[Subby's Mower Repair]

When I draw with my AUTOCAD set up, I use a tablet with a 16 button mouse (they're REALLY fast), but this tablet is an old model that uses a serial port plug-in. My computer was custom built with a serial port on the back. Obviously the guy who built it for me at my last company used a serial card. My question is this- I wanted to use ACAD on my lap top, but since it's a new comp. it only has USB ports, and I sure as heck wouldn't even think about going inside it. So, does anyone know if they make a serial-to-USB adapter that would work? And if so, where would I find one. Or am I up the creek on this?

Thanks~~

[workingforaliving]

I have found that you can get any adaptor you could ever want on EBay....and a lot of them ship for free.

I just ordered a PS2 to USB adaptor for my laptop at school so I could use some pieces fancy technology.

Good luck on your quest

[Subby's Mower Repair]

workingforaliving, on 14 August 2010 - 04:46 PM, said:

I have found that you can get any adaptor you could ever want on EBay....and a lot of them ship for free.

I just ordered a PS2 to USB adaptor for my laptop at school so I could use some pieces fancy technology.

Good luck on your quest

I've never bought anything on Ebay before...is it safe? I've had people tell me you have to handle things a certain way as to not get ripped off....whatever that means..??

Oh yeah, in addition to my initial question, I also wanted to know if using such an adapter would slow the speed way down.

[workingforaliving]

Subby Enterprises, on 14 August 2010 - 04:55 PM, said:

I've never bought anything on Ebay before...is it safe? I've had people tell me you have to handle things a certain way as to not get ripped off....whatever that means..??

I've never been cheated or anything.

As far as the adapters, a lot of them ship from Hong Kong. It's kind of hard to screw one of those up. :shrug:

I generally stick to the "buy it now" options rather than the bidding.....but watch your shipping rates.

[workingforaliving]

Check to make sure the ends will match your serial port before buying...


http://shop.ebay.com...-All-Categories

[Subby's Mower Repair]

Thank you for the info. I'll check it out. I also emailed my buddy, who'd a head IT at his company to see if he had anything like that. (fingers are x'd!)

[VoicesInMyHead]

I'm fairly certain I've seen Serial USB adapters at MicroCenter in Smyrna (or Marietta, or wherever that is).

[MikilDemion]

Yes you can get a USB to Serial adapter. Microcenter has a few, cost is about 30 - 40 from them. You can check newegg.com for better prices (cheapest is 15.00 with shipping)

You may want to look into upgrading your tablet instead/also. In the long run it might be cheaper.

[Volfan4life]

check with office depot in hiram. They have them on their website:serial-to-usb adapter

[southernscarlett]

I've got one you can try to see if it works.
The serial end has the male pins.
Here is a picture of it.
Just let me know.

[A Former Geek]

My only concern would be whether the adapter would deliver the data in a timely enough manner suitable for drawing. If it was just used for transferring data, timing is not an issue. When you use it to draw, you need to see the input on the screen immediately. I'll confess my ignorance in using a serial usb adapter for drawing. I think you need to do some research on the web to see if anyone else has had success with using one for drawing.

[CaptainOblivious]

they do make them, you can get one at microcenter in marietta, however like geek stated i dont think that the serial port is capable of the data speeds needed to make keeping such a dinosaur alive worht while, but since such a converter is cheap go ahead and find out.

[Subby's Mower Repair]

southernscarlett, on 14 August 2010 - 06:20 PM, said:

I've got one you can try to see if it works.
The serial end has the male pins.
Here is a picture of it.
Just let me know.

PERFECT!!!!! I would love to try it out sometime this coming week after I get the CAD loaded and the tablet software. Thanks!!

[Subby's Mower Repair]

A Friendly Geek, on 14 August 2010 - 06:40 PM, said:

My only concern would be whether the adapter would deliver the data in a timely enough manner suitable for drawing. If it was just used for transferring data, timing is not an issue. When you use it to draw, you need to see the input on the screen immediately. I'll confess my ignorance in using a serial usb adapter for drawing. I think you need to do some research on the web to see if anyone else has had success with using one for drawing.

I have considered that and did a little research. From what I have read so far, the change in speed is rather negligible, since these tablet were used on 486 computers back in the day. When you're using ACAD the main sticking point has always been a fast graphics card. The 16 button mouse (puck, as we call it) is simply an interface to issue commands, which require very little data, and are lightning fast, even back in the DOS days. The permutation of commands you can get out of 16 buttons (using 2 buttons per command) is simply mind boggling in speed, and you never have to take your eyes off the drawing to fetch a drop down menu. The reason that ACAD developers have tried to phase out the "buttons" method is because it takes about 6 months to a year to learn by heart....making it too much to take in for new employee's. (I've actually had people break down in tears when I tried to teach them how to use it...sorta like playing a piano). I guess that made it somewhat too complicated and too time consuming for new employees, but OMG!!! When you've got it down pat, you're simply unstoppable. I have had to manually integrate the buttons menus into generic AutoCad menus since around version 13 or 14 when they integrated ACAD into Windows format for the first time. That's how I gained most of my "writing code" experience over the years. There are few of us who mastered this technique, but those of us who did relied on me to add the command lines of code in every newer version that came out over the years. "Puck users" like myself and many of my former co-workers would almost fall asleep watching a typical mouse person trying to draw. The difference between drop down menus and simply pushing buttons on the puck were as different in speed as the gap in the Grand Canyon. Operating the buttons became a habit and you never had to look or even think, thus you never took your eye off the drawing. Night and Day!!

Seeing the phasing out over the years was a sad sight. In an effort to make things "easier" for a novice, they basically started trying to eradicate the most efficient method of interface I have ever seen in my life, as far as drawing goes. I guess you'd have to be in my shoes to fully understand the difference in speed. Sure, like I said, it take a LONG TIME to master (6 to 12 months), but once you have, you're untouchable in speed and accuracy. IMO, we viewed it as a "dumbing down" of an incredibly fast way to draw with a computer, as if the manufacturer saw it as just too dang hard to learn.

[southernscarlett]

Subby Enterprises, on 14 August 2010 - 10:59 PM, said:

PERFECT!!!!! I would love to try it out sometime this coming week after I get the CAD loaded and the tablet software. Thanks!!

Just let me know when you get it loaded and want to try it.

[Uga1]

hey subby try this it might work

http://www.cyberguys...RCH#page=page-1


I had to buy stuff from from the before b/c i had a joy stick that required a ps2 cable to be connected to each of the joy stick componets and it worked great to try these people

[Subby's Mower Repair]

Uga1, on 14 August 2010 - 11:55 PM, said:

hey subby try this it might work

http://www.cyberguys...RCH#page=page-1


I had to buy stuff from from the before b/c i had a joy stick that required a ps2 cable to be connected to each of the joy stick componets and it worked great to try these people

Scotty!!! I need that auxiliary power NOW!!!

j/k Thanks man!

Yall have a great night~~ And even better Sunday!

southernscarlett, on 14 August 2010 - 11:29 PM, said:

Just let me know when you get it loaded and want to try it.

I will, and thank a million!!!

[FreeBird]

I have one of these and it works great. Note that this place ships from Hong Kong and is legit. Shipping just takes 2-3 weeks. (slow boat from china)

[Subby's Mower Repair]

FreeBird, on 15 August 2010 - 07:01 PM, said:

I have one of these and it works great. Note that this place ships from Hong Kong and is legit. Shipping just takes 2-3 weeks. (slow boat from china)

Cool. My IT buddy said he bought one at Radio Shack....if I can find a Radio Shack.

[workingforaliving]

Subby Enterprises, on 15 August 2010 - 08:05 PM, said:

Cool. My IT buddy said he bought one at Radio Shack....if I can find a Radio Shack.

There might still be one in the Hicka. I think it's in the strip next to Wal-Mart.

[retiredteacher]

Subby Enterprises, on 15 August 2010 - 08:05 PM, said:

Cool. My IT buddy said he bought one at Radio Shack....if I can find a Radio Shack.

Subby, I bought one at best buy for my Embroidery Machine when I got a new PC. However, my machine wouldn't work. By searching blogs on the net devoted to my particular machine, I discovered that there is a difference in serial/usb adapters and I had the wrong one! Got the one recommended and it works now.

BTW, the data travels pretty fast from my PC to the machine.

[FreeBird]

the one at Radioshack will just be a little more expensive: i.e. - http://www.radioshac...oductId=3584699

[November Rain]

Subby, I am pretty sure that you will need a female serial port adapter, not the male adapter that southernscarlett is offering to you. The male adapter would allow a device with a USB port/cable to plug into the serial port on a computer; the female adapter would allow you to plug a device with a serial port cable into a USB port on your computer.

Since the device has the serial port cable, transfer speed would not be an issue. I can understand this being a concern if it were a USB device being plugged into a slower serial port.

I used a female serial port to USB adapter with an old printer. I have replaced the printer but should have the adapter around here somewhere. If I can locate it, you are welcome to have it.

[November Rain]

November Rain, on 15 August 2010 - 10:34 PM, said:

I used a female serial port to USB adapter with an old printer. I have replaced the printer but should have the adapter around here somewhere. If I can locate it, you are welcome to have it.

I found the adapter and I was mistaken. It is a parallel printer cable to USB adapter, not serial port to USB.