Serial-USB Adapter for Stinger-DM.Please help

[Whistler]

Please can someone help me as i cannot be the only person trying to use a Stinger and Dive Manager on a laptop with no serial input. Just to give a little history on the problem, I have used the watch and software on a tower system via serial input with no problems but decided to get a nice new laptop so I could go on holiday and download photo's daily. This has no serial input so I went on ebay and found a serial-usb adapter for £1 plus p&p,hence to say this did not work,but what the hell,it only cost a pound. So up to PC World to be told " What you need is one of our adapters",hence to say,this did not work. So back to PC World tech desk who scratched his head and said "It's old software mate, nobody uses serial now,get in contact with Suunto." So I get in contact with Suunto to be told " What you need is one of our adapters",hence (today)this did not work. My questions are:-

1. Is it me?
2 Is it possable to ever use my laptop with the software?
3 How far has anyone ever thrown a Serial-USB adapter ( I could hold the record for that one soon).

ANY help gratefully recieved.

[sean0801]

sorry, let me get this clear 'cos i'm a pooter muppet.

you wanna download your logs from a stinger to a laptop that has no serial port but it does have a usb port?

[Scuby]

Good use of the word "hence"...

Using any USB adaptor is very much a touch-and-go technique - sometimes it works, sometimes it won't. I've been trying (with limited success) for many years. The only solution i've got at the minute is to uninstall basically anything which uses serial ports before plugging in my USB->serial adaptor. For me, that generally means uninstalling and unplugging my bluetooth dongle (very annoying since I like to use that), and I keep stuff like IR ports and other things permanentely disabled in the BIOS. Only then I can get my interface to work.

And different computers do different things. And I also found that only specific versions of the USB->serial drivers would work. The best version i've found (which may or may not work with yours) is here: http://www.memory-map.co.uk/downloads/prolific.exe

In reality though, what we need is a *TRUE* USB adaptor, not just an interface with the serial convertor built in. Very very old technology, which unfortunately Suunto haven't got around yet (unless i'm mistaken, their new USB interface for the D9 is just a USB->serial converter anyway?)

David

[Whistler]

Scuby,YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!! Thankyou,thankyou,thankyou. After 2 months of trying I can download my Stinger on the laptop. Just frustrated that i bought the lead from Suunto for £44 when the original ebay £1 now works fine. Still, that's PC's for you.

[Scuby]

Originally Posted by Whistler

Scuby,YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!! Thankyou,thankyou,thankyou. After 2 months of trying I can download my Stinger on the laptop. Just frustrated that i bought the lead from Suunto for £44 when the original ebay £1 now works fine. Still, that's PC's for you.

Oh, well, you know.... Hehe.

I take it it was the driver that helped? That was the final thing that worked for me too, after many years of trying. Just a shame its not more common

Glad its working though

David

[parahandy]

Yes has the serial usb nightmare myself, downloaded the usb drivers from the Suunto website and the prolific ones which did the trick .
no one tells you when you buy the usb serial adapter you may need to download and install additional drivers.
Xp doesn't seem to like serial connection though.

[richardW]

To the Mac owers out there....

Connecting my mac to my stinger has been on my list of things to do for a while now. In researching the Serial to USB / Mac software for Sunnto problem I stumbled upon this site. It gives some hints for which USB adapters seem to work (on macs anyway).

Cheers

Richard

[Ding Dang Doo]

Glad this one was already on the site...

I've got the same problem with my Vyper - had it for 2 years, used to download my dives onto my old tower PC - no problems - now with laptop, no serial port.
Bought cheapo serial/usb connector. No bloody joy, so gave up on it.
Looked on the Suunto website, this is the answer they have...

Question
My computer doesn't have a serial port. Is there a PC-Interface available with an USB connection or do you have a cable that can connect the interface with a USB-port??

Answer


We are aware of the fact that new laptops and PCs do not have serial ports and a USB connected interface is available for the new products that have been released recently. However, most of the products that are now available on the market have unfortunately been developed during a time when the serial port was still a standard. The development period for this kind of product is usually quite long, which is the main reason why the interface cable of the older products is available for serial ports only. It is possible, however, to connect the interface cable to the USB port using a serial to USB adapter. These adapters can usually be found in any computer accessory shop and Suunto also makes its own serial to USB adapter, which you can buy from your Suunto representative.

So they are more than aware of the problem, doesn't say anything about these 'drivers' required.

Right off todownload this driver and see if it works... fingers crossed.

[CotoChris]

Best of luck. I tried this a couple of years ago with an old laptop with no sucess. I gave up in the end and only download on the desktop. Now having fun with the new software but that is another story altogether.

Let's have a competition for the longest throw of the USB adapter or the most original way to destroy it!

[Ding Dang Doo]

Originally Posted by Chris Guimaraens

Best of luck. I tried this a couple of years ago with an old laptop with no sucess. I gave up in the end and only download on the desktop. Now having fun with the new software but that is another story altogether.

Let's have a competition for the longest throw of the USB adapter or the most original way to destroy it!

Well if doesn't work, it could well end up on your doorstep...!

Or, could chop it up into little pieces and send it Suunto... one piece at a time...