This is probably a strange request and I don't know if such a product even exist but here goes. I am looking for an inline rs-232 "component" that will, on the fly, convert ASCII commands to HEX or decimal hopefully selectable. It would need to be a standalone unit (not a computer) that sits inline from a controller to the controlled component. If anyone has any ideas it would be very helpful. Thanks in advance and I think I will also cross post this in the rs-232 forum.

May I inquire as to the application?
It may help to offer solutions, and in some cases trigger a product one used a while ago.

I could of sworn Celadon made one of these, but dont see it on their website anymore. Might want to give them a call
http://www.celadon.com/

Other option might be the Xantech WIC1200 the2 RS232 ports should be able to be used int he setup you describe.

I would assume hes swapping out something like a projector on an existing system that he doesnt have the ability to reprogram.

ASCII, Hex, Decimal? All ones and zeroes on a wire...

Do you want something that will take ASCII and convert it to an ASCII representation of the decimal value? For instance take the ASCII 'm' and convert it to ASCII '109'?

I could sell you a Crestron QM-RMC and a program to achieve that for about $500.

No, I need something that takes ASCII "dog" and convert it to HEX "64:6f:67" or DEC. "100:111:103". Hope this makes more sense.

... 'd' is '64' is '100' is '01000000'.

It doesn't make any more sense than your first post.

If you want to your box to spit out '64' in ASCII, so that your terminal emulator displays 64 rather than d, then my first post is what you need.

Budget?

Can you program?

There are any number of small computer like devices out there (fanless, SSD, USB ports, serial ports, etc) that can be programmed to do just about anything.

A search on "embedded computer" should yield lots of possibilities.

Here is just one example

[Link: e-itx.com]

I don't want it to spit out 64 in ASCII I want it to convert the d in ASCII that I send it and spit out 64 in HEX.

why though? It sounds like your just talking about what you would watch in a terminal emulator. what we see is academic. the device will respond to both.

If you describe the application, its much easier to help.

Sounds like an arduino project.

So... you have a device that spits out commands using the wiring and electrical voltages that we refer to as RS-232, but can only spit out commands in ASCII.* You want those commands to be understood by a device that requires commands to be in HEX form; or decimal form; and you want for some reason to be able to switch back and forth between the two.

As I see it, explaining just what devices you're dealing with, or even mentioning the class of products, helps us envision the issues right from the start. For instance, what I wrote seems very possible, but I don't know if it's reasonable that such things exist, and the ability to switch the output between HEX and decimal is puzzling, because your following device comes set or will be programmed to accept one or the other, but not both on a switchable basis.

Also, are you saying that one or both of these devices already have such commands and ability to respond to commands built into them? For instance, there is a Xantech piece that goes from 232 to IR, but the 232 commands are dictated by the Xantech device.

*Wait a minute.  For a device to spit out a command in ASCII, via RS-232, doesn't it, by definition, have to convert it to binary or, more usually, HEX?  How the hell do you send a d out without converting it from an ASCII character to a digital value?

Thus this answer, that is spot on:

Your devices see the codes in exactly the same way regardless how they are written. Like roman numerals, the value is the same but they look completely different. Both of your devices will understand and respond to any type of binary code.
Unless you mean you have a whole bunch of codes programmed to operate a device and you are swapping the device for one which uses a different code set.

Actually if I send a command to this particular unit in ASCII from a terminal program lets say "PWON" in ASCII it works and powers up the unit. If I send the equivalent command in HEX "50:57:4f:4e" it does not process the command. It will only except commands in the ASCII format. I don't know all the technicalities of it but this is the case.

Your device might be expecting a carriage return or line feed character at the end of the command. Have you tried sending "50:57:4f:4e:0a" or "50:57:4f:4e:0d"?

I'm not familiar with a system that sends hex in that particular format. What control System and Device are you trying to get to play nice together?