Steve, I agree that both RS-232 and 802.1 (Ethernet) are standard communications protocols and can be viable. BUT How many of the ham applications today operate over an Ethernet connection? Do you want to give up your favorite logger or radio control application because the author has coded for serial port communications? When I see those applications providing communications over Ethernet, then I say it would be a better solution, but it is not today's reality. Yes, we could use a serial to Ethernet adapter, but isn't that just as bad as a USB to Serial adapter. The Serial to Ethernet adapter approach is not going to allow the full benefit of an Ethernet implementation which is having the K3 on a network connection and available anywhere TCP/IP can address it.
When a number of Ham Radio applications begin to support Ethernet communications (Ham Radio Deluxe does have capability for remote control, but needs another copy running at the remote site to convert that to serial), then I will concede that Ethernet is a good solution. In the meantime, we are using serial port communications, and it does work very well as long as the computer has a good serial port - USB adapters sometimes provide good serial ports, but others do not. As far as I am concerned, USB support and Firewire support are fraught with limitations because they require driver support for each device in the computer. RS-232 and Ethernet require only driver support in the computer for the communications port itself and not every device that hangs off that port. The application being run provides the data stream that is directed through that port. 73, Don W3FPR S Sacco wrote: > Great debate, but perhaps misplaced? > > Would not a better answer be an Ethernet connection on the K3? > > 73, > Steve > > > > On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 5:50 PM, Joe Planisky <jp...@jeffnet.org> wrote: > >> Comments embedded. >> >> >> On Mar 14, 2010, at 11:41 AM, Eric Manning wrote: >> >> >>>> Placing a USB port in the K3 would simply move the USB UART >>>> currently found in the USB to serial converter onto the KIO3 >>>> board. >>>> >>> Correct, and would thus avoid the un-necessary and superfluous >>> packaging >>> and connector costs of the USB/RS232 dongle. >>> >>>> ... >>>> >>>> Going to USB requires a substantial added >>>> investment by the manufacturer and a major ongoing support >>>> cost. >>>> >>>> >>> True, depending on what you mean by substantial and major. >>> But avoids us customers being forced to buy thousands of those stupid >>> and crash-prone dongles. >>> >> So wait a second. You admit that putting a USB interface in the K3 >> would essentially be repackaging the same chips that are in the >> dongles into the K3. But then you condemn those dongles (and by >> association the chips in them) as "stupid" and "crash-prone". How >> will putting the same chips into the K3 make them any less "stupid" >> and "crash-prone"? >> >> If my external dongle doesn't work with my particular hardware and/or >> software, I can go out and buy a different one for less than $20. >> Yes, an irritation and an inconvenience. But if my K3 (with the >> hypothetical built-in USB interface) doesn't work with my hardware/ >> software, then what do I do? >> >> 73 >> -- >> Joe KB8AP >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> >> > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2746 - Release Date: 03/14/10 > 03:33:00 > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
