USB to Serial Adaptors - Installing Drivers

Installing Drivers for IC-102, LIC-102 and USB to Serial Adaptors

Q: Why can’t I see my IC 102, LIC 102, or USB to Serial Adaptor cable when I run my ACR software?

A: The IC 102, LIC 102 and USB to Serial adaptors are USB devices and have drivers that must be installed in the computer in order to allow them to function with the computer. This driver installation process involves two parts:

  1. It installs the components that allow your computer to recognize the cable as a USB device on your system.
  2. It creates a virtual serial (COM) port for your software to communicate through.
    Windows will assign this virtual COM port based on the available and unused ports in the computer. Typically Windows has 256 ports available. These devices usually are accompanied with a CD that contains the driver.

ACR has several software packages of differing vintage and there may be limits on the COM ports that are accessible through the respective ACR software packages. Most of the installation difficulties encountered will be with the older ACR software packages.

  • TrendReader 2 is the only software that potentially allows access to all 256 COM ports available in Windows. It also has the drivers for IC 102 and LIC 102 contained in the software itself. The software should recognize these cables automatically when plugged in.
  • TrendReader 1 and TrendReader Express will only access COM ports 1-6. You will need to install the drivers and virtual ports utilizing the CD that comes with the respective interface cables. (Note: The new TrendReader Express program that comes in the JR and TRH starter packs has the USB to Serial driver built in and the software should recognize this cable automatically when plugged in.)
  • Talkback and PowerWatch software will only access COM ports 1-9. You will need to install the drivers and virtual ports utilizing the CD that comes with the respective interface cables.

Windows may assign the newly installed cable to a port number higher than the limit for the respective software package and it may be necessary to reassign the port manually to a port within the range of the allowable ports accessed by that specific software. This process is quite simple to perform. (See “How do I to reassign COM Ports” in the FAQ section.)

*Also note that any software (ACR or otherwise) that opens a serial COM port will prevent access to that port from additional software while it is running. It is usually a good rule of thumb to close any other software that is communicating through a port before launching any ACR software. PDA communication software is usually notorious for running in the background and holding ports open, therefore making the port unavailable to the ACR software.