$90 USB cables???

[SDAnderson]

I bought a generic IR unit off the net for less than $15.00 and it works for my Aladin Prime and my Aladin Tec.

I Got a $3 dongle for my tec 2g and it works perfetly on my tec 2g as well.

It took me three tries to find a non-SP dongle that worked with mine. Cost me $10 at Tiger and it works like a charm so they are out there.

 

[wealthychef]

You could be patient and....

Sorry! No time for that! Gotta go!

 

[wealthychef]

Just a standard Serial to USB converter.

So I can buy it somewhere else cheaper?

 

[wealthychef]

I take it you are not a "wealthy chef"

You are correct, sir. I am neither wealthy nor a chef, it turns out. LOL

 

[fppf]

Try Ebay for starters.

Other then that, unless your an electronics engineer it gets really deep on how to make one of these.

 

[wealthychef]

First of all, I thought that the cable is included?

Nope, not in every kit. I got my compuer brand new for $400, but no cable.

Secondly, don't bother to download like me. Voila!!! No problem, no hassle. Hehe.

True, but I'm a geek

 

[wealthychef]

Iin their mind, you are paying $90 for the cable and license for the s/w. With the need for the cable, they don't have to worry about people sharing the s/w with all their buddies on the internet.

They always have the option of adding blue tooth or IR interface to a computer which would be a real nice feature, but then they would loose a nice revenue stream.

The software license is a nice angle. I'm a computer scientist -- I guess I should get into the driver-writing business! Hmm.

 

[wealthychef]

You might want to check on Ebay if someone is selling these at lower price.

Adam

Yeah, I did that and there were zero for sale. Patience isn't my strong suit -- if I had waited a month or so I might be able to save a few bucks, but I'm diving on the 6th so f-- it.

 

[wealthychef]

Um, what rock have you been hiding under? Welcome to capitalism.



This has nothing to do with supply and demand. A USB cable can't cost more than 50 cents to produce. The only reason the manufacturers charge so much for them is because they can.

Perhaps someone more savvy in electronics than I am can answer this: I was wondering if you could simply jury-rigg the part that attaches to the computer and solder it onto a standard USB cable?

You are a man of contradictions, I can see. "They charge so much because they can" is the DEFINITION of "supply and demand," silly. If nobody bought them, then they either would stop making them as their profit would fall below what it's worth for them to supply or have to adjust the price.

 

[wealthychef]

Yes you can, you just need to be able to change the USB identifier to match the oceanic one so the driver will use it. There was a web site out there somewhere of guys doing this a while back.

No link? I don't even know what to google? It turns out I thought I bought this cable already but haven't, so I'm interested in cheaper alternatives if they exist.