Anyone use nikkai usb serial converter from maplins?
Turbo Mini Forums

I cant seem to install mine. It says its plug and play and doesn't need the disk. I cant get it to install with the disk in or out :(

Any advice?

try updating it via windows update? It will ask you to check the internet for drivers, worked for mine. (although not from maplin)

"Cars are a lifetime of pain"

i think t2clubby has one of these, he had some issues with it, but did get it working.

having faffed around with usb convertors i tried a pcmia-232 convertor worked a treat, was ony a fiver off ebay too! would never bother with the usb ones again.

I use the PCMCIA one's at work too for out PAT testing devices. The USB one's are nothing but trouble.

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

I have also heard of problems with the Maplins one, so I bought cheap and cheerful off eBay - four in total because of all the Megasquirt and TechEdge stuff I'm working with.

Out of the four, three work perfectly on both desktop and laptop, and the fourth only works on the desktop (despite me installing the drivers exactly the same on the laptop).

But the cost of all four including postage from different sellers) was less than the cost of one from Maplins at the time I bought them.......

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

This thing was £15...

my mate is coming over with his laptop to try it on his if not Im going to take the desktop outside again! (has a serial port)



I will

The issue with them generally is the drivers and the way you have to install them (in many cases they have to be installed before you plug the thing in, not after....)

There only seem to be about 2 or 3 different "chips" inside them, irrespective of who is selling them.

The eBay ones are generally about £3.50 inc. postage (just search on " USB serial ")

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

I gave up with it in the end. Took the desktop outside. Car is now running

Hi,
I have a desktop strapped to my 4 gas and Sun analyser on a trolley. Looks like some sort of demented robot, lol
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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i had trouble installing mine on my laptop (maplin item with windows vista). dont think the drivers that come with it work on vista. had to download some special drivers off the net.
i can send the installer to you if you like, might be worth a shot.

Keyspan US-19HS or something like that works well

I got one off ebay recently, for not a lot of money.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

thats where i got it, let me know if it works.