Motec COM - USB converter not reading on laptop

[mattysshop]

does anyone else have problems using a COM - USB converter cable to a laptop (obviously new enough to not use a COM port) with any aftermarket ecu?

the motec software isn't reciognising the ecu when connected... it just says ECU not connected (M4 ECU, using current 6.20 software on the laptop)

i had to install a driver that came with the COM - USB cable... not sure if that is causing drama's etc...

we have previously connected this ecu to a laptop using that same software 6.20, but it was an older Dell, which had a COM port..

cheers,

[old_mr2]

This is a common problem with Megasquirt. Somewhere on google there is a page stating which USB to serial converters work the best as Not all work.

Best bet is to just use serial only, but newer laptops don't usually have a serial port!

If you cant get yours working you may need this converter:
61092 ADAPTOR, USB TO SERIAL PORT $ 53.63
available at CAPA

its an official Motec Part (apparently)

[mattysshop]

yeh... thats the problem... so just so i can fool around with a 2 stage... i have to buy an older one off ebay...

spose it's prolly only going to be $100-$150 max (seen heaps of Dell D620 & D630s).... and it may come in handy anyway....

[RAAAH23]

my acer is running win7 and its got a serial port.. dunno how old it is. TravelMate 6592 runs WIN7 fine just an option

[J0RD0]

I had this problem with my motec, you need a special cable for it to read the motec, not sure where you get them as my old man did the hunting around for me and he's more computer literate then me. Ring a couple of tuning places and see what they reccomend and where to get

[mattysshop]

we had it running find with an ordinary serial cable on his old laptop with a serial port.. so i think we would just be best to get a notebook etc with a serial port..

now that i have heard from a mate who just told me that pretty much all serial to USB converters are junk... lol.. ohh well $5 from HK isn't so bad as the $25 identicle item they wanted at the local computer parts place (MSY or Umart)

[thechuckster]

most of the cheap USB to serial adaptors are shit. From memory, there was a thread on the MS Extra forums listing good adapters.

i have an old keyspan unit that works fine on my PC under windoze or linux as well as on the mac.

[Phoenix01]

One thing that will work is a PCMCIA / Cardbus / Expresscard Serial port card.

Obviously you need to get the relevant type depending on your laptop, but the card is a proper serial hardware interface than an adaptor, and will function correctly.

[NME308]

Hi there mate,
I happily run my motec M4 to my Win Vista crapheap laptop with the serial to usb converter supplied by motec - which in fact turns out to be one of the relatively cheap ones anyway...

I had to configure the motec software to the correct USB port, and I have to use the self same usb port each time or drama's enfold!

What I also had to do was add the driver through the Device Manager as legacy hardware as the stinking computer used its own driver instead of the motec one and constantly failed...

Cheers,
Jason

[mattysshop]

care to copy the motec driver for us?? PM me

[NME308]

PM sent!

Cheers,
Jason

[white hachi]

Mine works successfully using a $5 HK USB- serial adapter and Version 4.66. Once the adapter is installed in windows with the correct Hardware driver, you need to confirm it had been assigned Com 1 in device manager. If there are other devices using Com 1 for example a bluetooth module, assign them another com port number, then set the adapter to com 1.

[NME308]

white hachi you do not need to assingn Com 1 to the usb adapter. You can simply check in the device manager as to which port has been assigned and then inform the motec software.

Dicking around with changing other devices com port numbers can also lead to different headaches later...

Cheers,
Jason

[Youngy]

I use a KeySpan USB without any problems. And some more in depth info on them if your interested.

http://www.hhhh.org/wiml/proj/keyspan.html

[white hachi]

Apologies Jason - by directly running EMP.exe I was not getting the Option to change COM ports, through the proper ECU menu it shows the F5 option