Keyspan USB to Serial device

[tonydenson]

I have a Keyspan USA-19HS USB to serial converter, and it works fine in native Mac OS X, also works fine plugged into a real Windows XP machine, but if I try to run it via VM Ware Fusion and XP it fails to even run its self test diagnostics (although the device can be seen). Anyone else doing this successfully ?

[drval]

I'm using it successfully on a MBP 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo with 4GB of RAM, with 2 GB of that dedicated to the Guest and performance preference set for Guest. I find that, if I don't do this but only allocate 1 GB of RAM then I get intermittent access. Even with the 2 GB allocation, I find that I have to plug, unplug and then replug the USB in order for XP to "find" and actually utilize the adapter.

[tonydenson]

Oh dear. I'm running on a 2GB MacBook and cannot add any more memory.

[drval]

OK, I spoke too soon. Now I'm having real problems with accessing the KeySpan. I've even taken down the memory allocation to just under 2 GB (following a suggestion posted elsewhere about not using MORE than 2 GB but this hasn't helped. So, now I'm looking for more clues as to what else to try.

[drval]

I am now getting consistent failures of the KeySpan 19HS in an XP guest. I'm using v3.4 of their driver as it has been reported to be more stable in XP than their 3.7 Vista compatible driver. I've tried AutoConnect on and off for USB with no discernible difference. I'm on a MBP 2.4 GHz C2S with 4 GBa of RAM, just under 2GBs allocated to the VM which uses a Boot Camp partition of 116 GBs. OS X is v10.5.2; Fusion v1.1.1 build 72241; VMTools 7.6.2.

Any good ideas -- or even bad ones -- would be appreciated.

[Neben]

Could you try changing the Endpoints to Bulk? The if the driver has some built in timing requirements for interrupt endpoints, then it may fail.

You can change the endpoins by opening the device manager in the guest, double click on the keyspan COM port under Ports, click the Port Settings tab, click on Start Assistant, click on the properties tab and finally click on the High Performance (bulk) radio button.

There does seem to be some problems with running the Loopback tests that we're looking into, but hopefully this will help you in the short term.

[drval]

Thanks. I'll try that and let you know. I'm not sure but I think I did try that before but perhaps I've forgotten those details. It may be a week or more before I can test this as I don't have the hardware past the adapter itself but I will let you know what happens. Thanks again for the idea.

[russgum]

I got a long lecture (explanation) from support at Keyspan on why they do no support their serial converters being used with Fusion. Also the Fusion documentation seems to say they only support files being used for serial input. So my analysis is that Fusion and serial input is not supported and thus likely to not work. The Keyspan folks suggested that I use BootCamp instead. They support BootCamp. So drats, I need to use a serial port to input data from a scale to a windows database program. I guess BootCamp is OK but I am not sure it is any better than just buying a PC. At least I can get a reasonably priced bundle of a computer and Windows XP pro instead of having to buy a Mac and turn it into a PC with BootCamp and then buying an expensive copy of XP pro.

Is my analysis correct. Anyone have a better suggestion?

TIA

Russ

[Neben]

Well, it looks like the issue is with Fusion and not the Keyspan device, per se. It's not really fair for Keyspan, or any other manufacturer, to bend over backward to work around any current limitations in VMware's USB virtualization, but if we find that they're doing something funky in their driver or device, we'll let them know.

We've got an internal bug tracking the issue now.

[drval]

Just to be clear, Boot Camp consistently supports the successful operation of the KeySpan adapter even in the "non-bulk" specification of endpoints. Fusion is now consistently failing, as I documented above, but I have not yet been able to test the "bulk" endpoint specification. yes, having to use Boot Camp is inconvenient and I'd really like for Fusion to come up with a real solution for this. Of course, like many others, I'd also really like to have true, multi-monitor support but that's another issue for another thread (just a gentle reminder and yes I know it's in your list and I'm glad it is).

[dslund]

My Keyspan USB to Serial adapter is in a drawer. Instead now I use a pair of Prolific chipset adapters - they work fine both in OSX and Fusion. I use the adapters to control a couple of ham radio rigs. The keyspan was very unreliable.

[drval]

Do you have a specific model number?

[dslund]

My Keyspan is P/N USA-19HS

[russgum]

19qw is the model number I have. However Keyspan support says they do

not support even their newer models for use with Fusion.

[drval]

You said: "now I use a pair of Prolific chipset adapters"; can you be more specific about THEIR model numbers, etc.

I'm well aware of the KeySpan 19QW (having used it for years in USB1 days) as well as the KeySpan 19HS (having used IT since USB2).

[dslund]

I love Spotlight. The units that I have are Newegg's Kinamax 1 FT USB to Serial DB9 (9 pin) RS232 Cable Model CB-RS232. Their part number is N82E16812203018 and lists for $7.49. They work great for me in both OSX and Fusion running XP, Vista and Win2K.

Hope this helps.

David

[drval]

OK, I tried changing the endpoints to "Bulk" and this has had no impact at all on the behavior: ie, I still get consistent failures.

In re: to the following suggestion (posted further up in this thread):

"Could you try changing the Endpoints to Bulk? The if the driver has some built in timing requirements for interrupt endpoints, then it may fail.

You can change the endpoins by opening the device manager in the guest, double click on the keyspan COM port under Ports, click the Port Settings tab, click on Start Assistant, click on the properties tab and finally click on the High Performance (bulk) radio button."

[Neben]

We found the issue and have an internal fix. I'll update this thread when we release it.

[drval]

OK. Thanks for the updated info. So I gather that what I'm reporting is expected behavior under 1.1.1 or 1.1.2.

[Neben]

Yes, 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 have the problem.