Dectalk USB in serial mode

[Doug Sutherland]

When you configure a kernel before building it, for most drivers
you can specify M for module or * to statically build it into the
kernel. I am speaking of the menuconfig method, in the actual
.config file that is generated they will be either y (static) or m
(module). So if usb is compiled in, then its available at boot.
For example, in the .config file:

CONFIG_USB=y
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL=y
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_GENERIC=y

And of course you have the right host controller also set to
static (UHCI or OHCI or EHCI) ...

And if the serial device is generic serial, it should work without
any modules loading, it's statically in the kernel at boot. This of
course requires building the kernel from source, and you end
up with a specific kernel for your hardware.

The problem is that many USB serial devices are not truly
generic, they do not implement the USB CDC per specification.
However, if you find your USB serial device listed in the
menuconfig (belkin, ftdi, keyspan, etc) and set it to static
compile, it should be available at boot time. The same can
be done with audio drivers.


Zachary Kline wrote:
> Hiya,
> I've found a USB-to-serial cable lying around my house somewhere, which fits the Dectalk serial port.  I'm curious to know what settings might need to be compiled into the kernel to possibly get this device to work?  I could connect the Dectalk, switch it to rs232 mode, put in a battery, and the like.  I'm just not sure what kernel parameters to tweak.
> Any advice would be appreciated.  
> On a side note, what device would be specified as the synthesizer port?  Can I check this somehow?
> Thanks,