[Robotgroup] Basic Stamp Success

[Vern Graner]

Gray Mack wrote:
> Nothing special about the parallax usb to serial port.

Well... Sorta.. :) Only thing "special" is that the USB to SERIAL device 
sold by Parallax implements DTR (Data Terminal Ready) which is CRITICAL 
to getting a Basic Stamp to program over serial.

Some of the low-cost USB to Serial devices that are sold do NOT 
implement the entire serial standard (or "cheat" by holding the DTA pin 
high) and so will not work to program the Stamp.

As the one sold by Parallax is not priced too bad at just under $15.00:

http://tinyurl.com/29nuqp

I think I'd go that route rather than have to try and figure out if a 
failure could be attributed to the adapter being incompatible or the 
driver/emulation on the mac being at issue.

Of course, the other option is to program the Stamp directly from the Mac:

http://www.muratnkonar.com/otherstuff/macbs2/

In fact, that page gives example USB to serial devices that are 
tested/work for mac to basic stamp connectivity. :)

Vern

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