I use older datalogger (15 years old) with a serial interface. After updating to W8.1 it gift no drivers for my old USB to Serial Converter. With the Trendnet TU-S9 everything runs fine again.
The design of the connector fits on a standards-compliant serial cable (was not wrong with my old).
The approximately 40 - 50 cm long cable is more than adequate, since I have to connect it with the serial cable
