Proper Computer for Programming

[Aces-Warehouse]

Can a P133 with moslo slowing it down work properly? What is the correct pc / cpu / memory to use? I have plenty laying around in various speeds....

[JAYMZ]

Some people have had varying degrees of success and failures using the pentium class computers. I personally have had success with a Pentium 133 Dell Latitude with most programs. But nothing prior to the HT1000. No P200, MT1000... and most certainly not the X9000. Too bad. But I still have my old old 286 that handles them like a champ.

If you do a search for posts regarding this issue Monty has a very good layout of what you SHOULD have for a proper programming platform. If you follow that primer you should be good to go a majority of the time. Barring any mis-haps. and I'm sure that Monty will tell you that using different combinations can be risky and could potentially brick your radio. At which point I'm sure he'd be glad to help rectify that situation too

[Monty]

Hi:

This is from the gerus @ Batlabs:

Partial:

There are some exceptions, but for programming most Motorola 2-way radios (those that can be programmed), you will need the following equipment:

<>An IBM compatible computer running DOS*
<>A computer to RIB cable, available for 9pin or 25pin serial ports
<>A RLN4008B Radio Interface Box (aka RIB)
<>The RIB to radio cable for your radio(s)
<>The specific Radio Service Software (RSS) package(s) that covers your radio(s)
<>And, of course, the radio you want to program.
*may require Windows 95 for some newer RSS.

More information can be found @
http://www.batlabs.com/newbie.html

They are pretty clear on what will and will not
work well.

Monty

[nc5p]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but my observation: Older RSS needs older computer. There's no way Motorola could validate software on computers that hadn't been built yet. I figure if the computer is a few years older than the software, in theory it should run. That assumes that Motorola developed, tested, and validated their software on contemporary computers before releasing it, which may not be true. Anybody know? It would be nice to know if these issues were solely a result of fast computer speed advancements after the product was released or if Motorola failed to keep up with current technology.

Doug

[k4wtf]

You're going to be pretty safe with a 386 or 486 25Mhz or even a 286 if you can find one. I tried a with a 486 33Mhz and failed (at least with Sabers) so I wound up getting an old Toshiba "luggable" that is a 386-25 I think. It works like a charm on Sabers, Systems Sabers, Spectras and my MTX9000's. I don't anticipate any problems with anything else I try to program either.

John

[firemed9]

the older the computer, the better it will be to program a moto radio with. P133 will work with some radios, but not with most. I use a 486 for most radios and it works fine. However, I dont program X9000's or such. I mainly work on genesis, jedi, and Kenwood radios.

[Aces-Warehouse]

486 DX-2 66mhz
8meg ram
515meg HD
Dos 6.22



Will this suffice? RLN4008B Rib.

[Monty]

486 DX-2 66mhz
8meg ram
515meg HD
Dos 6.22

So long as its a " Stable " computer, that should work
fine...

Just do the basics, and make sure the Hard Drive, and FDC
is OK.......

I have set several of these Computers up for members, and
I had one that purchased a compaq, and I spent a couple of
hours working on it, only to find it had a Bad FDC ( Floppy
Drive Controller )

Did not even know untill I started to load the OS, and I had
a Fresh Set of Factory DOS 6.22 Disc's, and they would not
work, so I thought the Disc's might have been bad, tried
another set, same problem.....So it does happen....

The Computers are pretty cheap, its the Time required to
do the diagnostics, Install the OS, Menu Program, Set up
the Directories, and install all the RSS needed.

Monty

[jim]

Don't forget- MoSlo just "clogs" the processor. It does not do anything at all to the I/O or RS232...which is where part of the problem lurks.