John Gilpin wrote:
>
> Can anyone out there offer me any advice please?
> Is there a way (step by step instructions please) to check that my serial
> port is still working? I do not have a serial printer nor a reliable serial
> to parallel converter with the correct "D" type plug on it - most of what
> I've got are set up for the black box QL serial ports. I have proved that
> the Z88 is "printing out" to its serial port and then to my printer via
> another serial to parallel converter suitably wired for the Z88.
> Incidentally, I have noticed that the pin out for the black box serial port
> has +12V on one lead which is connected to the PCB inside the Miracle ser -
> parallel interface. Similarly the Z88 Serial port has one lead at +5V which
> can be used to simulate a handshake ( I have read somewhere) but the Aurora
> 10 pin header does not have such a facility. Having had all this working in
> the past leads me to think that this does not matter. Does anyone know
> differently?
>
>
It is certainly possible there could be a hardware problem with the
Aurora serial ports. Nasta used _exactly_ the same hardware chips, but
the 12V supply is far more robust, of course! I am not sure how he
derives -12V but it is sure to be better than the QL.
Best bet is to connect it to a known working serial port on a remote
machine and run terminal software both ends.
I suppose this had better be a PC - which would have the advantage of
being able to use a standard device with multicoloured LEDs which give a
lot of good info. Green is working and red is not. Green for GO and
red for STOP - which applies as well to the handshaking lines. First
of all disable hardware handshaking both ends and type each end. Then
enable hardware handshake and see if it still works. Then transfer both
ways a large file at the highest speed possible using a file transfer
protocol. This is precisely how I test the sH ser3.
I forget how the Aurora ports are wired (SER2 like?) but I know Nasta
made ser1 and ser2 identical. The manual is very clear as to direction
of signals (vital when wiring - as TX/RX etc get badly mixed up in the
Sinclair world - Spectrum has the same problem) but I don't have it to
hand right now. I did give you the pinouts I think in an email.
BTW I made up a lead for connecting the Spectrum interface 1 to a PC for
someone in Sardinia recently. I have never seen an Interface 1 let
alone wired a cable - but I got it right first time. It is the usual
RX-TX CTS-RTS(DTR on QL!!) pairs and GND-GND - but you need to take
heed of signal direction, rather than port name.
If it doesn't work - simply swap the RX/TX and CTS/RTS wiring.
I suspect the Aurora - Z88 needs a crossover cable. I think they are
both wired SER2 like.
Aurora will have exactly the same serial faults if you use the QL 8049
with Di-ren interface of course. Hermes and sH will be trouble free.
Tony
--
QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255
[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://firshman.co.uk
Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman
TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
_______________________________________________
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
