I have a lot of projects I'd like to make, and I seem to need UART cables all the time. The NerdKit only came with one cable, does anyone know where to get more?

For cheap, anyway. I usually buy them from the NerdKits store but I was wondering if anyone has seen some cheaper. I don't have a whole lot of money to spend on cables

The NK cable no longer works with Windows 8!!

I sure wish I was wrong.

Ralph

Here's a list of various types on eBay. Can't beat China prices, just have to wait a few weeks to receive.

Ralph, It's not that bad. You can still use the PL2303HX on everything except windows 8. And the new PL2303TA will work on windows 8 at some point if not already. Windows 8 is still very new so there will likely be problems with it for a while. As for support or comment from the Nerdkits folks, they're out to pasture as near as I can tell.

I am having to use a VMware virtual machine running XPPro so I am able to use the NK cable.

It would just be nice to use Windows 8 since I have it, I will eventually install Ubuntu which I had just started to get used to when my last computer died.

Ralph

You could always build this serial port interface on a breadboard if your new computer has a real serial port. That's what I did the first time my nerdkit usb cable died. Worked so well I used it for several months.

Great info, thanks! I also am disappointed by having no Windows 8 support, because I bought a Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500t (it's pretty unknown) and it has a USB port on it which would have been great for programming. I'm not sure it could handle a virtual machine though.

You could also create a dual boot Ubuntu/Win8 machine pretty easily (search "GParted" for a partitioning tool that works well). Heck, you can even get a thumb drive to host a Linux system complete with local storage. Not fast but it works.

Or just get an FT232 or CP2102 based USB serial adapter. These can be bought on eBay for as little as $5

You have to have a serial port to use a serial adapter, or have a USB/serial adapter.

You know I had a USB serial adapter I wonder if I can find the driver and then if it will be compatible with Windows 8. I like to try Paul's circuit.

The Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500t is a Windows 8 computer so you can run a virtual machine. The VMware Player is free for a single user non commercial. There are other virtual machines, microsoft used to have one I do not know if it is still available.

Ralph

If you want to build your own, you could get an AT90USB162 ($3.71 at Mouser), solder it onto a TQFP32-DIP adapter ($2.40 eBay), download the LUFA library (free), and compile/load/run the USBtoSerial (USB to UART) sample. That wouldn't cost much and you'd have a lot of fun doing it.

Paul do you have a schematic of the circuit?

Just what I need another distraction, darn I have to get some work done,oh wait a moment no I don't I am retired, geesch I got all this time on my hands.

Ralph

That was hilarious :p

Don't have a schematic but the wiring is pretty straight forward. The datasheet shows diagrams for connecting to the usb and the only other connection would be an ISP programmer to load the USBtoSerial sample and then the serial RX/TX to the nerdkit chip to program it via the AT90.

Come to think of it, I did make a little adapter board so I could use a standard usb cable.

You can see it in use here on my USB_TPI programmer.