Weekend Update 6/3/18

[davefoxx]

Can't you get somebody to copy a CD of the drivers to a USB flash drive?

Hmm.  Probably.  Never thought about that.  Thanks!

DFF

[Alwyn Cutmore]

I am so glad to see this grand layout go to a good home. Eric I am just in the throws of building a new layout and much smaller than I first envisaged by through the efforts of Dave and Jim Cullen I realise that the PRR can be modelled in a small space. Enjoy

Regards

Al Cutmore
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRR.N.Scale.Modeling/?ref=bookmarks

[Point353]

That said, I have never regretted my switch to NCE on the Seaboard Central 3.0, except that I haven't been able to hook up to JMRI yet, because of the stupid serial cable that my Mac won't recognize without the drivers.  Of course, the drivers aren't available online and my Mac doesn't have a CD drive.

You can buy an external optical disc drive for about $30.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

You can buy an external optical disc drive for about $30.

Just make sure you get it from somewhere with a good return policy.

[Point353]

Just make sure you get it from somewhere with a good return policy.

Where would you suggest?

[MK]

Amazon.  Got one made by LG for like $25 for a friend.  He uses it on a Mac.

[Scottl]

@davefoxx Not sure where a serial port comes in?  The NCE uses USB to interface.  Instead of an optical drive (who uses those anymore  ), why not just email the company and they will send you the driver as an attachment?

[MK]

USB is a serial interface and a USB cable is a serial cable.   

Found the Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ODDEABK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[nickelplate759]

USB is a serial interface and a USB cable is a serial cable.   

...

USB :== Universal Serial Bus

For grins (not actually the inventor in the video):

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Where would you suggest?

Wherever's right around the corner. So you can take it back when you're done.

[Carolina Northern]

Why not just download it from NCE's website?

[nkalanaga]

"USB is a serial interface and a USB cable is a serial cable. "

Very true, but it won't fit an old-time serial port.

[MK]

"USB is a serial interface and a USB cable is a serial cable. "

Very true, but it won't fit an old-time serial port.

Correct but how old is Dave's Mac that it has an old fashion serial port? 

[jpwisc]

Correct but how old is Dave's Mac that it has an old fashion serial port? 

Don’t tell anyone, but it’s an Apple II.

[davefoxx]

The NCE Power Pro has the old-time 9-pin serial port, fellas.  See?



The cable is not from NCE, so I cannot download drivers from their website.  The manufacturer of the cable (I bought it from either Staples or Office Depot when I was traveling) only included a disk, and there are no drivers available online- something that I did not realize until I got home and opened the box.  I don't recall whether there was customer service information on the box or instructions, and I gave up and put no further effort into it since last year.  I really haven't thought about it until I responded to Ed's post two days ago.

My MacBook is only a few years old, so it, thankfully, still has USB ports, and the cable that I bought is a USB-to-serial adapter.  The problem merely lies in obtaining the drivers for this cable; it's neither the problem of the NCE DCC system or the Mac.

DFF