Cambridge 302 USB Driver?

[NG[_2_]]

Anybody successful in connecting a Cambridge 302 to a laptop using the
new USB port? The instructions say that the laptop should find the
necessary driver on the device, mine does not, says it can not find
driver software for DLP-TXRX, and that's as far as I can get. Is it
possible to get the necessary driver from an outside source and put it
in a place where the laptop can find it? I would really like to be
able to configure the 302 from a laptop via USB since the 302 serial
port is now tied up with the Oudie connection, and the Oudie will not
run the PDA version of the Cambridge utility. Thanks....

NG

[Darryl Ramm]

On Sep 10, 4:54*pm, NG > wrote:
> Anybody successful in connecting a Cambridge 302 to a laptop using the
> new USB port? *The instructions say that the laptop should find the
> necessary driver on the device, mine does not, says it can not find
> driver software for DLP-TXRX, and that's as far as I can get. *Is it
> possible to get the necessary driver from an outside source and put it
> in a place where the laptop can find it? *I would really like to be
> able to configure the 302 from a laptop via USB since the 302 serial
> port is now tied up with the Oudie connection, and the Oudie will not
> run the PDA version of the Cambridge utility. * *Thanks....
>
> NG

God this whole thing is such a half-baked piece of crap. Many peopel
don't get this is just a USB to serial adapter Cambridge has stuffed
into the C302. Done a poor job doing that, and then done a poor job
with explaining the feature, poor documentation and support. You are
probalby better off using one of several commerciallty available USB
to serial adopters. I like this one
http://www.amazon.com/Keyspan-Speed-Serial-Adapter-USA-19HS/dp/B0000VYJRY
$30 well spent and it comes with pretty good drivers, actual support,
etc.

--


Ive asked before for people to let me know the chipset the host sees
in this adapter. Nobody replied. If you are a technical computer
person then you may want to try the drivers at http://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm
Follow the (technical) discussion there to the right drivers for the
chipset. If you are not technical computer person I would seriously
suggest getting the Keyspan device above. It will help in future if
you say what OS and version you running when asking for things like
help with drivers.


Darryl

[Canav8]

On Sep 10, 7:29*pm, Darryl Ramm > wrote:
> On Sep 10, 4:54*pm, NG > wrote:
>
> > Anybody successful in connecting a Cambridge 302 to a laptop using the
> > new USB port? *The instructions say that the laptop should find the
> > necessary driver on the device, mine does not, says it can not find
> > driver software for DLP-TXRX, and that's as far as I can get. *Is it
> > possible to get the necessary driver from an outside source and put it
> > in a place where the laptop can find it? *I would really like to be
> > able to configure the 302 from a laptop via USB since the 302 serial
> > port is now tied up with the Oudie connection, and the Oudie will not
> > run the PDA version of the Cambridge utility. * *Thanks....
>
> > NG
>
> God this whole thing is such a half-baked piece of crap. Many peopel
> don't get this is just a USB to serial adapter Cambridge has stuffed
> into the C302. Done a poor job doing that, and then done a poor job
> with explaining the feature, poor documentation and support. You are
> probalby better off using one of several commerciallty available USB
> to serial adopters. I like this onehttp://www.amazon.com/Keyspan-Speed-Serial-Adapter-USA-19HS/dp/B0000V...
> $30 well spent and it comes with pretty good drivers, actual support,
> etc.
>
> --
>
> Ive asked before for people to let me know the chipset the host sees
> in this adapter. Nobody replied. If you are a technical computer
> person then you may want to try the drivers athttp://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm
> Follow the (technical) discussion there to the right drivers for the
> chipset. If you are not technical computer person I would seriously
> suggest getting the Keyspan device above. It will help in future if
> you say what OS and version you running when asking for things like
> help with drivers.
>
> Darryl

Darryl, I will let you know as soon as I get it to work. I am waiting
for a Fedex package to be delivered tomorrow with the USB 302A. I was
not blowing you off. I had to send my 302A back to Jeff because the
302A quit working.I tried to get the serial adapter working using your
advice and some how I deleted the firmware on the 302. I am not
blaming you but somehow in all my limited knowledge of trying to get
the basic 302 to work with my laptop, I deleted the firmware according
to Jeff. He promises that the CD and the cord will be included to make
it work with any laptop. I remain cautiously optimistic. I will report
everything you requested when I get it to work. Thanks for your
understanding. Doug

[NG[_2_]]

On Sep 10, 10:29*pm, Darryl Ramm > wrote:
> On Sep 10, 4:54*pm, NG > wrote:
>
> > Anybody successful in connecting a Cambridge 302 to a laptop using the
> > new USB port? *The instructions say that the laptop should find the
> > necessary driver on the device, mine does not, says it can not find
> > driver software for DLP-TXRX, and that's as far as I can get. *Is it
> > possible to get the necessary driver from an outside source and put it
> > in a place where the laptop can find it? *I would really like to be
> > able to configure the 302 from a laptop via USB since the 302 serial
> > port is now tied up with the Oudie connection, and the Oudie will not
> > run the PDA version of the Cambridge utility. * *Thanks....
>
> > NG
>
> God this whole thing is such a half-baked piece of crap. Many peopel
> don't get this is just a USB to serial adapter Cambridge has stuffed
> into the C302. Done a poor job doing that, and then done a poor job
> with explaining the feature, poor documentation and support. You are
> probalby better off using one of several commerciallty available USB
> to serial adopters. I like this onehttp://www.amazon.com/Keyspan-Speed-Serial-Adapter-USA-19HS/dp/B0000V...
> $30 well spent and it comes with pretty good drivers, actual support,
> etc.
>
> --
>
> Ive asked before for people to let me know the chipset the host sees
> in this adapter. Nobody replied. If you are a technical computer
> person then you may want to try the drivers athttp://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm
> Follow the (technical) discussion there to the right drivers for the
> chipset. If you are not technical computer person I would seriously
> suggest getting the Keyspan device above. It will help in future if
> you say what OS and version you running when asking for things like
> help with drivers.
>
> Darryl

Thanks, I just ordered the serial-usb adapter and will try that. My
laptop is 32-bit Vista, by the way. I also queried R-Track about the
USB driver issue. Not sure how I would tell 'what chipset the host
sees in this adapter'...

NG

[T8]

On Sep 10, 11:35*pm, NG > wrote:
> On Sep 10, 10:29*pm, Darryl Ramm > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Sep 10, 4:54*pm, NG > wrote:
>
> > > Anybody successful in connecting a Cambridge 302 to a laptop using the
> > > new USB port? *The instructions say that the laptop should find the
> > > necessary driver on the device, mine does not, says it can not find
> > > driver software for DLP-TXRX, and that's as far as I can get. *Is it
> > > possible to get the necessary driver from an outside source and put it
> > > in a place where the laptop can find it? *I would really like to be
> > > able to configure the 302 from a laptop via USB since the 302 serial
> > > port is now tied up with the Oudie connection, and the Oudie will not
> > > run the PDA version of the Cambridge utility. * *Thanks....
>
> > > NG
>
> > God this whole thing is such a half-baked piece of crap. Many peopel
> > don't get this is just a USB to serial adapter Cambridge has stuffed
> > into the C302. Done a poor job doing that, and then done a poor job
> > with explaining the feature, poor documentation and support. You are
> > probalby better off using one of several commerciallty available USB
> > to serial adopters. I like this onehttp://www.amazon.com/Keyspan-Speed-Serial-Adapter-USA-19HS/dp/B0000V...
> > $30 well spent and it comes with pretty good drivers, actual support,
> > etc.
>
> > --
>
> > Ive asked before for people to let me know the chipset the host sees
> > in this adapter. Nobody replied. If you are a technical computer
> > person then you may want to try the drivers athttp://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm
> > Follow the (technical) discussion there to the right drivers for the
> > chipset. If you are not technical computer person I would seriously
> > suggest getting the Keyspan device above. It will help in future if
> > you say what OS and version you running when asking for things like
> > help with drivers.
>
> > Darryl
>
> Thanks, I just ordered the serial-usb adapter and will try that. *My
> laptop is 32-bit Vista, by the way. *I also queried R-Track about the
> USB driver issue. *Not sure how I would tell 'what chipset the host
> sees in this adapter'...
>
> NG

I hate to admit to being a Vista user (I'm a Mac guy with a Toshiba
laptop to handle applications such as the C-302, Seeyou, etc.), but my
Vista machine did sort out the proper driver on its own. Slowly, as I
recall.

the "upgrade" is a real lashup, yes. It's tempting to rant on about
some other 302 oddities, but I'm going flying today. See ya!

Evan Ludeman / T8

[Darryl Ramm]

On Sep 10, 8:35*pm, NG > wrote:
> On Sep 10, 10:29*pm, Darryl Ramm > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Sep 10, 4:54*pm, NG > wrote:
>
> > > Anybody successful in connecting a Cambridge 302 to a laptop using the
> > > new USB port? *The instructions say that the laptop should find the
> > > necessary driver on the device, mine does not, says it can not find
> > > driver software for DLP-TXRX, and that's as far as I can get. *Is it
> > > possible to get the necessary driver from an outside source and put it
> > > in a place where the laptop can find it? *I would really like to be
> > > able to configure the 302 from a laptop via USB since the 302 serial
> > > port is now tied up with the Oudie connection, and the Oudie will not
> > > run the PDA version of the Cambridge utility. * *Thanks....
>
> > > NG
>
> > God this whole thing is such a half-baked piece of crap. Many peopel
> > don't get this is just a USB to serial adapter Cambridge has stuffed
> > into the C302. Done a poor job doing that, and then done a poor job
> > with explaining the feature, poor documentation and support. You are
> > probalby better off using one of several commerciallty available USB
> > to serial adopters. I like this onehttp://www.amazon.com/Keyspan-Speed-Serial-Adapter-USA-19HS/dp/B0000V...
> > $30 well spent and it comes with pretty good drivers, actual support,
> > etc.
>
> > --
>
> > Ive asked before for people to let me know the chipset the host sees
> > in this adapter. Nobody replied. If you are a technical computer
> > person then you may want to try the drivers athttp://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm
> > Follow the (technical) discussion there to the right drivers for the
> > chipset. If you are not technical computer person I would seriously
> > suggest getting the Keyspan device above. It will help in future if
> > you say what OS and version you running when asking for things like
> > help with drivers.
>
> > Darryl
>
> Thanks, I just ordered the serial-usb adapter and will try that. *My
> laptop is 32-bit Vista, by the way. *I also queried R-Track about the
> USB driver issue. *Not sure how I would tell 'what chipset the host
> sees in this adapter'...
>
> NG

You should be able to tell what USB chipset is present even if it is
not working. Go to the Windows device manager and look under
"Universal Serial Bus Controllers" and expand that list and double-
click on what looks like
the USB to serial converter (or anything else there that looks new -
easy to tell by plugging and unplugging the C302 and see what
appears) . Then tell me what is on the "General" and "Driver>Driver
Details" panels for that device.

But either way it looks like it is an FTDI USB to serial converter
chip (or one of their fancier chips that includes that capability) and
probalby an OEM board from DLP (i.e. why the DLP-TXRX warning). I
should have provided the next level link to the FTDI drivers at
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm People can always try
installing the drivers from there. I've not tried, you are on your
own. Advanced users can also find USB driver tools here
http://www.dlpdesign.com/#Drivers

Proper documentation from Cambrodge would deal with how to handle
driver problems. Windows Plug and Play is always problematic and just
shipping product and hoping this works is silly.

Darryl

[NG[_2_]]

Thanks for the many helpful suggestions. Here's where the painful
path has taken me so far:

Jeff at R-Track kindly provided the USB driver by email, and I
installed it by hand. I also installed the similar FTDI driver
recommended by Darryl. Neither worked. I did see the dancing mouse
cursor issue mentioned by some in other threads. No amount of
rebooting or reinstalling made a difference.

The serial-to-usb adapter I ordered has a large housing for the
electronics integrated with the serial plug, too large to fit onto the
back of the 302. So I ordered a serial extension cable, it arrived a
few days ago. Today, I finally got that hooked up, and the laptop
recognized it and assigned it as port 17. I fired up the Cambridge
utility, set the port to 'other' and number 17, and... nothing. I
finally tried remapping the adapter port assignment to port 1 using
the adapter assistant software, and set that in the Cambridge utility,
and... SUCCESS! Perhaps when the Cambridge utility software was
written nobody ever thought there might be so many ports available,
and it's out of the undocumented usable range?

So, again, thanks for the help. I agree the usb mod on the 302 is
useless, but at least I can now set the aircraft type and
identification (the only two things that must be done using the
Cambridge utility, with no other work-around option).

By the way, I also now have one of the new LX Nano flight recorders,
absolutely love it, so simple to use, no connection to the glider
required at all, connects effortlessly to any laptop for declarations,
just turn it on and put it in your shirt pocket -- really makes the
302 seem like an antique as a recorder, though of course I still value
all of the flight computer and variometer functions.

NG