Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 16

Hi,
I just wanted to know if there is any circuitry inside the USB hotsych cable or if it is just a simple usb cable?

Thanks--AdM

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 16

Update

Ok, i know that this has been discussed before, but i need a little help!

I posted some pics of the guts of the serial cradle and the usb cable: http://home1.gte.net/anild/visorserial.htm

I wanted to know the following:
1) The USB cable has three wires (green to 6, white to 5, and black to 4. The red seems not to be used) Can i map these on to the serial cradle or do i need extra connections?

2)Will this connection work with a GPS device(using a gender changer)?

3) Has anyone sucessfully done this?

Thanks again--AdM

I will put all the info and results on the page for future ref.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

The Visor pinouts are as follows:

1 RXD
2 KBD
3 HS1
4 GND
5 USB_D-
6 USB_D+
7 VDOCK
8 TXD

Pins 1 and 8 are the serial signals; 5 and 6 are USB. The Visor serial is TTL-level and needs a tranceiver circuit to attach to a standard RS232 serial port or device. You can find details here.

__________________

God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

Mark, do you have that written down somewhere, or do you just know it by heart by now. I've seen you write those kind of things alot, and it amazes me that you can know all that stuff without looking it up, and if you do have to look it up, thanks for putting all of the extra work in.

BEN

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 16

Mark,
Thanks for your help...However I think this is a little out of my league .. I thought that I could just modify the current serial cable and attch a gender adapter.
I'll put up the links on my site for anyone interested in doing this.

Froggie

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Lebanon, NH, USA
Posts: 40

Froggie,

You cannot use a USB cable with a serial device - the electrical signal levels and timing are completely different.

However, if you're able to dissect a USB cable housing, then it's a $20 way of getting a HotSync connector with which to build a serial cable using any of the popular techniques (MAX232 chip, serial cradle mod, inverters, etc.). All you have to do is desolder the D+/D- wires, and connect them to the TXD/RXD pins (but make sure you have some sort of electronics to convert the RS-232 and TTL levels, or you may damage your Visor.

Or you can badger Mark/Space about improving their Datacord HS delivery times .

-WaC
Wayne

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 16

>using any of the popular techniques (MAX232 chip, serial >cradle mod, inverters, etc.). All you have to do is >desolder the D+/D- wires, and connect them to the TXD/RXD >pins (but make sure you have some sort of electronics to >convert the RS-232 and TTL levels, or you may damage your >Visor.

Wayne,
I saw the info on the MAX232 chip, where can I find the "Serial cradle mod" info.

I thought that the circuitry inside the serial cradle already did the conversion... What I mean is that little chip on the serial cradle board.

All I want to do is connect my visor to a garmin....I wish I could do this this WE, without having to wait for parts to be shipped.

Thanks--Froggie