I am using a USB-Serial adapter for my laptop. It takes about 8 minutes to send down the default code to the new edu robot controller. It seems like a long time. Anyone else having the same problem?
Well, in the “did you get your edubot thread” someone said they downloaded the code in 10-15 seconds. So 8 minutes is definetly to long.
What converter are you using. What is the speed set to on it? Have you used this converter for other things?
He created a full autonomous mode in the new controller and had it drive in a 4 foot triangle and then back to the center. It was pretty impressive.
When they used the team laptop that has an imbedded serial port it loaded the software in 10 seconds. I think that the adapter I have must be not integrated into the operating system properly. I attempted to modify all of the settings to change performance and nothing improved it.
Oh well 
I’m having similar issues downloading code to the controller. Using a Belkin PDA USB-Serial (Part number R5U109) takes forever on my P4 laptop. Using my old machine with a serial port takes seconds.
Is anyone is using a USB-Serial adapter to download code that doesn’t take ages? The difference is 10 seconds vs. 10 minutes. If you are, please post the manufacturer and part number.
The older belkin F5U103 worked great. I had even bought a new dlink DSBS25 and it didn’t work either.
They are avail for 19.99 at www.belkin.com the part is F5U103rw.
I have a Bafo Technologies BF-810
Works great with the EDU RC.
Highly recomended.
Joe J.
Didn’t we cover this last year ?
I found then that the USB -> SERIAL port adapters (probably for Macs) don’t work with my WinXP laptop, but the COM port adapter does, albeit not as consistently as a good hardware COM port. Possibly, the SERIAL adapter didn’t return enough (any ?) non-serial status lines, while the COM port adapter does simulate their return in USB, with a latency. But, there is an issue about how long it takes the adapter and the USB port to pass information back to the laptop, as mentioned in my USB->COM adapter’s manual.
The algorithm for programming a single byte in a PIC calls for the programmer (hardware, perhaps the software in our case) to repeat a programming cycle of several tries, then read the just programmed byte, and then reprogram it until the byte is programmed correctly.
If the programming device can’t get the feedback it needs, in time, it might just reprogram until (by chance ?) it sees the correct byte. This could be an accident of the PC’s timer interrupt arriving as the PIC sends, slowing the programming logic, allowing the feedback to be perceived. In each of the bytes to be programmed, this could take forever (for instance 10 -12 minutes ?). This appears to be the case in the thread above. We’d be well advised to take a laptop with a known good hardware COM port to any competition, to avoid missing a match while reprogramming.
I have been using the Bafo Technologies BF-810 to program Stamp2’s for over a year. I have used it to program the EDU RC for a few weeks and had ZERO problems.
Go to TigerDirect.com lay down your money and forget about this problem.
Joe J.
P.S. I tried several other models with no success at all (Belkin and one other). This one works like a charm. Highly recommended.
Sounds like you got a good one, Joe.
On the other hand, it might be that your adapter works with your PC firmware, and/or the Operating system, and/or serendipity. I can hardly wait to try my adapter out on my newer, faster, laptop, with the EduKit.
Lloyd,
You are right, I am perhaps making too strong a statement. I have only tried this unit with one PC. With the complexities of Windows, it it very likely that others will have problems with other PC’s with other Firmware and BIOS’s, etc. …
But…
…I did not just randomly buy this model. I looked up the USB - Serial converter that Parallax sells on their site for the STAMP2 and then fund it for less money on the TigerDirect.com site (while I have nothing against ParallaxInc.com, I have no reason to give them an extra $3 of my money either 
ParallaxInc.com USB to RS-232 conversion device:
Mfg: Bafo Technologies
Model: BF-810
Price: $22.95
http://www.parallax.com/images/prod_gif/800-00030.gif
TigerDirect.com USB to RS-232 conversion device:
Mfg: Bafo Technologies
Model: BF-810
Price: $19.99
In any case, all I can say is that it has worked great for my on the one PC I have used it on for both the STAMP2 and the EDU RC.
I wish you all the same success.
Joe J.