PCIe RS232 card

[costabunny]

I need a RS232 card for the Mac Pro (so it can connect to the APC UPS for monitoring and safe shutdown).

I have seen plenty of pcie cards on ebay (all work out at about £25 shipped with the exchange rate). My question is will any of them work? I have to asume that Mac OSX supports RS232 comms, but will the Mac Pro detect the card (its only a comms board after all).

I dont want to use a USB-Serial adaptor if I can help it.

Has anyone here found a card that works for them?

Thanks

 

[costabunny]

I am still looking for this - anyone have any suggestions (the adapters are not very good and hog a needed USB port)

 

[nanofrog]

I found this: SYBA PCI-Express 4 Port Serial Card Model SY-PEX-4S
According to the specs, it will work in OS X 10.4 & above.

Manufacturer's site. Read under specifications, and OS X is listed.

Cost is reasonable here in the US ($32.99 USD), but not sure where where you might obtain it. I've no idea what it would increase for shipping overseas.

 

[costabunny]

That seems perfect!

Ill have a google and see if I can find a supplier that will ship to Gibraltar (Then hunt down people I know in the states to see if they will 'assist' me)

Thanks

 

[nanofrog]

That seems perfect!

Ill have a google and see if I can find a supplier that will ship to Gibraltar (Then hunt down people I know in the states to see if they will 'assist' me)

Thanks

I was thinking about the 'assistance program' when I made my previous post.
Thought I'd wait though, you might get lucky and find one.

BTW, if you do manage to obtain one, could you keep me posted on your results?
I'm in a situation that may also require one.

Thanks.

 

[costabunny]

She shoots.....She Scores!

I found one eBay shop that is happily selling other Syba stuff and they will order the particular RS232 if I want it and They will ship to Gibraltar

w00t indeed

http://stores.ebay.com/PCIMICROCOM

I have found them very helpful indeed. now to go bug a friend at work to make the order (cos I have been cut off from my debit cards by my flatmate until I pay off my overdraft )

lol

 

[nanofrog]

I found one eBay shop that is happily selling other Syba stuff and they will order the particular RS232 if I want it and They will ship to Gibraltar

Nice!
I've been noticing some parts are nearly, and sometimes, impossible to get in some countries. Ouch.

now to go bug a friend at work to make the order (cos I have been cut off from my debit cards by my flatmate until I pay off my overdraft )

lol

You've been a very bad girl...
Overdraft... been there, done that.

 

[nanofrog]

Disregard.

 

[nanofrog]

For those interested in the Syba PCIe RS232 card:

costabunny was able to contact Syba, and they confirmed that the card will work in Mac OS X.

 

[lostngone]

Drivers?

I see they support Mac OS X but where are the drivers or does Mac OS X have a generic driver for the chipset on that card? Is anyone using these?

I want a serial card for my Mac Pro but I am not having much luck finding one.

I know I can get a USB to Serial adapter but it would be nicer to have everything internal and not a mess of cables running all over.

 

[lostngone]

For those interested in the Syba PCIe RS232 card:

costabunny was able to contact Syba, and they confirmed that the card will work in Mac OS X.

That's strange?!?! I just got this e-mail from them...
____________________________________
Dear Lee,
Thanks for your inquiry.
This card is not compatible with Mac. It is only compatible with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server/XP 64-bit/Vista, Linux, DOS.

Best Regards,

Michael,
Michael@us.syba.com
Syba Support Team
____________________________________


I guess that means I am still looking...

 

[nanofrog]

That's strange?!?! I just got this e-mail from them...
____________________________________
Dear Lee,
Thanks for your inquiry.
This card is not compatible with Mac. It is only compatible with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server/XP 64-bit/Vista, Linux, DOS.

Best Regards,

Michael,
Michael@us.syba.com
Syba Support Team
____________________________________


I guess that means I am still looking...

Which exact model did you inquire about?

They have 3 different ones, IIRC, and the one posted earlier in the thread (SY-PEX-4S), has "Mac 10.4 and above" listed in the System Requirements section.

The other two models (SD-PEX-NM1S and SD-PEX-NM2S) will not work in a Mac, according to the System Requirements sections anyway.

Costabunny uses one to control a UPS, and hasn't mentioned any problems with it.

 

[lostngone]

Whole e-mail

Here is the whole message...
____________________________________

Dear Lee,
Thanks for your inquiry.
This card is not compatible with Mac. It is only compatible with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server/XP 64-bit/Vista, Linux, DOS.

Best Regards,

Michael,
Michael@us.syba.com
Syba Support Team



----- Original Message -----
To: <support-us@syba.com>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 1:47 PM
Subject: Mac OS X support for SY-PEX-4S

>I am looking to buy a serial card for a Mac Pro and I see on your page
> that the SY-PEX-4S, PCI-Express 4 port serial card indicates support
> for Mac OS X. I am unable to find the drivers for Mac OS X on your page,
> does Mac OS X have a generic built in driver already for the chipset on
> that card or am I missing the obvious?
>
> http://www.syba.com/Product/Info/Id/569
>
> Thank You
>

 

[nanofrog]

Here is the whole message...
____________________________________

Dear Lee,
Thanks for your inquiry.
This card is not compatible with Mac. It is only compatible with Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server/XP 64-bit/Vista, Linux, DOS.

Best Regards,

Michael,
Michael@us.syba.com
Syba Support Team



----- Original Message -----
To: <support-us@syba.com>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 1:47 PM
Subject: Mac OS X support for SY-PEX-4S

>I am looking to buy a serial card for a Mac Pro and I see on your page
> that the SY-PEX-4S, PCI-Express 4 port serial card indicates support
> for Mac OS X. I am unable to find the drivers for Mac OS X on your page,
> does Mac OS X have a generic built in driver already for the chipset on
> that card or am I missing the obvious?
>
> http://www.syba.com/Product/Info/Id/569
>
> Thank You
>

Strange.

Given that Costabunny is using this card, and not reported any problems, I would then assume that it does work.

Beyond that, perhaps the person who answered your e-mail got the SY-PEX-4S confused with one of the other two models offered, despite listing the exact part number. Perhaps they began having problems. I just don't know.

Unfortunately, I don't recall seeing many other RS232 cards available for the Mac, and the Syba was the least expensive.

You might want to take a look at the StarTech offerings, as the PEX1S952 indicates OS X support. But at $62.95 USD.

Maybe this offers a little hope.