Visor: probblems with serial craddle

Visor: Problemi z RS232

Načrtovalci so Visorja zasnovali tako, da komunicria kar se da hitro. Tako so Visorja opremili z USB ležiščem, ki mu omogoča veliko hitrejše prenašanje kot standardna serijska (RS232) povezava. Tu pa tam pa se pojavijo tudi primeri, ko USB ležišča ne morete uporabiti (recimo, da nimate USB porta ali pa imate morda inštaliran Solaris). Zato Handspring nudi tudi serijsko ležišče za Visorja.

Problemi

Sinhroniziranje preko serijskega ležišča dela normalno. Toda z nekaterimi drugimi aplikacijami (npr. PGP) se pojavljajo problemi. Visorjevo ležišče s serijskim prenosom žal ni opremljeno s strojnim nadzorom pretoka podatkov (vir: Handspring tehnična podpora, Nizozemska). To pa vam lahko povzroči mnogo problemov.

Predstavljajte si, da ste sistemski administrator in bi želeli preko serijskega porta nadzorovati Unix računalnik. Dlančnik se zdi idealna rešitev, če to ni HS Visor, saj ta nima strojnega nadzora prenosa in podatki se lahko izgubljajo.

Drugo težavo sem srečal, ko sem želel iz Visorja prebrati ROM za Palm Emulator. Nisem sicer prepričan, da je za to kriva serijska povezava, vendar pa je prva na spisku obtoženih.

Tretji problem sem imel pri prenosu privatnega ključa za PGP v Visorja. Edina PGP aplikacija, ki mi je bila za Visorja na voljo, je uporabljala serijski prenos ključa. Žal neuspešno na Visorju.

Možne rešitve

Obstaja ena, ki pa jo še nisem testiral. čisto mogoče je, da gre serijska komunikacija bolje preko infrardeče povezave. Vendar: a) Potrebujete IrLink ali podoben program (glejte Težave z IR), b) potrebujete tudi IR vmesnik, ki je popolnoma neodvisen od programske opreme in omogoča strojni nadzor prenosa na RS232 streni. če ste tekega slučajno že srečali, me prosim obvestite.

Se pa sprašujem, če ne bi bilo potem bolje kupiti kar celega Palma IIIxe in prodati Visorja.

Visor: RS232 problems

The creators of Visor have designed its communication very fast. Visor is equipped with USB cradle that allows you to transfer data much faster as over standard serial (RS232) connection. But there are occasions that USB can not be used (imagine you do not have USB on your PC or you possibly have Solaris). So Handspring offered a serial cradle for Visor too.

Problems

Serial cradle works normally when synchronizing. But there are some problems with other applications as PGP for example. HS Visor serial cradle is unfortunately not equipped with hardware handshaking. I was told that this is because of some emulation of serial port via USB (source Handspring tech support). That could cause many problems.

Imagine you are system administrator and have to administer some old systems via RS232 port. Palmtop seems ideal for occasional use. But this palmtop should not be HS Visor because absence of HW handshaking could cause buffer overrun in your terminal application.

The second problem I've met was simple downloading of ROM via serial cradle that can't be done. I'm not sure if this is serial cradle problem but it seems to me it is.

Third problem I've met is transporting of PGP secret key to Visor. The only PGP software for PalmOS I've met transports secret key via serial port. Unsuccessful on Visor.

Possible solution(s)

There is one possible solution I haven't tested yet. It is possible, that serial communication goes better via IR. But there are two things to consider: a) You need IrLink (see also Visor IR problem) and b) you need a IR or IR to RS232 interface on other side. I would like to find at least an information about an IR interface, that is complete independent from software and that does RTS/CTS handshaking on RS232 side. If you know it please mail me.

But the question is: Wouldn't be better to buy some Palm IIIxe then?