Customer Reviews

Serial Port Complete: COM Ports, USB Virtual COM Ports, and Ports for Embedded Systems (Complete Guides series)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you work with or need to work with RS-232, USB or RS-485, this book is a must-have reference. The subject matter of this book is heavy on the embedded side of serial communications as Jan covers .NET serial programming and explains how to completely configure a serial port on a microcontroller. Jan then goes on to tell you how to bring up an RS-485 network. Leaving no stone unturned, Jan explains how to design and deploy an embedded RS-232 network.

In addition to the discussion of traditional serial data formats and serial hardware implementations, Jan includes tips on how to use the special-function FTDI USB/Serial IC. She even explains why wires pick up noise and how to choose the right wire for the application.

Jan's new book is a one-stop serial communications reference which includes serial connector pinouts, data format illustrations, example soource code and a multitude of schematic representations. If you need to know how to successfully deploy serial links, you need to have this book on your desk.

Jan Axelson is one of the best technical writers I've ever read. Her books are always clear and to the point. The second edition of her venerable Serial Port Complete brings that excellent book into the 21st century with expanded coverage on using USB for a virtual serial port. This allows folks with legacy RS232 systems to use them on PCs that only have a USB port. Many folks find using a virtual serial port device such as the FTDI FT232R to be an easier way to communicate with embedded systems than using direct USB - though Jan goes a long way to making that easier with her USB Complete book. I got started with USB using her USB Complete book and I don't think I could have managed with out it.

Jan has published a bunch of books and the reader would do well to search on her name and see all her offerings, there really is no better way to learn a topic than to get her book on a subject. Definitely 5 stars.

Serial communiations books are getting harder to find. I was looking for some specific information on Virtual Comm Ports. This book had a useful chapter for me.

These are tough books to write - going too deaply loses the mass audience. And too shallow loses the techies. This book had a balance. I would have liked more references to other material.

Worth the purchase and time to read.

I was having trouble using the serialport in .NET. I trying searching the internet but still couldn't get it. I purchased this book and instant success. I highly recommend this book.

This has been a well regarded book for many years. For good or ill, serial ports are pretty much on the way out for most of us. That is really too bad, because USB introduces a level of complexity that is pointless and cumbersome for a great many applications. But that is what happens when you let Bill Gates run everything. Anyway, if you still use serial, this is a handy reference.

I was really eager to get this book because I thought it would include a lot of technical info about communicating with different devices. The book ended up being a general overview of different forms of communication. Many sections were 5 or 6 pages long about different types.

This book is very good for people who just want a general and basic knowledge of different forms of communication. I guess I was looking for how to interface Zigbee modules to different AVR micro controllers and how to send different types of data via USB, it was not deep or specific enough for me.

I used to make test systems of electronic components with GPIO, GPIB, and air cylinders. But we could test only very simple components. We are required to test pretty complex components including I2C I/F these days. We searched for suitable solution. I found that PC serial ports control micro controllers which control DUTs via I2C and such systems can easily be implementd by reading this book. Using new PC without serial port, we can use same system by adding USB virtual COM port. I thank the author for giving me recent knowledge about serial port links.

es un excelente libro, presenta la información necesaria para iniciarse en el dominio de la transmisión serial

I was suprised to see that the code in this book was written in VC# and VB. It's hard to find books written with VB code in it. If you know one language and not the other it's a great opportunity to learn a new language.

The beginning of this book takes a considerable amount of time explaining the basics of communication. This book does not cover the how's and why's of building circuits - so you will have to either already know electronics or take an electronics class.

The chapters in the second half of the book are thorough. The author has included more than enough information to get you up and running.

If you know VC# or VB and have an intermediate knowledge of circuit building then this book is for you. This book is very informative, covers many different types of networks and is easy to understand.

It was the perfect book for me about the serial protocols, as usb, serial, rf, etc.

I recomend this book