On another list, Jonathan Bayer and "JP" (Sorry, don't know who that is) may have found a solution to (some of) the LocoBuffer communications problems.
Could those of you who have trouble programming through a LocoBuffer please try jumpering-together pins 5, 6 and 8 on the LocoBuffer's 25-pin connector, and let me know whether that fixes it?
That connector has a row of 12 pins and a row of 13. Looking at the solder-side of the board, pin 1 is at the end of the row of 13 (toward the center of the board), at the end nearest the RJ12 LocoNet jack. Next to that are pins 2, 3, 4 and 5 with traces on them. Pin 6 is next to that, with nothing connected. Pin 7 (ground) has a trace, then pin 8 does not.
So the suggestion is to connect pin 5 (with a trace) to pin 6 and 8 (without traces). Be careful not to short to pin 7, which is already connected.
Bob
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
At 7:07 AM -0500 11/6/02, Jonathan B. Bayer wrote:
Hello John,
That was it. For some reason the hardware flow control wasn't working properly
when I tried programming.
I had to connect the CTS to the DSR _and_ the DCD (CD). I wonder if the
UART inside the laptop was trying to be too smart.
Anyway, I added a jumper to the Locobuffer to connect pins 5,6 & 8. It
now works nicely.
What really knocks me is that I used to know the RS232 serial lines
backwards and forwards. But I haven't had to do anything with serial
cables for over 10 years, and that old knowledge just slipped away :-(
Thanks a lot.
JBB
Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 10:04:41 PM, you wrote:
The Locobuffer is able to receive data from the Loconet. The data is
displayed in the DecoderPro Loconet Monitor window
The RRctrl software is able to grab a locomotive on the track and
control it.
JP> I had this problem, and solved it with a "Smart Cable(tm)" that
JP> manipulated the handshaking signals as needed.
JP> You may be able to do the same with a few clip leads :-)
JP> Try connecting DTR to DSR and maybe DCD and see if that helps...
JP> -John
JP> DB-9M Function Abbreviation
JP> Pin #1 Data Carrier Detect CD
JP> Pin #2 Receive Data RD or RX or RXD
JP> Pin #3 Transmitted Data TD or TX or TXD
JP> Pin #4 Data Terminal Ready DTR
JP> Pin #5 Signal Ground GND
JP> Pin #6 Data Set Ready DSR
JP> Pin #7 Request To Send RTS
JP> Pin #8 Clear To Send CTS
JP> Pin #9 Ring Indicator RI
JP> DB-25M Function Abbreviation
JP> Pin #1 Chassis/Frame Ground GND
JP> Pin #2 Transmitted Data TD
JP> Pin #3 Receive Data RD
JP> Pin #4 Request To Send RTS
JP> Pin #5 Clear To Send CTS
JP> Pin #6 Data Set Ready DSR
JP> Pin #7 Signal Ground GND
JP> Pin #8 Data Carrier Detect DCD or CD
JP> Pin #20 Data Terminal Ready DTR
JP> Pin #22 Ring Indicator RI
--
--------------
Bob Jacobsen (Bob_Jacobsen@..., 510-486-7355, fax 510-495-2957)
Bob Jacobsen