Advice Sought: Serial/DB-9 to USB Converter for serial trackball

[Stupidface]

(or DE-9, if you like)

I am seeking an inexpensive converter that will convert this connector (female DB-9):



(Photo credit: Not me.)


...to USB in order to allow a very old one-button serial trackball to run on a USB-only machine.


The catch?  The converter cannot require software drivers* to operate.


Is this possible?  Any useful tips or advice would be welcome; I am completely at sea.







*If you must know, it's because the machine is running OS X 10.5, (Don't ask) making it highly unlikely that drivers would be available.

[Leslieann]

There's pretty much only two types of serial to usb converters, cheap pass through and more expensive translators, the latter usually needs software.
If a cheap one doesn't work, then you are going to have to get the more expensive converters, it's just how it is.

There is two alternatives to this.
Some boards have a serial port header on it, but not the port (just pins), if so you can just buy a header which sits in a pci slot. The other option is a serial port pcie adapter. Both will probably run on OS drivers.

[typo]

the "insignia" one at Best buy of all things was a very good one that never failed me. I am not sure if they still have it. You will know if it is the right one because it shows up as "prolific" and does not require any software other than the driver windows automatically installs. As far as OSX I would imagine it works the same way. Although if the machine it not online and cannot grab the driver you may have an issue.