USB to Serial Cable with older JP1.x interface?

csete · Post by **csete** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:04 pm

It isn't pretty, but here it is...

http://setera.org/misc/IMG_1475.JPG

http://setera.org/misc/IMG_1478.JPG

I'm not sure this will help, but I appreciate people taking a look.

Craig

csete · Post by **csete** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:32 pm

As you can see, I didn't use any color-coding in the wiring, since I didn't think anyone would be looking at this. Let me give some idea of what you are seeing...

In both pictures, the serial connector is on the right and the JP1 connector comes in from the left. The serial wires from top to bottom are 7, 2, 3, 4, 5. The JP1 wires from top to bottom are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. The transistors from top to bottom are Q3, Q2 and Q1. The blue/black wires are the ground wire chain. The green wires are coming from the serial connector and the brown wires from the jp1 connector.

Hope that helps make some sense of what you are seeing.
Thanks again,
Craig

WagonMaster · Post by **WagonMaster** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:54 pm

The pictures should help immensely. I'll take a look at them in detail when I get a minute.

BTW, any chance I could convince you to replace those large inline images (about 1.1MB total) in your post with a simple link to them? I'm on a dial-up connection and every time I load this page, it takes me over 4 minutes!

Bill

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:42 pm

I just converted them to links.

WagonMaster · Post by **WagonMaster** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:48 pm

csete wrote:Is there any chance that jp1xtester would fail, but IR.exe would not? (I'm guessing not, but thought I'd ask)

Where did you get this 'jp1xtester' utility from? I don't have it (or even 'jp1xtest') and it might be wise to be sure we're all using the same test utilities. (A search in the "files" section didn't turn it up either.)

Having said that, I suspect that the utility is using either the same (or similar) underlying library code as 'IR.exe' does to communicate with the JP1.x (Flash) remotes, so I think the answer is that both applications would either succeed or fail, but that's no guarantee.

csete wrote:I was unsure of was the polarity of the diodes. I have the non-black end of the diode wired to ground. Is that correct?

That is correct.

csete wrote:I'm 99% certain I've oriented the transistors correctly... I've rechecked them a couple of times. The emitters go to GND, correct?

That is also correct. However, although I may be misunderstanding your wiring, it looks to me like you may have erroneously grounded all of the collectors. On my NPN transistors (2N3904), the leads are labelled (left to right) as EBC. If your transistors are similar, then it appears as if all the collectors (right side of the transistor) are erroneously grounded.

If my theory is correct (and assuming you haven't miswired anything else

), then simply desoldering and reversing the transistors should fix it.

I haven't analyzed the circuit much further than that. If you can shoot my theory down, then I'll gladly look at it some more, but I think we need to determine the transistor grounding issue first.

Bill

WagonMaster · Post by **WagonMaster** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:51 pm

The Robman wrote:I just converted them to links.

Thanks, Rob. Already much better on my panting dial-up modem!

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:13 pm

Where did you get this 'jp1xtester' utility from? I don't have it (or even 'jp1xtest') and it might be wise to be sure we're all using the same test utilities. (A search in the "files" section didn't turn it up either.)

Remember this thread?

See Tommy's post near the end of the second page.
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11097

The utility is here:
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=4459

WagonMaster · Post by **WagonMaster** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:50 pm

Aha! There's that little son-of-a-gun!

Many thanks, 3FG!

I thought it was one of Tommy's utilities but was mystified as to why the file search on both the forums and on my own hard disk drive (HDD) failed to find 'jp1xtester' or even 'jp1xtest'. The 'jp1xtest.exe' file is hidden away in 'TestGroup.ZIP', which I do have on my HDD. I guess I need to unzip that and leave it unzipped so next time I search for it, it will turn up!

Thanks again, 3FG!

Regards,
Bill

csete · Post by **csete** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 6:18 am

This whole transistor orientation has me pretty confused at this point. I'm getting mixed information on the internet and elsewhere. I bought this package of transistors from Radio Shack ( http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... ab=summary ) thinking it was a package of 2N3904 transistors. The packaging does not make it clear at all that it is a mix of transistors. The markings on the package aren't helpful. According to the web page, there are three different transistor types in that package and I'm not sure what the differences are.

My orientation has been based on the mapping for 2N3904 shown on this page: http://hamradio.lakki.iki.fi/new/Datash ... r_pinouts/

These other two sites show the orientation the other way:

http://www.reprise.com/host/circuits/tr ... inouts.asp
http://www.solarbotics.net/library/piec ... trans.html

Which orientation should I be using? Once I know for sure, I will remove the current transistors that are a mixed bag and put in all 2N3904 with the proper orientation... whatever that orientation should be.

Thanks,
Craig

WagonMaster · Post by **WagonMaster** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:57 am

csete wrote:My orientation has been based on the mapping for 2N3904 shown on this page: http://hamradio.lakki.iki.fi/new/Datash ... r_pinouts/

Check the image for the 2N3904 on that page once more. I think you're confused. That image does show the correct orientation for a 2N3904 and it's consistent with the other 2 links you supplied. Remember... that image shows the transistor lying on its right side with the 3 leads coming out towards the viewer. In other words, if you hold the 2N3904 transistor in your hand, with the leads down and the flat side facing you, the 3 leads, left to right, are Emitter, Base, and Collector.

csete wrote:Which orientation should I be using?

EBC, left-to-right, assuming they're all 2N3904. Some are actually marked with "EBC" right above the leads, but if not, the "2N3904" (or, at least, "3904") should be clearly marked.

Bill

3FG · Post by **3FG** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:17 am

Craig,

http://www.fairchildsemi.com/ds/2N/
and
http://library.solarbotics.net/datasheets/2N2222.pdf
show the pinouts for these 3 transistor types.

The 2N3904 and 2N4401 have the same pinout, while the 2N2222 has the opposite pinout.
Any of these transistors types will work. The 2N3904 has a lower current handling capability (100mA) than the other two (600mA), but the transistor gains and speeds are almost the same for all three.

csete · Post by **csete** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:03 am

Success!!!

Thanks to all of your help on this. It was the transistor orientation. I pulled out all of the transistors and made sure to use 2N3094 oriented correctly (per everyone's direction) and I've now passed the initial JP1 tester application as well as downloaded via IR.exe.

Further testing/playing is going to have to wait until later today, but I wanted to thank everyone for their help in getting me going on this.

WagonMaster · Post by **WagonMaster** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:24 pm

WagonMaster wrote:Back in early May, I'd discovered that there was (and still is currently) a serious bug in the JP1.x serial library code that affects Linux users. Fortunately, I'd also found (and documented) the fix. Unfortunately, the bug is still there (which is partly my fault, having been distracted by other non-JP1 issues lately).

Without going into detail, I'll simply say this: For now, don't try to run RMIR under Linux -- you will almost certainly encounter problems due to that bug! If possible, either run 'IR.exe' (under Windows or Linux+Wine) or run RMIR under Windows. Once you resolve the issue(s) with your hardware (USB/RS-232 adapter, remote control, etc), it will then make sense to further discuss the issues behind use of RMIR under Linux.

This bug (and a couple other nasty ones) are now fixed.

I've just uploaded an improved version of the 'libjp12serial.so' library file. If you're still having problems (or even if you're not or are using some work-around but are willing to help test some of these issues), I'd like for you to download it and test it, please. Please see my post about how to use this new library file. Any feedback is very much appreciated!

Regards,
Bill

csete · Post by **csete** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:03 pm

Is there any news on a 64-bit version of the library? If not, I can take a look at compiling from source myself. Any hints/tips if I decide to do that?

gfb107 · Post by **gfb107** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:24 pm

The updated driver is include in the RM/RMIR v1.97, as well as the beta releases of v1.98