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Proto Board/Win ME/Hyperterminal — Parallax Forums

Proto Board/Win ME/Hyperterminal

NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
edited 2007-08-14 22:43 in Propeller 1
I have the Proto Board working well and talking to Hyper at my desk using XP and the Prop Plug..··I would like to move the setup to my workbench, which has a computer with WinME·and use Hyper there since there is no spare VGA on the workbench.· Do I need to install some kind of an FTDI program or a USB serial converter so I can use the Prop Plug with ME?· There will be no programming - all I want is one-way communication from the Proto Board to Hyper via the Prop Plug.

Sid


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Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

That is why they call it the present.

Don't have VGA?
Newzed@aol.com
·

Comments

  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2007-08-09 17:03
    You will have to dig through the drivers at FTDI to see if they have a driver compatible with WindowsME.

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-09 17:32
    ·Paul, is the

    Parallax USB2SER Development Tool

    compatible with ME?· Does one end plug into the Proto Board and the other into a USB port.· Would I need any drivers or is it self-contained?

    Sid

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
  • deSilvadeSilva Posts: 2,967
    edited 2007-08-09 17:40
    WindowsME is not VERY USB-friendly, but you can try any USB-Serial cable or converter available; most include a tiny CD with a driver, and advertise also whether they are WindowsME compatible or not.

    The signals at the miniD connector however have the wrong polarity, thus you have to add one of the many (I count three itn he meantime) circuit suggestions for the different Propeller boards. As you want to send only, you will need one direction only (1 transistor, 2 resistors)

    But as you can configure most Propeller drivers for inverted polarity, you might not even need this, as USB-to-serial converters live easily with 3.3 V.
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2007-08-09 20:46
    Sid you need to download the driver from here: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-09 21:58
    Thank you, Paul.· I downloaded the one that said 1.09.06.· Do I need anything else for the Proto Board to communicate with Hyper via the Prop Plug?· Should I use the USB2SER Tool instead of the Prop Plug?

    Sid

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2007-08-09 22:40
    There is no functional difference, as long as the PC recognizes it as a virtual com port you should be good to go.

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-09 22:51
    OK, Paul.· I'll give it a shot in the morning.· All I will need is the Prop Plug to plug into the USB port when directed -· I won't need the Proto Board - correct?

    Sid

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2007-08-09 23:34
    Not to setup the com port, but obviously when you start running things your PC will need something to talk to smile.gif

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-11 14:53
    Paul, I downloaded 1.09.06 and 1.0.3.· They both contain uninstall programs but no install programs.· Am I missing something?

    Sid



    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-13 18:01
    Paul, I know you are busy but any suggestions you can make - when you have·the time -·would be appreciated.\

    Sid


    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2007-08-13 18:05
    I just checked and the files are there. You have to use the discovery phase of WinME to recognize your plugging of the PropPlug in, then when it asks you about the driver you point it to the directory you have unzipped the drivers into and it will take care of the rest.

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-14 18:12
    Paul, I did what you suggested.· Plugged the Prop Plug into the USB port. Windows said "Found new hardware", I pointed Windows·to the unzipped driver file I had downloaded, then Windows said "Installing new driver" I think it was FT232A - then finished.· I tried to write a new Hyper program but the only Coms that were available were the same 4 that had·always been there - Com 1 thru Com4.· (My USB scope uses Com4).· No matter which of the·four I selected for the new Hyper program, Hyper always said "Unable to open Comx".

    Any other suggestions?

    Sid



    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2007-08-14 18:19
    Did you reboot? Do you have the Propeller board running with the serial program? Did you test it out on your XP box first?

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-14 18:42
    Paul, everything works fine on the XP, using the Hyper file I wrote for XP.· It uses Com8, the same port I use to program the Propeller.

    I tried averything again today on the ME.· After I booted up, I plugged in the Prop Plug - Windows ignored it, which tells me it recognized it.· However, when I tried to open my Hyper file·for the Proto Board, it said "Cannot open Com4"· Tried Com 1, 2 and 3 with same result.· The Proto Board, with the LCD was running and continued to run during all my efforts.

    Sid

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2007-08-14 19:01
    Sid,

    WinME was known as a particularly unstable OS. Everyone I know who had it cursed it on a daily basis. Is there any reason (other than cost) for not upgrading to WinXP?

    -Phil
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2007-08-14 19:13
    Unfortunatly I don't have any access to WinME, so my ability to help you beyond this point is very limited.

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    Paul Baker
    Propeller Applications Engineer

    Parallax, Inc.

    Post Edited (Paul Baker (Parallax)) : 8/14/2007 10:48:03 PM GMT
  • NewzedNewzed Posts: 2,503
    edited 2007-08-14 22:43
    Phil, I will upgrade to XP as soon as my computer man has one available.· I'm reluctant to buy a new one with Vista - I'm a little bit afraid of incompatibilities with some of the programs I am running, particularly the Propeller Tool and my USB setups.· In the meantime, I would like to get Hyperterminal on the ME commumnicating with my Proto Board.· My USB scope works fine on the ME, as does my Hyper program for Stamps.

    Sid

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

    That is why they call it the present.

    Don't have VGA?
    Newzed@aol.com
    ·
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