DarrenW
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 04:23 PM |
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Serial Cables and com port issues
I had some issues last night getting the Megajolt to talk to the PC. I reckon it was because i was using a serial to USB converter and then a USB
cable to the laptop.
I have managed to find a 9pin male to female serial cable at work. I knopw there are a couple of types, and that one isnt a straight through cable.
Can you identify these by looking at the cable or do you have to test it?
Am i right in assuming that i need pins 2, 3, and 5 to be straight through (ie 2 - 2, 3 - 3 and 5 - 5)? Is it just a case of testing with
multimeter?
If i do have the correct cable but still experience communication problems, what are the easiest things to check (assuming megajolt is connected OK
etc).
Cheers,
Darren.
[Edited on 23/3/07 by DarrenW]
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rayward
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 04:34 PM |
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yep,
all you need is 2-2,3-3 and 5-5
you can use hyperterminal, and short pins 2 and 3 at the other end of the cable, to check your com ports etc.
everything you type should be echoed on screen, if that doesnt work, the problems not with your megajolt
ray
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 04:36 PM |
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Darren,
I don't know if you watch the Megajolt forum, but Brent Picasso is currently trying to fix some problems with serial-USB adaptors. He has
issued a beta release that's supposed to fix it - but it requires a firmware download to match the configuration software. Not sure that I want
to put a beta release onto my car yet...
David
[Edited on 22/3/07 by David Jenkins]
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DarrenW
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 05:17 PM |
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I had a look at MJLJ forum today and logged on. As a novice im not really sure what it all means beyond using the box i currently have. If you
download a firmware upgrade how do you get it onto the MJLJ box itself?
Ive seen they have some new software that allows switching between 2 maps.
The version i have doesnt allow changes on the fly - i have to download the config first.
If i have the wrong lead, what would stop me just connecting 3 bits of wire between the respective plugs on MJLJ and laptop to get me away?
Had a look at hyprterminal on my PC but it seemed to be more related to telephone connections. I must be using wrong version.
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rayward
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 05:25 PM |
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you will have the rigth version of hyperterminal, have a look on the megaSQUIRT v2.2 assembly instructions
HERE
it gives the setup info for hyperterminal
Ray
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DarrenW
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 05:38 PM |
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That helps Ray, thanks.
So basically to check the cable is OK i plug it into the pC and then connect pins 2 and 3 together at the other end (i assume this is what you mean by
jumper). Set up hyperterminal and then check that it sends the command back to the PC. If that works then connect to the MJLJ.
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DarrenW
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 05:50 PM |
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Im trying hyperterminal. Keep getting a warning that another device is using the selected telephony!
I wish i knew more about puters!
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rayward
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 06:00 PM |
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do you have a dial up modem??.
Ray
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DarrenW
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 06:02 PM |
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I have no idea. It is a new laptop from work and i connect via wireless. It has telephone cable plug so i presume it has.
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rayward
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 06:12 PM |
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sounds like the internal modem is using the com port,
try looking in the setup(press del as it starts up or seomthing normally gives you a message)and find the internal modem and disable it, reboot and
try again
Ray
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 08:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
I had a look at MJLJ forum today and logged on. As a novice im not really sure what it all means beyond using the box i currently have. If you
download a firmware upgrade how do you get it onto the MJLJ box itself?
This page on the MJ forum should have all the info you require.
There's a special firmware-loading program that needs to be run to get it into the box - all on those pages.
Brent will cheerfully try to help you if you post your problem in the correct section of that forum (he signs on as 'brentp' ).
cheers,
David
[Edited on 22/3/07 by David Jenkins]
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bob
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 09:09 PM |
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Funny i was just talking to chrisw about the right serial port cable to use, he said as long as its nots marked TX-RX or CTS-RTS it should be ok.
Something about some of the 9 pins being crossed on the incorrect cable.
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DarrenW
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 09:36 PM |
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This is doing my head in now.
Checked the serial lead - i have continuity 2-2, 3-3 and 5-5.
Hyperterminal - just cant get it to work. It keeps saying another program is using the selected telephony.
Ive been into device manager - found internal modem and disabled it - didnt change anything in hyperterminal.
Ive also been into com port settings but dont really know what im looking at so havent changed anything.
Ive connected serial cable to MJLJ. Opened up MJLJTune. Keep getting error saying Com1 is already in use.
Ive also chacked Java install files aginst the install instructions and it looks right.
Does anyone know of anything else to try please?
What frustrates me the most is i keep reading suggestions like change the com port until you find one that works, or check to see if the com port you
are using is used by another application etc - i have no idea how to do this. is there somewhere you can see the ports listed and what is using them.
My laptop only has 1 serial port and this is the first time ive ever used it. Everything else ive connected was via USB. I thought this would have
meant it wasnt yet assigned.
[Edited on 22/3/07 by DarrenW]
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TangoMan
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 10:11 PM |
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Sorry Darren I can't help on that one. Shame we didn't give it a try on my laptop today.
I am not up your way now for a month or we could have connected it up to my laptop.
Have you looked in Device Manager to ensure that COM1 is working OK. It may be worth uninstalling it and then scanning for hardware changes. Windows
will then reinstall it and its drivers.
Summer's here!!!!
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paulf
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 11:02 PM |
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Which version of Megajolt tune are you using? the early tuning sotware was Java based and quiter difficult to get working.The newer versions are much
better and more user friendly. Check to make sure there is no pda software or similar running on your laptop as this often uses the com port that
megajolt requires.
Paul.
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DarrenW
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| posted on 22/3/07 at 11:08 PM |
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Ive tried mjljtune 5.0.3 and also the new one.
I dont have PDA software installed but do have some Nokia (N73) software on the PC.
What is bugging me is that i cant even get a simple loopback test to work in hyperterminal. Very strange. Im just going to reboot PC now after
uninstalling Com1 driver.
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DarrenW
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| posted on 23/3/07 at 10:45 AM |
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I brought MJLJ, leads etc into work today.
Step 1 - connect serial lead to desktop. Tried hyperterminal loopback test - worked a treat on Com2. Jumper in and text appears on screen, jumper off
and it doesnt.
I believe this proves the cable is fine but my laptop isnt.
Step 2 - powered up the MJLJ box using battery charger as power supply. Again using hyper terminal tried C and S - got nothing at all!!!!!!!!
Im starting to go insane with this. I also quickly tried to download V3 MJLJ tune into desktop but it wont talk to MJLJ box either.
Any ideas what i should try next.
My MJLJ is the Kimmins version with EDIS built in.
Cheers,
Darren.
Step 2
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 23/3/07 at 12:58 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
Step 2 - powered up the MJLJ box using battery charger as power supply. Again using hyper terminal tried C and S - got nothing at all!!!!!!!!
NEVER, EVER use a car battery charger as a power supply! The output is rectified AC with no filitering or regulation, which means the output drops to
zero every 100th of a second, and the unloaded voltage will be far higher than 12v. Hopefully you haven't fried you MJ box 
The MJ box will work quite happily from a 9v PP3 battery for testing as long as you don't have the EDIS and coil pack connected.
Ahh, just read you have built in EDIS, a 9v battery may struggle with that, not sure how much current it takes.
Just a thought on your COM1 problems on laptop:
1) Make sure you don't have the MJLJTune application open at the same time as Hyperterminal
2) Do you have a PDA or other serialy connected device? It's possible you have a synchronisation manager or simmilar running that is using
COM1.
[Edited on 23/3/07 by MikeRJ]
[Edited on 23/3/07 by MikeRJ]
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DarrenW
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| posted on 23/3/07 at 01:39 PM |
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i did have Nokia communication loaded. Ive uninstalled all of that. Also uninstalled the USB adaptor and re-installed.
I then uninstalled all of the Java and MJLJ software and re-installed.
Opening up hyperterminal this time and i didnt get the same message ref other device using selected telephony, however with jumper between 2 and 3 i
still cant get the cable to work on the laptop (it does however work on desktop).
Opened up MJLJ tune this time and it loaded up without the error message at the start. However it still says unable to open port Com1 - unknown serial
port. Strange as im trying USB again. Ive been into device manager and found it uses Com8. Com8 isnt an option in MJLJtune so i reset it to Com2
(shown as unused) on both device manager and MJLJtune. Still get error message ref port com1.
What is strange now is that when i open MJLJtune with nothing connected i dont get the grey error screen that i had before with the more... option.
Also when i press get config button the same box doesnt appear.
[Edited on 23/3/07 by DarrenW]
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DarrenW
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| posted on 23/3/07 at 02:04 PM |
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Is this good or not???
Connected 9v battery. Unknown life.
downloaded brays terminal, set up as per instructions on brents site. Managed to get a reply using C and S commands (random hex looking stuff).
Does this mean i have basic connectivity to the mjlj unit?
It worked with usb lead and adaptor via com2.
mjljtune however wont communicate (terminal prog shut down), could this be due to battery power or perhaps due to firmware issues?
Is upgrading firmware easy?
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 23/3/07 at 05:52 PM |
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Sounds like your MJ has lived to tell the tale, that's good news anyway.
I just downloaded and installed MJLTune 3.1.2 and it supports up to COM10 in the configuration options, do you have an older version perhaps?
USB adapters can cause problems like this, but usualy only when the software using it is doing naughty things like direct hardware access (e.g. some
old DOS programs). Windows programs will usualy work if they can see the "virtual" serial port that the USB drivers create.
Updating the firmware is very easy, but you have to get the comms working first (or use your desktop machine).
http://www.autosportlabs.net/index.php?title=V3.1.x_/_2.7.x_Installing_the_new_firmware_image
Ooops, please ignore me I just noticed your other post. Glad you managed to get it sorted!
[Edited on 23/3/07 by MikeRJ]
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