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Global Tuner and USB

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:47 am
by rocky_uk
Hi,

Has anyone had any success using the Global Tuner (currently using version R02.015.00) with a USB-RS232 adapter.

When i try to read the softpots into the tuner, the program just hangs (on Win XP and 7 64-bit)

the adapter and programming cable seem to work fine with CPS for programming the usual channel info etc etc so I'm using it's a quirk with the software. Has anyone else had this problem before and is there a way around it?

I've had this prob for years but I've always had a spare laptop with a proper RS232 (which has since shuffled off the mortal coil).

Thanks!

Rocky

Re: Global Tuner and USB

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:57 pm
by escomm
Pretty sure the tuner only wants to use COM1 or COM2

Re: Global Tuner and USB

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:14 am
by Wowbagger
"Pretty sure the tuner only wants to use COM1 or COM2"

That is good indicator that the program is NOT going through the OS APIs to access the serial port, and is directly accessing hardware - so it will never work with USB.

Re: Global Tuner and USB

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:17 am
by rocky_uk
I've moved the USB-RS232 to both COM1 and COM2 but the Tuner still hangs. I've updated the Prolific driver to the latest version and it still reads to about 40-55% and the whole laptop crashes.

Again, the cable and RS232 adapter deinately work fine as they work reading/writing with the CPS.

I'm note sure if it makes a difference but it's a GP340 that I'm trying to tune (probably a crucial bit of info I missed in the original post!!)

Re: Global Tuner and USB

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:54 am
by Wowbagger
If the program is attempting to access the RS-232 hardware directly, you can call your USB devices COM1 until you are blue(screened) in the face, and it won't matter - that only applies at the Windows Serial Port API, and the program isn't going through that API, it is attempting to access a standard 16550 UART chip on the CPU bus, and failing because there is no such chip. A USB to RS-232 adapter is NOT a 16550 on the CPU bus, never was, never will be.

Re: Global Tuner and USB

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:02 am
by rocky_uk
Thanks Wowbagger - off to rummage through piles of old PC parts to cobble something together with a deciated serial port then...