The problem here is that we generally aren't given the choice of what chip comes in the adapter we need, and even if we were, there is almost no way to verify it beforehand. Even if we buy from a vendor that says (and believes) they sell real prolific chips, there is so much fraud throughout the entire supply chain that the company that makes your radio cable is just as likely to be getting cheated themselves. This goes far beyond just serial-to-usb chips, though those are a particularly striking example. It's a plague on the whole industry. You can buy capacitors that turn out to be empty metal cans with a much smaller capacitor hidden inside. You can buy power transistors that have three terminals and nothing at all inside. Try buying a flash drive on ebay. Unfortunately the problem here is there is no regulation or enforcement anywhere along the line, and thus it's always going to be profitable for fly-by-night operations to pass off fake goods as real because there is very little downside to it. It's easy to blame China because most of the fakes come from there, but we also need to blame manufacturers and distributors who turn a blind eye because they're getting a great price, and don't take a stand that would make this kind of fraud less profitable.
All that said, the FTDI serial-usb chips don't seem to have the same problems with fraud and incompatibility that Prolific does, and work better anyway, so I always use FTDI in designs or in consumer products when given the choice. You can often tell at least which *brand* of chip is in it by which windows driver is provided.
Furthermore, in Linux they mostly all just work, even the counterfeit ones, and don't need additional drivers.
On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 06:01:18PM -0800, Dean Gibson AE7Q wrote:
I would like to address this to everyone who buys a cable with a counterfeit Prolific USB-to-serial converter chip:
You may not think you are hurting anyone, but you are. Aside from the legal and ethical issues with buying counterfeit goods, you are financially affecting more than just Prolific (who sells legitimate chips).
You are financially affecting *me*. And in a very concrete and tangible way.
Because of the extensive counterfeiting of their USB-to-serial converter chip (and the theft of their intellectual properties: http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=155&pcid=41 ), Prolific has taken certain steps:
- They have designed a new USB-to-serial converter chip that is supposed to be more difficult to counterfeit, and selling that to legitimate cable makers. This chip will be supported in Windows 8.
- The present USB-to-serial converter chip will *not* be supported in Windows 8: http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41
So, how does this affect me? I have and use thirteen USB-to-serial converter cables with the old (legitimate) Prolific chip. These cables will *not work* when I upgrade to Windows 8. Instead, I will have to buy new USB-to-serial converter cables.
I will pay the *twice the price you would have paid* (times thirteen), than if you had bought a legitimate cable. Once, for each legitimate original cable, and once again for a new cable.
So, for those of you who knowingly bought counterfeit cables *and continue to use them*: *Thanks, guys*.
As a person who has contributed code to the Chirp project, has written other open-source software for the amateur community, and has maintained a couple amateur radio support sites (free and without ads) for the past decade, you have made my heart very warm with feelings of appreciation. Or maybe just a bit hot.
Sincerely, Dean Gibson / AE7Q
On 2013-02-26 16:42, Bill Gabbard wrote:
*/I just Right-Clicked the Update and Clicked Hide, so won't show again./* */Thanks,/* */Bill/*
----- Original Message ----- *From:* Phaeton mailto:phaeton@neo.rr.com *To:* Discussion of CHIRP mailto:chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com *Sent:* Tuesday, February 26, 2013 5:19 PM *Subject:* Re: [chirp_users] Prolific Update
*...* On Feb 26, 2013, at 4:34 PM, Jim Unroe <rock.unroe@gmail.com mailto:rock.unroe@gmail.com> wrote:
No. Do not update.
Unless your programming cable has a genuine Prolific usb-to-serial chip in it (most cheap cables have a counterfeit chip), the updated driver will detect the counterfeit chip and stop working. You must continue to use the older driver that does not perform this check.
Jim
On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 4:15 PM, Bill Gabbard <wcgabbard1@windstream.net mailto:wcgabbard1@windstream.net> wrote:
*/I've a Windows 7 PC that the Windows Update notified me the below Update is available. Should I update it?/* */Thanks,/* */Bill/* */------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/* */Prolific - Other hardware - Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port/* */Download size: 114 KB/* */You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect./* */Update type: Optional/* */Prolific Other hardware software update released in February, 2013/*
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