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Counterfeit FTDI chips?

Dear Colleaques,

I just returned to an old project which I hadn't had time to advance for months. The project involves a FT245R parallel-to-USB converter IC from FTDI. I could not make the WinXP drivers install, however, and finally tried the USBView program which reported the Vendor code 0x067B and product ID 0x2303 suggesting that the chip is actually a Prolific PL2303 !

Now, PL2303 looks pin-compatible enough with FT245R that it could get powered-up in my circuit, and could even respond to a vendor code query over USB. Otherwise it looks more compatible with the FT232R.

A simple explanation would be that I've been swindled and the FT245R is a fake, although the IC case has the FT245R markings on it and it has been bought as a FT245R.

What bothers me is that according to my notebook, months ago I've been able to get FT_ListDevices function of the FTDI driver to actually report the very FT245R. I'm not sure whether I was ever able to actually pass data over the USB link - I seem to recall that I was, but there is no mention of that in my notebook. Now I'd like to figure out whether there is any other explanation to seeing the Prolific vendor ID (besides the counterfeit theory)

- any suggestions?

Originally I thought that the EEPROM containing the Vendor ID has gotten corrupted, but removing the chip from the PCB and soldering a fresh (assumed) FT245R still gave the Prolific ID. I tried running the USBView on three different PC's, with same results. Then I might have mistaken my chip with another USB chip in the system (for instance, the Altera USB-blaster programming cable appears to contain an FTDI chip), but removal of the USB cable leading to my board correctly made the Profilic-ID'd chip disappear from the USBView scan.

Now I'm dumbfounded - if my batch of chips are fakes, where did that earlier FT_ListDevices recognition come from? Besides, what is the use to sell PL2303's as FT245R's, wouldn't it be even more profitable to sell just dead blocks of plastic with FTDI credentials stamped on - the ones I have get caught anyway because the driver won't install? I see a bit more sense in trying to sell PL2303's as FT232R's (I guess they might be more pin compatible) although even then the fakes get caught at the driver installation phase.

Regards, Mikko

Reply to
Okkim Atnarivik
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Get a couple pieces from Mouser or Digikey. They are the authorize dist.

Bob

Reply to
<castlebravo242

My pieces came from our Technician's stash, I suppose they are from Farnell.

Regards, Mikko

Reply to
Okkim Atnarivik

Have you spoken to FTDI about this?

There are two main players in this line: Prolific and FTDI. I use both of them, in volume. Prolific are much bigger in the market but offer no support. FTDI have a much better product and excellent support.

Counterfeit chips are not unusual. I've had Hitachi H8/300 processors from China etc which were fake - I think the package was empty. The lead frame was about 0.3mm bigger so didn't quite fit into the programming socket :) It amazes me that somebody would gear up to make a one-off load of $$$, on such an obscure product. Maybe they custom-make these fakes, with a range of packages and markings available.

Were the FTDI chips functional? I can hardly believe that.

Reply to
Peter

I can't see why or how Prolific survive, In my experience with RS232-USB converters their products repeatedly cause no end of problems on multiple operating systems so now I always go out of my way to buy FTDI, less stress, less objects thrown at the wall and ultimately less landfill.

Reply to
Mike

Really, I got one for my Acer Mini and it works perfect. I use it for a variety of things, PLC's, Scope down loads, DMM monitoring etc.. This Acer uses XP home. What I found the most problems with is Windows turning down the USB port to low power and no power at all when it goes into a sleep mode. I've heard this to be more of problem in the 64bit systems.

maybe you should turn the feature off if you haven't already.

formatting link
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Reply to
Jamie

Works flawlessly with the MCU-emulator and OTP programmer units I've tested it with, on both of my laptops and netbook.

The fun thing is finding even PCI cards that will work with old parallel-port dongles. 8-(

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

Mike wrote

Prolific is not a device I would use for the industrial market ;) Largely due to lack of support. However the chip is probably 1/3 of the price so all the Chinese mfgs use them.

FTDI stuff is excellent and does exactly what it says on the tin. I have done a few designs and all work perfectly. We sell thousands of the finished product (USB to 422/485) and have not had compatibility issues.

Reply to
Peter

A counterfeit driver conveniently supplied with the counterfeit chips?

Reply to
Jasen Betts

Hi Mikko,

If you send details of where / when you purchased your devices to snipped-for-privacy@ftdichip.com I will be happy to investigate any possible counterfeits offline.

------------------------------------- Okkim Atnarivik wrote:

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Reply to
usbfan

Is that really ' snipped-for-privacy@ftdichip.com' with only one 'p' in support, or is that a typo?

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Reply to
Bob Larter

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