Model Railroading > CMRI USB to RS-422

My ancient computer finally died .  It ran my MRR via an internal RS-232 connection to an RS-232 to RS-422 converter to my RS-422  USIC.  Hey, this system is decades old.

Anyway, I have to replace that dead Windows 7 box.  So, whatever I get I'm gonna need it to talk to the RS-422 USIC.  What's it gonna take to interface to RS-422 USIC with a 21st century computer USB output?

I have a USB to RS-232 interface cable, but cannot quite attain communication.

Or????

-John

 

Are you using a desktop or laptop?

Do you have a 9-pin header cable already connected to the USIC?
A while back, I played with a DB-9 RS-232 to 9 pin 422 converter, but I have no idea if it would work. Mouser lists a couple, but only one may have the appropriate ability to modify the necessary pinout.

If a desktop with a PCI-e slot, adding an RS-232 card with a pair of true ports might work...?

As for the USB-232 cable, any protocol issue that might be able to be addressed?
(I've got an old IBM T-30 I still use for just such occasions...)


LarryDoyle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My ancient computer finally died .  It ran my MRR
> via an internal RS-232 connection to an RS-232 to
> RS-422 converter to my RS-422  USIC.  Hey, this
> system is decades old.
>
> Anyway, I have to replace that dead Windows 7
> box.  So, whatever I get I'm gonna need it to
> talk to the RS-422 USIC.  What's it gonna take to
> interface to RS-422 USIC with a 21st century
> computer USB output?
>
> I have a USB to RS-232 interface cable, but cannot
> quite attain communication.
>
> Or????
>
> -John
>
>  

I use a USB to serial cable to run JMRI on my Windows 10 laptop.  I did have an issue a couple of years ago where the cable stopped working after a computer update.  Traced that to an obsolete chip in the converter cable.  A quick trip to Radio Shack for a new cable fixed that right up and I haven't had any issues since.

Nathan Beauheim
Loveland, CO