[geeks] Suggestions for USB to serial adapter?

[Joshua Boyd]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 10:56:43AM -0600, Cody Swanson wrote:
> Joshua Boyd wrote:
>> On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 11:41:24PM -0600, Cody Swanson wrote:
>>> Make sure it can send a break signal! A lot of the cheaper ones 
>>> can't. I  bought a belkin one and it works great except it can't send 
>>> a break so  it's pretty much useless as a console adapter.
>>>
>>> I hear the keyspan ones are pretty good, with support for break in   
>>> hardware etc.
>>>
>>> http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtModelID=3914
>>>
>>> Not the cheapest but certainly one of the best.
>>
>> I too hear that keyspan is good.  But, which chipset can't send breaks?
>
> Not too sure what the chipset is but the adapter is a belkin F5U109.

What platform are you using?  That adapter appears to use the MCT U232.
The source for the linux driver indicates that the hardware does
breaks.  Now, it could be that the hardware has controls for breaks, but
fails to do them correctly internally, or it could be that the driver
you are using doesn't do them correctly.

Also, I wouldn't call that Belkin cheaper.  The cheapest I can find it
for is about equal in cost to the Keyspan.  Most actually cheap devices
(but clearly not all) use Prolific chips, which do break correctly in my
experience.