Trying to sync Palm IIIc with Powerbook

Question

Level 1

15 points

Trying to sync Palm IIIc with Powerbook

I have been trying to sync a Palm IIIc with my Powerbook which is currently running Tiger (I cannot run OS 9 at all).

I bought the IIIc on eBay and it works flawlessly except for the fact that it won't sync. I can click on the hotsync square on the screen of the IIIc and get two options :

1. Direct Serial
or
2. IR (Infrared) to PC/Handheld.

It came with a cable that has the docking connection on one and and a dual splitter on the other - one lead has the serial (female) end and the other is a USB connector. I am able to charge it on the PB using the USB but likely only because it is a powered USB port.

I have tried two different serial to USB adapters and so far, the Powerbook still is not seeing the IIIc.

A friend is giving me a cradle from his old IIIe but it has a serial connection. I expect I will have the same problem with this cradle.

Does anybody have any suggestions ?

Is there an adapter that can be used with OS X/Tiger ?
I have installed Palm Desktop 4.2.1 and have iSync.

Keiyana

1.25 Ghz PB 15" Al, Mac OS X (10.4.5), 512 MB RAM

Posted on Apr 16, 2006 1:23 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 16, 2006 2:53 PM in response to KMoorehouse

To the best of my knowledge, only two USB to serial adapters have ever worked properly in this application: the now defunct and no longer available PalmConnect kit, and the Keyspan USB serial adapter. Infrared synchronization is not supported at in currently released Apple products.

Since discontinuing their PalmConnect kit some time ago, Palm actually recommends that users purchase a Keyspan serial adapter. Many messages have been posted here and on the Palm support forum regarding communications problems which cropped up with other serial adapters, and the consensus is that the Keyspan is the only one which works reliably and is adequately supported—or supported at all—by both the manufacturer and by Palm.

This is the specific Keyspan product that you want to purchase:

http://www.keyspan.com/products/usb/usa19hs

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 22, 2006 2:13 PM in response to KMoorehouse

I have been trying to sync a Palm IIIc with my
Powerbook which is currently running Tiger (I cannot
run OS 9 at all).

I bought the IIIc on eBay and it works flawlessly
except for the fact that it won't sync. I can click
on the hotsync square on the screen of the IIIc and
get two options :

1. Direct Serial
or
2. IR (Infrared) to PC/Handheld.

It came with a cable that has the docking connection
on one and and a dual splitter on the other - one
lead has the serial (female) end and the other is a
USB connector. I am able to charge it on the PB
using the USB but likely only because it is a powered
USB port.

I have tried two different serial to USB adapters and
so far, the Powerbook still is not seeing the IIIc.

A friend is giving me a cradle from his old IIIe but
it has a serial connection. I expect I will have the
same problem with this cradle.

Does anybody have any suggestions ?

Is there an adapter that can be used with OS X/Tiger
?
I have installed Palm Desktop 4.2.1 and have iSync.

Keiyana

Hi,
I have the same problem with my IIIc and powerbook G4 (no syncing with isync).I went ahead and bought the keyspan serial adaptor and still can't get the palm to sync. I also have desktop 4.2.1, running Tiger. I can get the palm to Hotsync with a PC via the standard serial port as well as the Keyspan serial adaptor to usb.

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 22, 2006 4:23 PM in response to ianmacneil

I understand that you have been able to synchronize your Palm IIIc directly to a PC using a serial cradle and with the serial to USB adapter, but that you are unable to synchronize to your Powerbook using the same Keyspan adapter.

Have you attempted to synchronize with the Palm Desktop on your PowerBook using the Keyspan adapter? Did your Palm device appear in the main window of iSync when you executed the procedure to add it using the option to Enable Palm OS Syncing… under the iSync Devices menu? [You don't add a Palm device to iSync using the Add Device… option as you do with mobile handsets.]

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 23, 2006 6:38 AM in response to Michael Lafferty

Hi Michael,
I can Hotsync with the keyspan seral adaptor on a pc. On my G4 powerbook, I have enabled Palm OS syncing in isync and my palm (as defined in the users from the HotSync manager) appears on the isync window. Also, the keyspan adaptor is recognized by the keyspan serial assistant software and the adaptor also shows up in the USB heading under "About this Mac" on the powerbook. I have two options for connection on my palm, direct serial or IR and I'm using the direct serial connection. However, when I hit the sync button in iSync, I get the message that I must hit my Hotsync button on the palm cradle. Unfortunately, this doesn't do anything. The palm and the powerbook both look but never find each other.
-Ian

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 24, 2006 7:15 AM in response to ianmacneil

So, the adapter is not faulty and you are able to add your device to iSync, but unable to HotSync. Pressing the HotSync button on your cradle alone should initiate the event.

Have you launched either the HotSync Manager or the Palm Destkop and used the HotSync menu in it to configure the conduit? This is supposed to happen automatically with iSync 2 and later, but you need to make sure that in the iSync Conduit [its HotSync name] that the option to Enable iSync for this Palm device is checked. If that is checked, then there is a HotSync configuration problem, and your best bet is to contact either Keyspan or Palm.

You can find online support for Palm devices here:

http://www.palm.com/us/support/macintosh

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 24, 2006 10:20 AM in response to Michael Lafferty

Hi Michael,
I appreciate the help. I'll try support at Keyspan and Palm.
-Ian

Reply

Answer 7

T-Mobile

Level 1

45 points

Apr 25, 2006 12:26 AM in response to ianmacneil

Maybe this is of help:

I've been syncing my Palm IIIe (serial cradle) with my iMac DV and more recently Mac mini (presently OS X Tiger and Palm Desktop 4.2.1) using a 'generic' USBtoSerial converter based on the PL2303 bridge (Sweex). Using the HotSync button on the cradle that is.
The (most recent) OS X driver for this converter was not supplied by Sweex, but can be downloaded from the Prolific website (producer of the PL2303).
(Don't know what component Keyspan uses for its converter.)

Because I see no mentioning of it:
Did you select 'Palm Connect', 'USB' and 'USBtoSerial' under HotSync>>Setup>>ConnectionSettings.
And does <Transport monitor> apear in your Login Items (Systems Preferences>>Accounts).
Do you use VertulaPC. In my experience VPC disables Transport Monitor, disabling the HotSync. The only solution then is a restart (simply restating Transport Monitor fails.)

Reply