Xircom is now shipping Mac* OS drivers for all Xircom® PortGear USB to serial (single port only) converters:

PGMSD8 (or CON-USB-D8) - USB to serial converter with DIN-8 (Mac style) connector. This product is specific to the Mac* OS and Mac OS driver support is included in the box. Updates are posted on the Xircom web site as they become available.

PGSDB9 (or CON-USB-S9) - USB to serial converter with DB9 (PC style) serial connector. Drivers for this product are not included in the Mac OS. However, drivers that support this product in the Mac OS are available from the Xircom web site. A DB9 to DIN8 adapter is required in order to use this converter with the Mac.

PGSDB25 (or CON-USB-S25) - USB to serial converter with DB25 (modem style) serial connector. Drivers for this product are not included in the Mac OS. However, drivers that support this product in the Mac OS are available from the Xircom web site. A DB25 to DIN8 converter is required in order to use this converter with the Mac.

PGMFHUB (or MAC-USB-DOCK) - PortGear USB Hub for Mac. This is a multifunction hub with two USB ports, one DB8 serial port, and one 25 pin SCSI port. This product is specific to the Mac OS and Mac OS driver support is included in the box.

The latest Xircom PortGear drivers can be downloaded by clicking here.

Notes:

The PGMSD8 converter allows a large number of standard serial devices to be connected via USB ports. A number of specific serial devices have been tested for compatibility and are listed below. It will not support variants of the serial port such as:

• AppleTalk*
• Geoport*
• MIDI* devices
• External clocking (All Laser printers and most color inkjet printers)

The PGMSD8 converter will also not support devices that require external clocking of the baud rate such as the printers listed below as incompatible. Also version 1.1 and later drivers (with printer support) will disable the infrared interface on iMacs. Version 1.1 and later drivers use the familiar chooser interface for selecting printers.

The PGMSD8 converter is supported on Macs with a G3 or lower processor and Mac OS 8.5 or higher. The USB to Serial device is not supported on Macs with G4 processors, although it may work on a desktop G4.

Compatibility List (Tested Devices)

These devices have been tested and found to be compatible.

Modems

• Best Data* Mac 56K - Use 1.0 Mac Serial drivers
• USR 56k* PC MODEM - Use 1.0 Mac Serial drivers
• Global Village Teleport* 56k - Use 1.0 Mac Serial drivers
• All other models - Use 1.0 Mac Serial drivers

PDAs

• Palm Pilot* (All Models) - If you have Mac OS* 8.5 you should use version 2.0 MacPac*. Also, older "hotsync cables" do not work with Mac serial ports. Palm computing has improved them and newer versions work fine.

Printers

• Apple* StyleWriter* II - Need SW 1500 driver v2.2.1 and 1.1 Mac Printer drivers
• Apple* StyleWriter* 1200 - Need 1.1 Mac Printer drivers
• Apple* StyleWriter* 4500 - Need 1.1 Mac Printer drivers and Mac printer driver 'patch' and Mac OS 8.51 (or below)
• Epson* Stylus* Color II - Need 1.1 Mac Printer drivers
• Epson* 500 with Epson* color driver* v2.70A - Need 1.1 Mac Printer drivers
• HP* DeskWriter* C - http://www.hp.com ^†
• HP* DeskWriter* 600 - http://www.hp.com ^†
• HP* DeskWriter* 680C - http://www.hp.com ^†
• HP* DeskWriter* 855C - Need 1.1 Mac Printer drivers
• CoStar* Label writer* XL v2.2.2
• Seiko* EZ30 Label Printer* v3.1.0

Cameras

• Nikon* Coolpix* 300
• Ricoh* RDC-300
• Sony* DFC-F1* DSC Album Utility, release 1.5.0
• Epson* 600, 700, 750z
• Afga* 1680, CL50
• Toshiba* M4*
• Toshiba* PDR-M1*
• Kodak* DC-120*
• Kodak* DC-40*
• Olympus* D-340R*
• Olympus* D-620L*

Other Serial Devices

• Vernier* Logger Pro*
• Delorme* Tripmate* GPS
• Garmin* GPS* - Use Mac GPS Pro drivers with Mac USB* 1.1 extension driver
• Lego* Dacta*
• Wacom* Pen Partner* - model #Ct-0405-U tested with G3 running OS 8.6

Expected Compatibility List (Not Tested)

These devices have not been explicitly tested in our labs but are expected to work because other devices with the same chipsets and drivers have been found to be functional.

Printers

• Apple* StyleWriter* 4100 - Need 1.1 Mac Printer drivers and Mac printer driver 'patch'
• Epson* 300 - Need 1.1 Mac Printer drivers
• HP* DeskJet* 850 and 870 - Use 6.0.4 driver from HP http://www.hp.com get 1.1 Mac Printer drivers
• HP DeskWriter* 510, 520 - Use 6.0.4 driver from HP 540, 560, 690 http://www.hp.com ^† and get 1.1 Mac Printer drivers

PDAs

• All PDAs

Cameras

• Apple* Quicktake* 200
• Canon* Powershot* 350
• Epson* Photo PC*
• Fujifilm* MX*-500/700
• Kodak* DC25*

Incompatible Devices

These devices have been tested and are known to be incompatible.

Printers

• Apple* ImageWriters*
• Apple* LaserWriters*
• Apple* Stylewriter* 1500, 2200, 2400, 2500, 6500
• Apple* Stylewriter Pro*
• Canon*
• Epson* 1520*
• Epson* 400, 600, 700, 740, 740i, 800
• HP* DeskWriter* 300 series
• HP* LaserJet*

Cameras

• AGFA* Ephoto* 780
• Canon* Powershot* A5
• Sony* DSC* F55

Other devices

• Localtalk devices
• Geoport devices
• MIDI devices
• Most Wacom* Tablets (except Wacom* Pen Partner* model #Ct-0405-U)
• Acer* SCSI ScanWit* 2720S negative Scanner 
   
  

This applies to:

Xircom® PortGear USB to Mac* DIN8-Serial Converter (PGMSD8, U1-D8)