MacBook Pro RS232 serial / DOS

Post by **HumHead** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:16 pm

I'm really close to picking up a MacBook Pro, and would love to be able to make it the "everything" computer.

It does not have an onboard RS232 port, but RS232 ExpressPort cards are not very hard to come by. Given that it actually runs XP natively, I would be willing (some may twitch at this) to try my luck at using it for programming with XP friendly applications.

The questions for today are:
1) Anyone else done this? Any problems? I know of people who program XTS5000s with the USB cable without any apparent problems.

2) Does anyone have a particular favorite or despised RS232 ExpressCard?

3) Can you install DOS on one of these beasts, and if so, can you get it to talk to an ExpressCard serial port?

Thanks!

Post by **alex** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:47 pm

Bootcamp will allow you to install XP, and probably a variety of other "unsupported" operating systems.

The one thing I have not done yet is try and make something other than XP run.

It's on the to-do list, since I work with the mac os/unix a lot at work... I'm trying to build a 1 box that does it all.

I have heard that the macbook's running in native windows under bootcamp will in fact read/write to radios that support programming via USB.

I have a system at home if you want to test next week - i can try and dig up windows at work, or maybe try to put dos on it depending on how my schedule works out.

-Alex

emsbuff3240 · Post by **emsbuff3240** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:47 pm

The new macs are really nice, i just picked up a mac mini, i still have my windows desktop for programming, but i plan to invest in one of those laptops in the future, after OSX lepoard comes out with some more software upgrades.

Let me know how installing XP and using the serial port card works.

I have heard of USB to serial converters as well, I have never tried one though, heres one that might work for you...

http://www.sfcable.com/catalog/wholesal ... 30-40.html

Post by **alex** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:35 pm

The discussion of USB-Serial converters has been covered here at naseum (SP?).

If you search around - you'll find that most people's suggestion is using a PC Card with an actual UART on it to better handle the serial line addressing.

If you are running XP under boot camp - there should be very little to no software conflicts between the hardware and the OS. It should work 100% as advertised.

-Alex

Param-A-Dic · Post by **Param-A-Dic** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:41 am

i've done it...and do it almost every day...i have a black macbook with upgraded ram, bootcamp and winXP. i use a USB serial converter. i bought the Bafo BF-810 USB serial adapter. i guess that is the only one Motorola actually endorses.
i have had 100% success with it. programmed everything from MCS2000 to HT/CDM series, GR1225 and minitor 5...and everything Icom, Kenwood and Vertex.
if its windows software, it will work
the only problem i have come across is programming minitor 3/4. you can read the pager w/no problem, but when you write the pager it will invariably give you a serial communicairons error. it does however work just the same. if you write the data to the pager, click OK on the serial transmition error, and then read the pager it comes up with everything you programmed into it...and it seems to work just fine..
just to be sure though i still use an older computer for M3/4s

i love it...i don't have to lug around 2 computers anymore