SDR From the Ukraine?

[Michael O'Dell]

WB4JFI wrote:
> 
>  USB-to-parallel adaptors are easy to come by - but most do not work with
> the Flex SDR-1000.  First, it needs to be fully bidirectional.  Second, it
> needs to be 100% compatible with a "real" parallel port, most are not.
> PowerSDR (the Flex software) and the SDR-1000 hardware interface uses all
> the available parallel port pins, and even does a software UART on some pins
> if the fourth board exists.  The Flex software talks directly to the
> parallel port hardware.  If you try to use most USB adaptors, they don't
> work the same way, and PowerSDR won't work.
> 
> The Flex USB adaptor had special code inside the buried chip, that the
> PowerSDR software handshakes with.  If a different USB adaptor is used, the
> software won't work.
> 
> In fact, some of the time the Flex USB adaptor flakes out as well.

Ah - they destined to be screwed by grossly misusing the hardware.
they did their customers no favors.

as for firewire, SATA, and USB "going the way of the Do-Do Bird"

it will be interesting to see how quickly USB 3.0 with its
multi-gigabit data rate starts pushing other things out.

firewire was designed by people trying to create a general-purpose
interface, so not only can it supply significant power, it was
designed for high-performance *symmetric* communication.

USB was originally created to connect a telephone handset
to a PC (i kid you not) so it is grossly asymmetrical.

SATA will stay around as an interface because of SAS -
Serial-Attached SCSI. that's the interface used by high-dollar
high-reliability "enterprise class" drives. SAS isn't
going away anytime soon and it rides atop the SATA L1 layer
(essentially - not a perfect match with layering as we
understand it, but close enough). and since SAS/SATA is trying
to displace Fiber Channel as a drive interface, it will
keep getting better.

	cheers,
	-mo