new mobo doesn't have serial port, now what?

[Jeff22]

I just bought this motherboard Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

I assumed that it would have a serial port and didn't even think about checking the specs for one.

I have a Tyco ELO touchscreen monitor that uses the serial port for it's touch capability.

I see that there are PCI cards that have serial ports on them, and there are also Serial to USB adapters.

Do you think the touchscreen will work using either a card or adapter? Is it better to go with the serial PCI card or the USB adapter?

[Steve R Jones]

Very few mobos have serial ports

I would be inclined to want to try the PCI card version first.

[Jeff22]

I was thinking the PCI version would probably be best too but I found a USB adapter at a local store and picked it up. Just got done installing it and the touchscreen is working just like it did before.

[Sgtmacabre]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff22

I was thinking the PCI version would probably be best too but I found a USB adapter at a local store and picked it up. Just got done installing it and the touchscreen is working just like it did before.

1. USB is much faster than serial
2. USB is hot-swappable(plug and play) where as serial is not.
3. Serial ports are very old. they were made to link to pcs before patch cables and hook up old school pdas and such. USB 2.0 is much much faster.

Most new touchscreens are dual serial with usb as well.

The serial option is made for older POS systems that where using OLD CRT touchscreens. The serial option on new screens is made with serial support to be backwards compatible with the older POS systems that are still is high use in many store fronts.

Im glad you found what you needed.

[RacerX]

Glad you got it working.
FYI for anyone else, that mobo does have the com port (serial port) on it, they just don't include the cable for it.
here's an example of one:
Gigabyte Motherboard Cable Set GA-EP45-UD3P LPT1 & COM1 - eBay (item 130316320623 end time Jan-28-10 06:43:49 PST)

just be sure to check your mobo manual that the pinout is correct.

[Sgtmacabre]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RacerX

Glad you got it working.
FYI for anyone else, that mobo does have the com port (serial port) on it, they just don't include the cable for it.

Yes he is right , i just looked, COM (communications[serial]) port is under the LPT(line print terminal[printer]) port. You are better off witht he USB anyway though

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

its on the right side at the bottom, next to the last PCI port. LPT is black Serial is WHITE and you would have to get a cable like he metioned to use it

[Jeff22]

oh man that would probably have been cheaper than buying the usb adapter. oh well it's up and running now and this mobo has way more usb ports than i will ever need so might as well use some of them

[RacerX]

yeah it does.
i recently picked up the UD3P, that's how i knew about the com port on it.

Overall nice boards, but can be tricky on extreme overclocking.


which adapter did you get, since a lot of the cheaper ones don't work, and it sounds like the one you got does?

[Jeff22]

I don't have the package anymore but it was made by IOGEAR.

I am running XP and it works great, just install the drivers off the cd it comes with and it gives the usb adapter a serial port address, it called mine COM3.

When I ran the touchscreen setup disk it saw COM3 as an available port so i chose it and it works with no problems just like it sees a real serial port.

I paid about $40 for it though which is kind of pricey, but I wanted to get it that day so i could finish setting the computer up.