Before you go to the trouble of being the first to make such a device (USB_Client -> BLACK_BOX -> RS232_Serial) many palm devices contain a serial port. All you need to do is buy the right one (i.e. don't buy a Palm Pilot Zire!!!). You will need to pick up a special cable that costs about another $30 in most cases. All this does is bring out the serial port to a normal connector. I think in some designs, it also puts a resistor across 2 pins to enable the serial port. Done.
If you are determined to use the USB and an off-the-shelf USB to Serial converter - I think there are a few palm devices which sport a USB host port. But - I think these were designed specifically to control a USB peripheral printer. I think Sony makes one. I would be surprised if it will work for anything but a printer though. On Thu, 7 Oct 2004, Luciano A. Stertz wrote: > Dave Lippincott wrote: > > USB is host-client configuration in hardware. The Palm hardware is a > > client. It will only work when connected to a host. Most USB devices, such > > as a USB to serial dongle, are client only. I seriously doubt a USB to > > serial converter would talk to the Palm (also the dongle would need to get > > power from the Palm which doesn't provide it). I won't say what you want is > > impossible, I just know what doesn't work. > > I know there are client devices like a mouse, that you can connect via USB > > or PS2 by changing the connector. I'm not sure what hardware considerations > > are made for it to work. If there is a way to open the Palm USB port in a > > 'raw' communications mode much like you can with the IR port on non OMAP > > unit, I think you could have a chance. Some hardware to convert logic > > levels and signal timings may be needed. I have no idea if this is possible > > but I've often thought about it. > That's the point. Serial communication is ridiculously simple. All you > need is a few I/O pins and a timer. I don't know if it exists, but I > don't think it would be too hard to build an adapter. If not through the > USB port, maybe an IR receiver that redirects data to a serial > interface. Wouldn't that be an interesting product? Probably there are > more users trying to integrate their serial toys with a Palm... > > Luciano Stertz > > >>>>Is there a serial adapter I can hook to the mini-USB port of devices > >>>>like the PalmOne Zire or Tungsten 2 to connect them to a GPS equiped > >>>>with a serial connector (like most of them)? Or is it jut not feasible? > >>> > >>> I guess it can't be done. The palm is an USB device, and therefore > >>>must be connected to a USB controller, can't connect to another device. > >> > >>Hmmm... maybe there's a chance... I was thinking in putting a > >>USB-serial converter in the GPS and then connect to the Palm. This will > >>not work. But If you instead put the USB-serial converter in the Palm... > >>may be possible... I don't know how these converters work. If you can > >>someway send / receive arbitrary data from its serial interface, > >>technically you can communicate with any serial device... -- For information on using the Palm Developer Forums, or to unsubscribe, please see http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/forums/
