Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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,

Works for Windows XP Pro but no drivers available for Vista or Windows 7! This converter works great but why does Garmin make it so difficult and costly to keep the unit working with computer upgrades. Won't be buying any Garmins in the future...

The adapter cable was shipped promptly, works well with Windows Vista. With Vista, I didn't have to use the supplied CD; I plugged it into my computer and Vista set it up with no problems.

I have to admit that I initially balked at the idea of paying that much for a cable... I mean, how can some wire cost that much?? But now that I have it, it makes sense: It's not just a wire. I'm not a computer whiz, but I understand now that it's not just about making a "square peg fit in a round hole." It works like a charm and makes my life a lot simpler than having to try to work between two different computers: my laptop (upon which I do most of my work), and the only computer in our house that actually has a serial port. Only a couple complaints about it: 1) The cable is so blasted long that it is clunky to work with. When you combine it with the length of the RS232 cable you could sit in one room with the computer and have your GPSr down the hall!!! I just coil it up and security with twist ties... problem solved. 2) The coupling between this cable and the RS232 cable has no way to secure them together. Both have screws and the cable doesn't come with coupling nuts, so I just use a rubber band to hold them together.

$52 for a $1 cable and software that should be included with the unit, hard to believe.

We received this item very quickly. It was exactly what we ordered