> > Is there someplace I could read up on USB & how to convert to RS232?
> > Is it a lot of drama?


I would say the drama level would be pretty high.  There are some commercial
converters out there, if you are not strapped for cash try to find one.  I
know just enough about USB to know it is rather involved, unlike RS232 which
seems pretty hackable.  You'd start with different data rates and format,
which would require some conversion and storage, since you would be on the
"head" end of the USB you'd need a USB compatible power supply, also a
nontrivial item.  USB involves some overhead for negotiating with your
plugin USB device over speeds, color of dress, and what to wear tomorrow,
how much perfume to put on, and so on, which your head end would also have
to take care of.  ;-)

Jan Axelson wrote the book on usb:  USB COMPLETE.  To give you an idea what
you are getting into, the book is two inches thick.

Now maybe there are some chipsets that reduce this problem to manageable
level of effort? I'd wager most of them are meant to reside inside a PC and
talk to it with bigtime overhead.

--Lawrence

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