Review: BYTECC BT-DB925 - USB To Serial
After all this years Serial ports are still widely needed and not just by legacy devices but also by newer appliances. The problem is that computers no longer include serial ports since the USB standard has been so successful at replacing it, lucky us the USB standard can also provide a solution to the lack of Serial port on recent computers. However, from talking to different people it seems that Serial solutions based on the USB standard have a not so favorable reputation. The problem seems to be with the required drivers and if we know one thing about drivers is that they don’t always work. A non working driver means the USB-to-Serial cable is useless.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BYTECC BT-DB925
For the reasons mentioned above I decided to write my very own short review on the BYTECC BT-DB925 a DB9 and DB25 solution, my experience working with USB-to-Serial adapters has been nothing but perfect. The BYTECC BT-DB925 is based on the PL 2303 USB to Serial Bridge Controller by Prolific and can be obtained for under $12.00 USD online. 
You can buy the BYTECC BT-DB925 from the following only vendors:
WHAT ABOUT THE CABLE
The construction quality is better than expected, it would be safe to assume this product will last for a good number of years. And the 6 feet of cable should be enough to work from a comfortable distance.
CONNECTORS
Not only do you get a USB to DB9 cable, the BT-DB925 also includes a DB-25 adapter used to connect directly to the DB-9 connector.
OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORT
Most of the problems with the BT-DB925 seem to be in the Windows platform, the drivers that come with the included CD seem to be the incorrect ones for some reason. The solution is to instead download the following driver Download PL2303 driver (locally hosted). Although the driver name suggest otherwise this is the working driver. I’ve personally tested the BT-DB925 under Windows XP 32-bit, Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit, and last but not least with Ubuntu 9.04 32-bit and 10.04 32-bit. Ubuntu/Linux users have no need for drivers, in all cases the cable was functional from the start. Sadly, I do not have a Mac, cable could not be tested.
CONCLUSION
You should not limit your self to a single brand, as long as the USB-to-Serial cable is built using the PL 2303 USB to Serial Bridge Controller by Prolific the driver I used should work as well. Well, if you are looking for a quality, affordable, and functional USB-to-Serial DB-9/DB-25 cable then I recommend picking up the BYTECC BT-DB925. If you have any questions feel free to comment.
Product: BYTECC BT-DB925 Updated: 12/1/2010 - Fixed some errors