17394Converter, USB to DB9 Male RS-232

Expand AllCollapse All

1. Does the Vista/Win7 driver for the 17394 work with Windows 7?

   Yes.

2. What is the pin connection between USB and DB9 (RS-232) connectors?

   A USB-to-serial cable has electronic components in it to interface the USB to the RS-232. There is no pin correlation between USB and DB9.

3. How do the 17934, the SC32B, the SC929, and the SC-USB compare?

   See the table for a detailed comparison:

   	17394 USB-serial cable	SC32B	SC929	SC-USB
   Useful for Connecting	PC USB port to data logger RS- 232 port	Data logger CS I/O port to laptop COM port	Data logger CS I/O port to laptop COM port	Data logger CS I/O port to PC USB port
   Connectors	USB A male – 9-pin male	9-pin male – 9-pin female	9-pin male – 9-pin female	USB B female – 9-pin male
   Length	6 ft	3 in.	6 ft	1.6 in.
   Power Consumption	N/A	积极< 200 =””——200年——= " " >	8 mA continuous	Active <20 ma="" --20--="">
   Optically Isolated	No	Yes	No	Yes
   Operating Temperature	N/A	-25° to +50°C	-25° to +50°C	-25° to +50°C
   Maximum Data Transfer Rate	1 Mbps USB	115200 bps	9600 bps	1 Mbps USB

4. If a computer does not have any serial ports, how can software (such as LoggerNet, PC400, PC200W, or Device Configuration Utility) talk to the data logger?

   Many of our more recent data loggers have a Micro B USB port. Simply use a Type A to Micro B, male-to-male cable. Although any USB cable, with the correct connectors and drivers, should work, there is a better chance of success using a cable supplied by Campbell Scientific.

   For data loggers with an RS-232 port, only a serial or USB to RS-232 cable (sometimes called a USB-to-serial-adapter cable) is needed. Although any USB to RS-232 cable should work with the appropriate drivers, there is a better chance of success using the USB to RS-232 cables sold by Campbell Scientific.

   There are several options for data loggers that don’t have an RS-232 port but have a CSI/O port:

   1. Use theSC-USBconnector/interface instead of theSC32B.
   2. Use the SC32B with a17394, USB-to-9-pin male RS-232 cable.
   3. Use a user-supplied USB interface with the SC32B.

   For data loggers with a CSI/O and RS-232 or USB port, it is not necessary to use the SC32B unless there is another device connected to the RS-232 port or there are concerns about low-level noise from a permanently connected, ac-powered computer.

5. Is a 17394 connected to an SC32B basically the same as an SC-USB?

   The combination of the USB to serial (17394) and the SC32B is basically the same as the SC-USB. Both options enable communication between a computer and a data logger with a CS I/O port.

6. What might cause error messages such as “transaction failure” and “unreachable destination” when trying to connect a data logger and a PC using a serial or USB to RS-232 cable?

   Some possible causes include the following:

   • The result of a hardware condition in the data logger or the port driver
   • Incorrect USB drivers (Even if the correct drivers have been successfully installed, the errors may still be related to the cable.)
     • Note:Not all USB-to-serial cables are the same. Although any USB to RS-232 cable should work with the appropriate drivers, there is a better chance of success using the USB to RS-232 cables sold by Campbell Scientific. Cables that are not purchased from Campbell Scientific have not been tested and may result in errors when connecting to a data logger. Furthermore, USB-to-serial cables with the FTDI chipset are easier to use and seem to perform better than cables with the Prolific chipset.
   • Power supply or grounding issues on the data logger
   • The port configuration of the data logger (If the data logger RS-232 port is configured at a fixed baud rate other than 115200, it might cause the error messages.)

   设备配置iguration Utility, under itsUnknowndevice type, has anIdentify Logger Type按钮。这个按钮将试图确定device type, protocol, or both used for the data logger and will attempt to do so at various baud rates. If the data logger is synchronized with a different baud rate or is set up at a fixed baud rate, this feature may provide the means of determining what baud rate should be used for successful communication.

7. How is communication achieved through a data logger CS I/O port?

   Communication through the data logger’s CS I/O port requires an interface that converts the computer’s RS-232 voltage levels to the CMOS levels of the data logger. Typically, that interface is anSC32B. The SC32B connects to the data logger’s CS I/O port via an SC12 or serial cable and connects to a computer’s 9-pin serial port via a serial cable. When the computer does not have a serial port, a 9-pin serial-to-USB cable, such aspn 17394, can be used with the SC32B. Alternatively,instead of the SC32B, usetheSC-USB.