First, thanks for all the kind words.
There seem to be several problems happening.
1) It appears that certain models of the Keyspan PDA adapter can't handle the LocoBuffer's 57,600 rate. This might be an problem in the program that's interacting with the adapter, but it only seems to happen for some adapters and not others.
The work-around for this is to use the 19,200 rate for the LocoBuffer.
I'd be very interested in knowing whether "hardware flow control" has any impact on this problem. Specifically, does having "no flow control" set make the 57,600 setting work? Does "hardware flow control" work at 19,200?
This problem has been reported twice, both on Macintosh. If anybody uses a USB adapter on Windows or Linux, would you please let me know whether it's working or not at 57,600?
I've updated the LocoNet connection web page with some more info on this.
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2) Some Windows machines have what appear to be RS232 control lead problems with LocoBuffer & DecoderPro.
The symptom for this is being able to see LocoNet traffic in the monitor via a LocoBuffer, but being unable to send to the LocoNet. This results in programmer timeouts, etc.
Some people have reported being able to bypass the problem with the "no flow control option".
Others have reported that connecting pins on the LocoBuffer will fix this. (See
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for details).
Without connections to the DCD and DSR leads, the LocoBuffer isn't really providing a "true RS232" output. But that only seems to effect some PCs. It's not clear whether this is OS-version specific, PC model-specific, or something else. It's possible that the 25-pin to 9-pin cables being used have something to do with it.
I'd very much like to understand this better. In particular, if you've had to bypass a problem like this, could you let me know:
a) What OS version (e.g. Win XP, ME, etc) and computer model
you've got.
b) Whether "no flow control" option worked for you
c) If you fixed it by jumpering the LocoBuffer RS232
connection, had you tried and failed with the "no flow
control option"?
3) There are some problems with NCE systems and USB adapters that I'm still trying to understand. I'll write more about that soon. Please, if you're having trouble getting DecoderPro to communicate with a NCE or Wangrow system, don't suffer in silence. Ask on the list or let me know directly. I've not figured out the pattern on this one yet.
Thanks for your patience, and your help figuring all this out.
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Bob Jacobsen (Bob_Jacobsen@..., 510-486-7355, fax 510-495-2957)
Bob Jacobsen