[AG-TECH] Gentner AP400

[Christoph Willing]

On 06/07/2005, at 7:47 AM, Jeremy Mann wrote:

> We received a new AP400 and I am having quite a difficult time with it.
> The serial cable and software package doesn't connect to talk to the
> Gentner so I can't follow the guide in the Documentation Project. The
> firmware is 3.5e (which is newer than what the guide says).
>
> I've tried installing APware 1.5 on Win98, 2000 and XP machines, even
> under VMware on a Linux box. All of them do not connect to the Gentner.
>
> What else could I have missed?
>
> P.S. Finding the RS232 manually with the front buttons tells me its
> enabled, 9600 baud with hardware control.

Maybe cable problem?

If hardware flow control is being used, the Gentner manual recommends 
_all_ 9 pins are connected (in practice, I've always made my own cables 
using 8 core cable and connecting pins 1-8). Sometimes the pin 
connections on ready made cable are not correct for this application; 
use a multimeter (or whatever) to check that pin1 at one end of the 
cable actually connects to pin 1 at the other end, pin2 -> pin2, pin3 
->pin3 etc. There should be _no_ crossover connections e.g. pin2->pin3 
& pin3->pin2 (a common wiring scheme).

Also, ensure the front panel display (which you described above) 
matches what the software thinks is going on i.e. the Site Properties' 
Comm tab should also have the same baud rate & flow control setting. 
You can match those (if necessary) after you've created a Site, but 
before you actually try to connect.


chris


Christoph Willing                        Ph: +61 7 3365 8350
QPSF Access Grid Manager
University of Queensland