On Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:08:29 +0200 "Thomas Goodey" <thomas@flyingkettle.com> wrote: > http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/01/27/apple-has-a-solution-for-the- > ipads-missing-sd-card-slot-and-usb-port-adapters/ > > (and then, obviously, a USB to serial adapter; isn't it ridiculous > that scopes still run on RS-232C?) (except for my Vixen) > Well, I don't think it's that ridiculous. Devices like these are designed (or at least should be) to be easily hackable. It's difficult to beat something as simple as RS-232 and, for the task at hand works as well and is as reliable as it was 25 years ago. Sure, USB is all fancy and fast, but it does take a relatively huge amount of transistors inside a chip to implement it. RS-232, on the other hand can be handled with a handfull of components and you could easily retrofit some old equipment to work with your new telescope. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for progress and better interfaces, but why put away something that works well, is simple -- and simple is reliable -- and is easily hackable? And USB to serial converts are dirt cheap nowadays anyway. Best regards Cláudio _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l
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