RS232 Bit Rate Converter Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does delivery take?

A: I send them by Registered Post from Australia, This takes 5 - 10 business days to most countries.

Q: Can you deliver faster than that?

A: Yes, I can send by courier although this will cost you extra. If you would like to get your units faster, do not order via the web form, email me directly at sales@serialgadget.com and I will work out how much a courier would cost to your location. I usually use Express Courier International who can deliver in 2 - 4 business days to most countries.

Q: Can it run off 12V ?

A: So many people asked this question that I changed the design. Model RS001 is 5V only, some of the RS002 models can take 12V - check the label printed on your device. From model RS003 it can take any voltage from 5V to 12V.

Q: What kind of plug do I need for the power input ?

A: You need a "DC Barrel Plug" with an inside diameter of 2.5mm, an outside diameter of 5.5mm and a shaft length of 9mm or longer. Most off-the-shelf plug packs and power adapters come with this type of plug, it is very common.

Q: My power supply is rated much higher than 100mA, will this damage the Rate Converter?

A: No, the current rating of a power supply is simply the maximum current it can produce. Any power supply rated more than 100mA will be suitable for the Rate Converter. In fact, a current rating of 250mA or more would be preferable because you are not running too close to the power supply's limit and there would be less chance of the power supply overheating.

Q: So what is the recommended voltage and current rating for the power supply?

A: I recommend running at 5 or 6 volts with a power supply rated at 250mA or higher. The lower voltage will give greater energy efficiency and the higher current rating will result in less stress on the power supply. Both the power supply and the Rate Converter will run cooler.

Q: Is the chassis of the DB9 plug connected to ground ?

A: No. I spent a lot of time thinking about whether to ground it but I decided not to because it might cause ground loops in your equipment. If you would really like it grounded, it is easy enough to do it yourself by opening it up and soldering a wire from the power jack ground to each DB9 chassis ground.

Q: Can it do <insert baud rate here> ?

A: There is a baud rate calculator on this website. Click here to try it out. You can type in your desired baud rate and it will tell you the closest rate the device can actually do. All common rates are supported and quite a few uncommon ones too from a minimum of 46bps to a maximum of 115200bps.

Q: What happens when the memory buffer is full ?

A: The buffer will empty out by itself when given time, but if there is a constant stream of incoming data which has to be slowed down, the buffer will fill up. Then it will start dropping random bytes out of the data stream, here is an example:

    INPUT: Hello, I am running out of buffer space...

    OUTPUT: Hello, I a ngt ufrsc.

Q: Can it be powered from a pin on the serial port ?

A: No, but since most of the pins are not connected you could easily modify it to do so. Open it up and solder a wire from an unconnected port pin to the power socket. See the user manual for a pin-out of the serial ports.

Q: Can you modify it to do X ?

A: Maybe. Send an email to adam@siliconsparrow.com and I will consider your request. If it is something that will enhance the product I will most likely do it but if your request is effectively a custom modification just for you, then you probably want to see the next question...

Q: Can you design a custom product for me ?

A: Yes, but I would charge you for my design work. Contact me at adam@siliconsparrow.com and we can talk about your requirements.