I agree with using RS485. I can conclude (and I am sure some others here can too) from many projects and years of experience that there are just some methods of building these embedded products that are just the most reasonable way to go forward. This is one of those cases. Particularly when you can do it with a simple adapter on the PC end so you dont have to modify the PC.

I just feel that there are some areas in projects that one can dispense with detailed analysis and move on. It is FAR more important to keep an eye on things like your PC board layout and producing stable and bug free software.

Michael Karas