Hey All! Getting ready to install my MS3 on a stick (for now) 94.

I use an old windows based PC that has a serial port, however the MS3 supports USB also. I was planning to simply run a serial cable, any reason I should go USB instead?

I am not sure if Brain loaded a base map or not- so I want to be ready to connect.

Thanks is advance!

 

If Brainy actually built the MS3 including the serial port (RS232), then there's no reason not to use it. In theory RS232 should be electrically a little more reliable than USB, if memory serves me right. I'm not sure what the standard baud rates are, so it may be a tad bit slower, but not slow enough to annoy you.

 

Thanks- I presume he did as there is a serial input on the side with the USB!

 

The USB is built into the MS3. And its all serial. There is just an onboard FTDI chip to convert the RS232 signal to USB

 

my personal experience with both is:
usb - awesome. no issues.
serial - a giant unreliable constantly disconnecting piece of crap

 

Were you using a computer with a serial port?

 

I have used both connectors on my MS3X. I use USB exclusively now. It works perfectly in Linux, OS X, and Windows 7/8.1. Your MS also came with a basemap installed as Braineack uses it to test that the MS is working.

 

The USB connector is just an onboard RS232-USB converter. Uses the same chip a lot of the cables use too.

 

nope, maybe that's the problem: I use a computer that's not from the 70's

now that I think about it, the old junky one I used to use seemed to be decent and not disconnect five million times.

it's gone now - I gave it to a dinosaur and he went extinct with it

 

Then your issue was the serial-usb connector not the MS3 serial port.

 

thing is, I use that connector for wideband logging with OEM ecu tuning, and it works fine.

oh well

 

The signal set to the onboard FTDI and the serial port are identical. Issue was somewhere else.

I'm glad they have onboard USB now. no more silly serial stuff.

 

$5 A - B USB cable using an on-board serial converter (that you can steal from a printer)

or

a $20 serial converter + $5 USB extension cable?

 

Rock on! Thanks everyone. USB is so much easier!!