USB Serial (COM) Port Limits

Discussion in 'Installation and Configuration of Parallels Desktop' started by jim_w4atk, Dec 23, 2008.

  1. jim_w4atk

    jim_w4atk Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    I have an external hardware interface device now connected to my computer (iMac running Win XP SP3 under Bootcamp) by a single USB cable that sets up 6 Serial (COM) ports and a USB Audio Stereo Codec. I am concerned about the Paralles Virtual Machine specification limitation which states: "Up to 4 Serial (COM) ports mapped to a socket or to an output file". Will Parallels support the 6 serial (COM) ports necessary for this application? All 6 COM ports are independently defined in the Win XP Device Manager to provide specific functions to/for the applications programming.

    Jim
     
  2. John@Parallels

    John@Parallels Forum Maven

    Messages:
    6,333
    Create ticket in support, and they submit feature request,
     
  3. jim_w4atk

    jim_w4atk Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    Thank You

    I guess I will exercise the money back option. I am sorry, it seems Parallels has missed the mark on COM support.
     
  4. jim_w4atk

    jim_w4atk Bit poster

    Messages:
    4
    Performance Degredation renders 4 COM ports unstable

    I found I could reduce my application to 4 COM ports by excluding 2 "convenience" ports. My machine is a 2GHz iMac with 2GB of Ram running OS-X Leopard.

    The application periodically polls the communications system for it state. This occurs approximately every second. If one of the other COM ports was activated by a second application in concert with the polling, a hang would occur, the VM screen would go grey. A mouse click would clear the grey screen but the second application would be in a non-recoverable state and have to be restarted.

    As with all VM solutions tried here, performance degradation seems to be the primary issue. BootCamp still reigns supreme as far as performance is concerned it seems.

    Jim, W4ATK
     
  5. John@Parallels

    John@Parallels Forum Maven

    Messages:
    6,333
    Without knowing details about application, device, and log, we cannot find where is the fail
    My suggestion is still over here
    Please create ticket in support
     

Share This Page