[Weather] Request for information

[Matthew Smith]

Quoth Aaron Wasilewski at 2007-05-08 15:32...

> Am I required to use “their’ serial adaptor or can I use another DB9 
> RS232 adaptor?

I would be inclined to consider USB - I think that the days are numbered 
for machines with serial ports.  This laptop does not have one - I use a 
$5 Chinese USB to serial adapter based on the Prolific chipset for 
devices that still need it.  Support for this is native to the 2.6.x 
Linux kernels and also current version of Solaris, or so I believe.

I've had on-board serial ports die on a couple of occasions and the 
Stallion multi-port cards I've been using (eBay, second hand units) work 
with 2.4.x and 2.6.x Linux kernels, but no support for Solaris to date.

So, a serial to 1-Wire device may be good in the short-term, but USB 
probably makes a better long-term prospect.

I'm making myself a new opto-isolated adapter using the guts of a 
Prolific-based USB to serial converter, then a Dallas bus master chip 
(can't remember the number off-hand).  This incorporates a Meanwell 
isolated DC-DC converter to drive the 1-Wire bus.  The thing I like 
about USB is that there is a ready +5V supply to hand.

So, you could either get a DS9097U and then get a USB to serial 
convertor when your machine/port finally dies (I have tested this 
combination with success) or just go straight USB to 1-Wire.

Cheers

M

-- 
Matthew Smith
IT Consultancy & Web Application Development
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