Need Help? First Time Isopod User!

[mustang_man]

I recently purchased a Isopod_V2 and I am having a problem with interfaceing the chip with the compileing program NMITerm. When I start the program and make all of the appropriate connections all I see on the screen is a continous random set of characters (i.e. ^e ^S ^E ........). What might I be doing wrong? I built my own serial connection based on the wiring diagram offered on your sight. I checked the polarity to the chip and everything seems to be in order. Any Ideas?

[RMDumse]

Any chance you might be on the wrong COMM port? Could those characters be related to a modem or such? You might change the "properties" on NMITerm to other serial ports.

Did the three LED's on the 'Pod light when you applied power?

[mustang_man]

All three LED's on the pod light up when I apply power to it and the com port setting seems to be correct. I wonder if it has something to do with the way I wired the serial connection. I followed the wiring diagram provided in the Isopod manual. The only difference between my home made connection and the wiring diagram is the numbering of the pins on the lower row. In the diagram pins 6 and 7 are jumped and on my 9 pin D connector those same pins are labled 9 and 8 if you read from left to right. Could this have something to do with the problem that I am having.

[RMDumse]

I vaguly remember a report like this before, when someone had made their own cable. Yes. Very likely your pin out is wrong. On many DB9's the pins are numbered. The female pinouts appear backwards from the male pinouts. If you've got 8 and 9 where we show 6 and 7, the number must be backwards. Ah. I just checked on a female DB9 and from the front, Pin 9 is in the lower right, and Pins 6 and 7 are in the lower left. But remember! when you turn the connector arround to solder the connections, left and right "swap". So perhaps that is causing some confusion.