  The RS Gigaware adapter comes with a driver software CD.

 

[trainnut1250]

Cacole,

 

Thanks.  I'll be picking one up.

 

Guy

[nbrodar]

 Cacole,

Did you make the adapter cable RJ to serial, and then use the RS serial to USB adapter?

Nick 

[cacole]

 I use it with an NCE PowerHouse Pro that has a serial port, not an Easy DCC System.

I also have an EasyDCC system but haven't used the Radio Shack USB to serial adapter with it.  Page 118 of the EasyDCC Installation and Operation Manual shows the pinouts for a serial to RJ11 adapter cable.  Only three wires are actually used.

[nbrodar]

 I already did, I'm waiting from him to get back to me.

I have the pin out for the RJ11 to serial adapter.  I was hoping to not have to go RJ11 to serial to USB.

 Thanks,
Nick

[cacole]

 I'm not sure what's inside the Radio Shack USB to Serial adapter's interface box, but from a technical standpoint only three wires are used to communicate between a computer and EasyDCC or any other peripheral device.

If you could find the specifications for a USB plug's pinout, you might be able to simply cut one end off a USB cable and crimp the necessary three wires to an RJ11 plug.  A capacitor in the lines to prevent DC current passthrough resulting in a short circuit between the devices may be required.

A capacitor would tend to weaken the communication signal between devices, so the Radio Shack adapter's box may be nothing more than an amplifier IC using two additional wires for 5 Volts DC power and ground.

[rrinker]

 You DEFINITELY cannot connect USB directly to an RS232 port, the signal levels aren;t the same at all. You need the translation electronics. What it MIGHT be possible to do is cut off the DB9 serial connector end of said adapter and connect the needed wires right to an RJ11 plug. However, I'm sure part of the adapter needed also jumpers some of the RS232 pins to prived signals such as DTR, DSR, and CD. Otherwise, the computer will always assume the device (command station in this case) is offline or not ready to receive data.

 Not much of a way around it, you'll need a USB to serial adapter, and then a cable built to CVP specs with a DB9 on one end and an RJ11 on the other. Sometimes an additional jumper in the DB9 end is needed for specific operations - see if they have a different option when the computer is running Window XP - this same mod is likely needed for a USB to serial adapter as well, regardless of the computer OS.

                                 --Randy