I have a Century Elite 4 TX and bought from Century the FMS Flight simulator CD and interface ~CN2001-X this all works fine on my desktop serial port but it won't work on my Dell Inspiron laptop, nothing happens when I calibrate. have read on some of the topics that notebooks have some kind of voltage problem. If this is the case what can I do to sort it out. Any advise appreciated.
Regards Paul
PIC Interface - Doesn't work on laptop
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1
by Eric Brouwer » Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:49 pm
This is quite a common problem with notebooks. To get technical, the serial ports on newer notebooks only give out between 3 and 3.3V. Although this is enough to power up the PIC microcontroller, the swing in voltage levels on the RS232 side is too low for the serial port to recognise.
There are a couple of options:
1) You can try using it with a USB to Serial converter, but not all types will work. It is trial & error.
2) Get a USB interface, which is garunteed to work on notebooks.
3) Depending on your electronic skills, and the construction of your interface, you can get an external power supply for the interface.
Pin 7 on the DB9 plug is used for the positive supply to the PIC. This in almost always fed via a resistor and a 5V zener diode to give 5V to the PIC.
Remove the wire on pin 7 of the DB9 plug, and take it out to the positive of the external power supply. The negative of the external power supply must be connected to pin 5 on the DB9 plug.
For detailed diagrams, please download
The external power suplly can be between 5V and 12V. Try this at own risk.
There are a couple of options:
1) You can try using it with a USB to Serial converter, but not all types will work. It is trial & error.
2) Get a USB interface, which is garunteed to work on notebooks.
3) Depending on your electronic skills, and the construction of your interface, you can get an external power supply for the interface.
Pin 7 on the DB9 plug is used for the positive supply to the PIC. This in almost always fed via a resistor and a 5V zener diode to give 5V to the PIC.
Remove the wire on pin 7 of the DB9 plug, and take it out to the positive of the external power supply. The negative of the external power supply must be connected to pin 5 on the DB9 plug.
For detailed diagrams, please download
The external power suplly can be between 5V and 12V. Try this at own risk.
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
Vanderbijlpark
South Africa
Homepage: http://myweb.absa.co.za/eric.brouwer
Vanderbijlpark
South Africa
Homepage: http://myweb.absa.co.za/eric.brouwer
- Eric Brouwer
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 7:53 am
- Location: Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
by Eric Brouwer » Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:43 am
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
Vanderbijlpark
South Africa
Homepage: http://myweb.absa.co.za/eric.brouwer
Vanderbijlpark
South Africa
Homepage: http://myweb.absa.co.za/eric.brouwer
- Eric Brouwer
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 7:53 am
- Location: Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
by otterplanes » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:07 am
G,Day to all,
I am getting desperate.I have a JR X388S transmitter.I have a Presario 2100 Laptop running on XP. It has a parallel port, a serial port, and a usb port.I want to run FMS.Where can I get an interface cable that has at least a 75% chance of working.I am a novice at electronics. If someone can tell me where to go and what to do I will be forever in his debt.
Regards otterplanes
I am getting desperate.I have a JR X388S transmitter.I have a Presario 2100 Laptop running on XP. It has a parallel port, a serial port, and a usb port.I want to run FMS.Where can I get an interface cable that has at least a 75% chance of working.I am a novice at electronics. If someone can tell me where to go and what to do I will be forever in his debt.
Regards otterplanes
- otterplanes
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Sellicks Beach. South Australia. Australia
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests