Easy Upgrader not detecting Eurostep Controller.

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MAX THE MILLER
CNC Expert
CNC Expert
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue 23 Aug , 2011 18:25 pm
Hardware/Software: Denford Triac PC. VR Milling 5.51.0.616

Easy Upgrader not detecting Eurostep Controller.

Post by MAX THE MILLER » Mon 13 May , 2019 15:56 pm

Before spending money on VR Turning software I wanted to make sure that my PC could actually communicate with the Eurostep Controller in my Mirac via an RS232 serial link. The Eurostep Controller is known to be working.

I used a cable wired as shown in this thread

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=544

It was connected to a Com Port on my PC and the RS232 port on the Eurostep Controller.

I ran version 1.9.0.109 of Easy Upgrader, but it didn't detect the controller.

I then ran the HyperTerminal Terminal Emulator program on my PC set to 9600 8N1. When the controller is powered up it sends "1.6g.b1/S-JD31" to the PC. If I hold down a key on the PC and monitor the transmit line from the PC to the controller I can see that characters are being sent. It looks like the hardware is OK.

Work Bench doesn't detect the controller either.

Any ideas as to what the problem could be? I am aware that I will need to install a V2.1 PROM for use with VR Turning.

Thanks, Max.

MAX THE MILLER
CNC Expert
CNC Expert
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue 23 Aug , 2011 18:25 pm
Hardware/Software: Denford Triac PC. VR Milling 5.51.0.616

Re: Easy Upgrader not detecting Eurostep Controller.

Post by MAX THE MILLER » Wed 15 May , 2019 15:39 pm

I think I know what might be causing this.

The cable has pins 4 and 6 correctly cross wired, but in addition they're linked to pin 1. Pin 1 would normally be Data Carrier Detect (DCD), but Baldor use it for the cable screen, so pins 4 and 6 are probably being pulled permanently low.

Unfortunately I can't just snip the link, as the cable has moulded on connectors. I'll have to make up a new cable.

I've always hated RS232/V24 interfaces, as no one abides by the spec.

Max.

MAX THE MILLER
CNC Expert
CNC Expert
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue 23 Aug , 2011 18:25 pm
Hardware/Software: Denford Triac PC. VR Milling 5.51.0.616

Re: Easy Upgrader not detecting Eurostep Controller.

Post by MAX THE MILLER » Sun 19 May , 2019 17:02 pm

It turned out that the problem was nothing to do with the cable.

This thread suggests that Easy Upgrader won't work with Eurostep controllers and that MintMan should be used instead.

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3692

With MintMan's comm port configured as 19200-8-N-1 and a V2.1 PROM installed in the controller, MintMan identified the controller as:-

2.01.b6/S/B19-JD5denMINT v2.21.b6/S/B19 (c) Baldor (UK) Ltd 1988-2001

Selecting the advance mode and typing VER at the prompt returned the same info and showed that two way communication was OK.

The same thing can be done using HyperTerminal.

MintMan couldn't detect the controller if it was fitted with an earlier version 1.6g DOS PROM.

Max.

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