What Baud Rate do you use ?
Posted
#209014
(In Topic #11431)
Full Member
The reason I ask is that with New Notmutley I have the opportunity to run many schedules at the same time but in testing over the past month have become more and more frustrated with the Software and hardware losing connectivity and the message from RR&CO TC telling me there has been a hardware failure with the COM port sometimes within 10 minutes of operation
This may only be a problem for me the NCE Digital Command unit uses the old serial port plugs and the connection to the PC USB has to be via an adapter.
The advice I received indicated that it was most likely the adapter - which was about seven years old so I invested in a new one - which turned out to be identical to the ESU adapter that comes with LokProgrammer. It helped but not much - the error messages and the loss of communication and the ensuing drama on the layout - still kept happening.
Then Frederick on the RR&CO forum asked me which Baud rate I was using and that rang a bell from when I first started using TC. I checked the port properties in the computer device manager and found they were different from those set in the DC unit so I set them the same.
That appeared to solve the problem - the schedules ran without bother - for about 2 hours then I got the same message
According to the RR&Co "help" notes that come with the error message this not an uncommon problem and may be solved by using a 9600 baud rate. ( that's the lowest Baud rate available)
So I am now using the 9600 instead of the 19200 Baud rate and have also set the control flow for the COMs port to " Hardware" and see if that improves things further.
Posted
Full Member
Seriously though, where on earth is this hobby going ?
You guys have my utmost admiration with all the smarts you are using on your layouts.
Us humble souls are having enough troubles coming to grips with soldering irons and have yet to even purchase multi meters.
John.
Posted
Full Member
Are you using a desktop computer or a laptop?
If using a desktop computer you may like to look at adding a serial adapter card rather than use the USB to serial adapter.
Andrew
Posted
Full Member
Beam me up Scotty.
Seriously though, where on earth is this hobby going ?
You guys have my utmost admiration with all the smarts you are using on your layouts.
Us humble souls are having enough troubles coming to grips with soldering irons and have yet to even purchase multi meters.
Hi John
Thanks for your post.
It's the great thing with the hobby , there's scope for all
Posted
Full Member
Hi Dave
Are you using a desktop computer or a laptop?
If using a desktop computer you may like to look at adding a serial adapter card rather than use the USB to serial adapter.
Andrew
Posted
Full Member
If you check your PC in Device Manager it should tell you whether you have a COM port - should show as COM1. Then an internal inspection is needed.
I originally had the Lenz USB connector and it caused me a lot of trouble. Lenz eventually sent me the serial one as a replacement and I had no trouble with it. It was set to 19200 Baud.
I now use the latest Lenz adapter (23151) and connect to the PC via the LAN port.
Last edit: by RFS
Robert
Posted
Full Member
If you need a pci card and / or an adapter for a port already on the motherboard let me know.
We are in Sydney and I am sure that we could find one.
Andrew
Posted
Full Member
Thanks Andrew,Hi Dave
If you need a pci card and / or an adapter for a port already on the motherboard let me know.
We are in Sydney and I am sure that we could find one.
Andrew
I suspect it maybe the way to go although on the lower baud rate of 9600 the layout has run schedules without any drama - here I go tempting fate again.
I have not been inside the computer thats running the software so I have no idea whether it has a port on the motherboard .- what does it look like ? is it the same as a normal serial port? Can you pm me with what you need to know to supply the appropriate card/adaptor.
Thanks again
Posted
Full Member
Need to know brand and model of computer
Andrew
Posted
Full Member
Its a Compaq Presario CQ3000 series Model No CQ344OAN
Thanks for your assistance
Posted
Full Member
Thanks for the feedback Robert.My PC has a serial port on the motherboard but no external plug to connect anything to. I purchased one of these to allow me to connect the Lenz serial adapter - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-PC-Computer-Mainboard-Com-Port-Ribbon-Cable-Connector-Bracket-RS232-DB9Pin-/271859475179?hash=item3f4c1662eb:g:j~wAAOSw9N1VkYaz
If you check your PC in Device Manager it should tell you whether you have a COM port - should show as COM1. Then an internal inspection is needed.
I originally had the Lenz USB connector and it caused me a lot of trouble. Lenz eventually sent me the serial one as a replacement and I had no trouble with it. It was set to 19200 Baud.
I now use the latest Lenz adapter (23151) and connect to the PC via the LAN port.
Once I source a serial port , with Andrews help, it will be interesting to see what Baud rate it will run at. Hopefully it will run at the same rate as your Lenz system
1 guest and 0 members have just viewed this.