Going USB With Old Controllers

Hard-core gamers are on the cusp of a new controller revolution with USB - but there's one major problem. To use the newest port on your PC, you must wait until USB devices show up on the market. While the latest breed of controllers has the option for USB, some of the higher-end serial interface controllers we've paid good money for will either sit in a closet or become a hand-me-down device for friends and family. And while new devices have all the bells and whistles, sometimes the worn-down joystick is like an old friend from whom you just can't bear to part. Or even if you own an external modem and a serial joystick - no more serial ports.

On top of that, new PDAs and almost every laptop lets you connect with the serial port - and pulling your PC out, swapping cable and getting a solid connection becomes more of a test of patience than of modern hapless computing.

Luckily one company just may have a solution for gamers and computer users. Entrega Technologies on Monday introduced the new USB-to-Serial connector and Virtual COM port software for home use. The technology lets users snap a standard DB9 (or DIN8 for iMacs and G3s) serial cable into a device that lets it connect to your USB port.

Who cares? Well, Entrega says that it has solved the one major problem with most legacy (old devices) - it eliminates the nasty problem of having to allocate IRQs for each device. With the Virtual COM software (built for users of the company's products), users won't have to worry about fooling around with COM ports; they can choose the new USB ports even in legacy programs. And even better, you can hot swap your newly converted USB device instead of having to restart your PC with the new settings.

The company offers the USB-to-Serial Converter for US$59.99, which may be a little steep for some, but for those wanting to stop messing with their COM ports, it may be an easy cost to deal with. Other USB products from Entrega include USBnet which lets users network two PCs without Ethernet cards (perfect for setting up lag-free one-on-one deathmatch action) and a USB-to-Ethernet product for those wishing to connect to networks or cable modems without the add-in board hassle.

While we haven't had the chance to play with any of the Entrega devices yet, we expect that gamers will be tempted by the option to convert over to the new connectors.