Garmin USB to RS232 Converter Cable for Garmin GPS Units (010-10310-00)

by Garmin

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 3 inches ; 32.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00008616E
• Item model number: 010-10310-00
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Want to connect your GPS to your PC but don't have a 9-pin serial port connection? This cable will get you hooked. Using this converter cable and the PC interface cable for your unit, you can transfer maps, waypoints, routes and tracks between MapSource and your GPS. The cable is compatible with Garmin GPS units with a serial port output and computers with a USB input connector.

Product Description

Garmin Serial Cable Adapter 010-10310-00 Cable Adapters

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars 4Woodys, May 8, 2009

By 

Robert J. Franco "4Woodys" (Fairfield, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garmin USB to RS232 Converter Cable for Garmin GPS Units (010-10310-00) (Accessory)

This item will not work on computers using Windows Vista 64 bit operating system. I called Garmin to confirm it. Garmin has no plans to write new software for this item or upgrade the use of it for the older Rino's GPS. If you want to download geocaches, you will have to upgrade to a newer Garmin unit that uses an USB cable and is compatible with a Vista 64 bit system.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It did not work, March 2, 2009

By 

Sailor - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garmin USB to RS232 Converter Cable for Garmin GPS Units (010-10310-00) (Accessory)

I tried everything I could think of and could find on the web to get it working. I have a HP computer with Vista and it does not have a serial port. I purchased the product to allow me to download my GPS tracks to the computer. I went through all the steps that came with the DVD that came with the product. When that did not work I looked on the web for help. I downloaded new drivers, but it did not solve the problem. I returned the product.

18 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not JUST a USB cable - it adds a serial port to your computer!, February 5, 2006

By 

L. Berg "Lawrence Henry Berg" (Murphy, Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garmin USB to RS232 Converter Cable for Garmin GPS Units (010-10310-00) (Accessory)

It is NOT a USB cable, it's a USB device with a computer and a RS232 serial port in it! All inside that box with 3 LED's in it.

I started importing and selling that cable in the USA in the year 2000. The market for a USB-serial adapter was small because back then most computers had a serial "COM" port, remember? It was that 9 pin "D" shaped plug in the back. USB was still new and many computers did not have a USB bus. And in addition to all that, the darn things didn't work very well!

The first few I had would often crash Windows 98 with a blue screen of death. We had better luck with Windows 2000, but no luck with ME. But the real problem for me was it didn't work with Mapsource 3.8 - the main software product of Garmin - who was and still is the best GPS company on earth, growing faster than a brush fire ( I bought some stock at $18!), who we worked 24/7/365 to help support - just for fun. But that's another story. OK, so I sent 2 units to Garmin and to my surprise they were interested in it because some of the new laptops had NO SERIAL port! And there was NO WAY to add one except via the PCMCIA slot (at $250) or via the USB bus! Now you can't buy a laptop with a serial port that I know of! Everyday someone calls me and says: "Larry I bought a new laptop and guess what ... it has no serial port!"

So, thanks to me, they (Garmin) actually adjusted/modified Mapsource to work with my adapter and came out with Ver 4.0! It's made by MCT (a contract manufacture in Taiwan, two blocks away from Garmin Taiwan). To help my customers connect their Garmin GPS's I've purchased over 18,800 of these USB to serial adapters from MCT and now have them made in my companys color, Purple! AND we have friends (Pfrancs) located in 10 countries who stock these and support them.

Yes $50 is high, however, maybe Garmin is too busy makeing the best GPS's - and doesn't have time (or interest) in making serial ports. A USB-serial adapter is a very good way to add a RS-232 serial port to a computer - especially a laptop! Like I said, the only other way is via the PCMCIA slot --- go price them!

But, be careful because there are lots of other USB-serial adapters being sold out there and they are not all the same. There are many different chip's and drivers and countless versions over the years and countless problems. Also, be careful to not get one of the old ones that look the same on the outside. You want hardware ver (2.4). Current serial #'s are 0504SP....

USB is not serial, it's a tiered star hub network running at 12+ megabaud. The good old "serial" we've had for 40 years is not going away, but serial ports are -- so sooner or later you will probably run into this issue and will be forced to learn what a USB to Serial adapter is, how to install one, how to configure and use it, what can go wrong, and how to fix it or know who to call and maybe hope it's purple.

Until then, go ahead and take the blue pill and be happy.

If you do run into problems just Google two words: usb serial

mybest,
larry,