Not All Nokia CA-42 Data Cables are the Same

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:12 am

I bought two batches from Amazon marketplace in Germany, this one and this one. In both cases I got apparently the same product, differing a little from the photographs. It was black, not blue, without the dreaded holes, and in principle identical to the one in Tommy's original article. Most importantly they worked! (Made two cables.) Using Linux, (Suse 12.1 to be exact) worked directly without need to install additional drivers. With Windows 7, I had to install Prolific drivers from the enclosed driver CD. Then it also worked. Tested with RMIR only.

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:25 am

Could you load a copy of the Prolific drivers into the Drivers folder please, just so we have an archival copy.

https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... cat_id=153

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:16 am

Ok. BTW, it is even Microsoft signed.

BTW, the readme file has a certain entertainment value:

With the result that customer respect:

How do you do!

Windows 7 system installation PL2303 drive method

In the installation of Windows 7 data cable driver, find driver installation file name click the right mouse button selection as an administrator run the setup!

OBY

Have any not understand of place, can send mail consulting us:okboy_cn@hotmail.com

Tommy Tyler · Post by **Tommy Tyler** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:34 am

Received Yallstock eBay order. Items are molded rather than snap-together as shown in their picture. I've e-mailed them to try and find out whether they sell both, or what. If you hear nothing further from me on this it's because I've been committed to a mental institution.

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:35 am

Tommy, I think it's time to stop buying CA-42 cables, I'm not sure that your trash can is big enough to hold them all!!!

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:18 pm

I ordered a cable from an ebay seller on Feb 20 that still isn't hear yet. Then when I saw the posts letting me know that it will be useless anyway, I ordered a cable from DealExtreme (on Feb 24) and it's still not here yet either, but today I got a generic email from them saying sorry to everyone for the delays, so I guess they're having issues.

Here's the "sorry" video...
http://blog.dealextreme.com/what-happen ... r=90000324

pH7_jp1 · Post by **pH7_jp1** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:13 am

I ordered mine on Jan. 29 (3 for the discount + air shipping). I got the shipped notice on Feb. 01 and received the order on Feb. 22. That is about 3 and a half weeks. I received the same "What Happened to Your Orders" email on Mar. 13, so I think they may have just sent that to everyone in their mail list or at least anyone with an order in the last few months.

jetstar52 · Post by **jetstar52** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:32 pm

Well, I ordered my CA-42 from ebay seller Member id vvch11, and, even though the ad depicted the "good" cables, I received the useless single-piece housing ones. So put Member id vvch11 in the "don't buy" category.

jetstar52 · Post by **jetstar52** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:26 am

I received the Deal Extreme CA-42s today, and apparently they're still shipping out the good kind. And it turns out that the "bad" cables I got from eBay, although the circuitry is useless, have four-conductor cables attached, so I can at least use the cables.

gwenkent · Post by **gwenkent** » Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:12 am

Tommy Tyler wrote:Yesterday I received three CA-42 data cables......ttle mon-and-pop garage operations in China that are capable of programming these allegedly counterfeit PL-2303 processors?

.

I also have a FAKE as per below;
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/868x6 ... a5e78a.jpg
The soldered wires RED and BLACK is never expected and is spoil!

Where to buy a genuine Nokia CA-42 from eBay or Amazon with 6 conductors or wires inside the thick cable? If Nokia CA-42 DKU-5, it only has 4 wires inside.

Please provide me the correct url-linked addresses to buy the genuine CA-42 or DKU-5. I would be very appreciated if anyone can help me because there are plenty of FAKE which I do not want to buy!!!

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:25 am

I got my good cable from Dealextreme. But I have to ask why you want one of these. The FTDI cables are much better and only slightly more expensive.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261101529602

dferrari1970 · Post by **dferrari1970** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 4:57 pm

Tommy Tyler wrote:In summary, if I had to guess I'd say the manufacturer of this product didn't want anyone taking it apart to try and reverse engineer it, as if anyone would want to. And the reasons it is a hopeless candidate for converting to a flash interface are pretty obvious.

Is not really true buddy ....

This version of Cable differs from others because Nokia (probably for economic reason) changed are management of the USB - TTL converter microcontroller. After carefully removing the plastic melted around the electronic Panel you can see the AT76C712 micro controller.

According to the reconstitution of the schema of the electronic card, you can see that this component needs a continuous signal return to validate the presence of a device. To synthesize this signal, a single 3v with 2 batteries 1.5V will suffice. It is also possible to take an old motherboard BIOS backup battery.

Secondly, we must identify the Tx, Rx, mass-ttl and add the Signal return Vtemp.

By connecting only the Vtemp signal to the 3v both batteries and mass ttl, the converter will be recognized as device (modem) Windows (use Nokia Connectivity Cable Driver 7.1.182.0 for install the correct Win driver)

He must then return to the editing suite, connect Tx Rx and mass ttl to the disk, disconnect the usb, put the SATA power, wait as the disk to order, etc etc

I hope to help someone with my info ... It work perfect

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 5:28 pm

Thanks for the info. But Tommy left the forums about 3 years ago. So I'd say he's probably lost interest and wouldn't appreciate your condescension either.

This cable still isn't suitable for JP1 remotes. FTDI cables work without any tricks, batteries, ancient drivers, reverse engineering or major surgery.

JP1 Remotes

Not All Nokia CA-42 Data Cables are the Same

Who I can trust to buy a genuine Nokia CA-42 or DUK-5?