Help with Prolific adapter on a MacbookPro

[ghosttone]

*When the driver is loaded and the adapter is plugged in you should have in device manage a “USB Serial Port (COMx)” under the Ports (COM & LPT) section (obviously the x in COMx being your port number).
In device manager, right click on the USB Serial Port (COMx) and select Properties.
On the general tab verify the manufacturer is FTDI
Select the Port Settings tab and hit the Advanced… button
Both transfer sizes should be set to 4096
Under BM Options set Latency Timer (msec) to 1
Under Timeouts both should be 0.
Under Miscellaneous Options only Serial Enumerator should be checked.
Close the dialogs, unplug the adapter, wait a couple seconds, re-attach the adapter.
Test it. Make certain the COMx port specified in the driver is what you have selected in your application.
*

I’m using a usb to serial adapter with the Prolific IC PL-2303 chip set that Doug mentions using in the mac section b/c I too have a MacbookPro. I also have a straight windows system on a Sony Vaio at work. Both have Windows XP with sp 2 (via vmware on the mac like Doug). I have a botboard II with the basic atom pro and a sabertooth 2x 5. My problem is this:
1- On both systems I don’t have any of the port settings mentioned above in the device manager. I see the Prolific usb to serial is listed with no problems but going to properties>port settings>advanced only yields settings of FIFO buffers and nothing else!
2- I have been able to connect to the Botboard before but I’d say only 1 in 10 times and then after I click OK the flashing red light goes off and any attempt to program results in either some sort of, atom must be connected message or it looks like it’s compiling and sending and then gives me an error. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[robotdude]

First off a disclaimer. I don’t have a mac nor do I have any experience with using them.

1. try making sure the two fifo buffers are the same value. Not as important what they are, just that they are both the same.

2. even some PCs have trouble programming an Atom using non-FTDI based USB to serial cables. Can you get access to an FTDI based USB to serial cable for testing? Their driver has latency which is the most likely culprit.

[ghosttone]

@Robot Dude

First off a disclaimer. I don’t have a mac nor do I have any experience with using them.

1. try making sure the two fifo buffers are the same value. Not as important what they are, just that they are both the same.

2. even some PCs have trouble programming an Atom using non-FTDI based USB to serial cables. Can you get access to an FTDI based USB to serial cable for testing? Their driver has latency which is the most likely culprit.

Thanks, I had to do some research on what chipsets were in which cables. Turns out I was trying 4 different Prolific cables. Got my hands on an FTDI cable max and have been able to connect and program with no problems.

[robotdude]

@ghosttone

Thanks, I had to do some research on what chipsets were in which cables. Turns out I was trying 4 different Prolific cables. Got my hands on an FTDI cable max and have been able to connect and program with no problems.

Looks like Macs prefer FTDI! Made this a sticky…

[codenewt]

Its true, macs love the FTDI chipset. I personally have had no problems with it whatsoever.