advice on a USB/serial interface

[Carlo Tonazzi]

Hello everyone! I recently finished building and boxing up my Utracer 3+, but I can't get the communication between the GUI and the Utracer.  I'm sure the board works because Ronald personally tested it, including the RS232 part , but with my old Windows 7 laptop and the blue Dtech USB/R232 cable with FTDI chip purchased on Amazon, I'm getting no response from the Utracer (see the attached picture). The device appears to be working properly in the PC's peripherals list, but in reality, it doesn't. Before purchasing another USB/serial cable, I'd like your advice on finding one that's guaranteed to work.

many many thanks

[Eliad Culcea]

Amazon.com: DTECH USB to Serial Adapter Cable with RS232 DB9 Male Port FTDI Chipset Supports Windows 10 8 7 and Mac Linux - 4 Feet : Electronics

I used this one, it looks similar to the picture you provide.

Eliad

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From: utr...@googlegroups.com <utr...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Carlo Tonazzi <tonn...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2025 4:15 AM
To: uTracer <utr...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: advice on a USB/serial interface

 

Hello everyone! I recently finished building and boxing up my Utracer 3+, but I can't get the communication between the GUI and the Utracer.  I'm sure the board works because Ronald personally tested it, including the RS232 part , but with my old Windows 7 laptop and the blue Dtech USB/R232 cable with FTDI chip purchased on Amazon, I'm getting no response from the Utracer (see the attached picture). The device appears to be working properly in the PC's peripherals list, but in reality, it doesn't. Before purchasing another USB/serial cable, I'd like your advice on finding one that's guaranteed to work.

many many thanks

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[Tim Goldstein]

I could never get an FTDI based version to work with the uTracer even though they were fine for other products. Got this one on Amazon https://amzn.to/4fTEpF6 and i5 worked perfectly. Other group members warned me that FTDI versions were problematic with uTracer.

[Carlo Tonazzi]

thank you very much!  If Eliad managed to get the utracer to work with the same interface I have, I have to think that my problem is on the driver or PC side...

[Carlo Tonazzi]

Today I tested the Dtech usb/serial interface with another PC with windows 10: this setup works with Utracer but... inconsistently...I'll take Tim's advice into account.

thank you again

[Big Josh]

Try adjusting the com port buffer settings in Windows. 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/utracer/28f8e1cc-b071-4f9b-bde7-9abe7711cb2fn%40googlegroups.com.

[Carlo Tonazzi]

thank you Josh but I don't know of an easy way to increase the buffer, this setting is not among the direct features of Windows 7 

[Big Josh]

You need to go to Device Manager in Windows to change those settings. Find the correct port listed under COM Ports, and then you will find the settings there.

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[Carlo Tonazzi]

the buffer was already at maximum values ​​but I decreased the latency time and increased the minimum and maximum reading timeout time and miraculously it seems to work :):) moreover before to go whit tubes I will do a lot more tests....

[Big Josh]

Yes, the trick if to decrease the buffer, not raise it. Glad it worked for you.

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[Carlo Tonazzi]

Aargh Josh! I assumed your suggestion was to check that the buffer size was the maximum as recommended by Ronald, even in the advanced settings it says "select higher settings for faster performance" 

Instead you suggest reducing the values, but by how much?

[Big Josh]

Whatever works, that's all that matters. 😉

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