Com5 vs Com7

lockadoc

I used my Propeller education kit on com 5
I just got the professional board and it tried to find it on com7 with no luck how can I make it try Com5?

Bill S

Mike Green

Each FTDI chip has its own serial number and Windows uses that to tell the COM ports apart. You'll get a separate COM port for each different USB to serial adapter. The Education Kit gets one COM port via its PropPlug while the PPDB has its own FTDI chip and a different COM port as you've noticed. There's a way to reset the registry to get Windows to reassign COM port numbers, but someone else will have to chime in with details. Sorry.

Ron Czapala

In Windows XP (with the prop professional board connected)

1. click "Start" and "Run"
2. enter "devmgmt.msc" and click "OK" to run Device Manager
3. click the plus sign next to "Ports (COM & LPT)" to expand the tree.
4. right-click the appropriate entry, e.g. USB Serial Port (COM5), and then click "Properties" from the context menu
5. click the "Port Settings" tab and the "Advanced" button.
6. From the COM Port Number drop-down, select an available com port number and click "OK"
7. click "OK" again to close the device's property dialog box.

You can rearrange/reassign com port numbers to make the desired number available.

Unsoundcode

Hi Bill, something worth a mention , you may have to unplug and replace the USB connector. In the Propeller tool under EDIT then Preferences there is a button named Edit Ports , click it , even though a desired Com port may be displayed the Propeller tool may not recognize it . When you unplug and reconnect the USB you will see the relevant port disappear and reappear.

Jeff T.

lockadoc

I tried that,, I still get no prop found on Com7,I than tried the PE kit and the prop plug does connect to it I guess my computer likes com5 on the prop plug just not the chip that is trying com7 ,, can I use THE USBto 232 that I use on the basic stamp? If so how do I connect to the RS-232 plug on the deveoplment board?

Bill S

Mike Green

You can't use the RS232 socket on the PPDB for downloading programs, only for other serial connections.

Ron Czapala

I'm confused about what FTDI devices you have but I am attaching a ZIP file which contains a vbscript (.vbs) which enumerates the com ports defined in your regsitry.

It creates a file called Ports.htm in your temp folder and opens it in IE.

It lists com ports even if the device is not currently plugged in.

It gives a little more info for FTDI devices it finds from
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\Vid_0403&Pid_6001
which is the where FTDI entries live.

lockadoc

I tried your program ,,,, This is the result


Port Name Device Desc Friendly Name Class
COM3 @oem3.inf,%agere6%;Agere Systems HDA Modem Agere Systems HDA Modem Modem
COM4 @oem25.inf,%usb\vid_0403&pid_6001.devicedesc%;USB Serial Converter (A20e1t7b) USB Serial Port (COM4) Ports
COM5 @oem25.inf,%usb\vid_0403&pid_6001.devicedesc%;USB Serial Converter (A10026yz) USB Serial Port (COM5) Ports
COM6 @oem19.inf,%usbmotmodem%;Motorola USB Modem Motorola USB Modem Modem
COM7 @oem25.inf,%usb\vid_0403&pid_6001.devicedesc%;USB Serial Converter (A600a1uX) USB Serial Port (COM7) Ports
USB001 HP DeskJet 950C/952C/959C Printer


I'm at a loss as to how I can get to use the Development Board.
I using Windows Vista .

Can any-one help use the great looking board?

BillS

Ron Czapala

Based on your results, comp ports 4, 5 and 7 are FTDI devices.
You can use Device Manager to determine which one is which by only plugging in one at a time.

That should enable you to figure out which com port the development board is using.

Good luck.

turbosupra

I had a pe kit board that would be recognized in the prop ide, but the ide wouldn't recognize the actual prop chip on it ... turned out to be a bad usb to serial converter? Maybe your board has the same?