Valentine One to a PC

**drait** · 03-26-2005, 08:16 PM

Thanks very much for all the assistance Jim. Without you here, we'd all be staring at S1 and wondering why it's still blank

I'll give the testing a shot and report back any bizarre findings.

**drait** · 03-26-2005, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

Yeah...
Probably the best way to do it would be to connect a 9V battery to it for power, instead of getting power from pin 7 of the db9. Then:
On the RXD line on the DB9 that connects to the collector of the 3906, you should have 0V. ON the base, it should be between 4.5-5V. Connect a jumper with a resistor (10-30K works) between the transistor base and ground. With this connected, the voltage on the base should drop slightly and turn the transistor on. The RXD line should then be the same as the voltage on your zener.

Ok, ran through the tests you outlined and here are my results:

- Got a new 9V battery, tested at 9.4V with no load; hooked it up to pin 7 of DB9 and ground
- Tested collector line from 3906 transistor, 0 voltage
- Tested base line, 4.3V (a bit lower than expected?)
- Jumpered a 22k resistor between the base and ground; base voltage changed to 4.18V
- Tested RXD (pin2) with jumper connected, shows 4.84V (with the 5% tol 4.7V zener in place)

Are there any specific COM port settings I should try? I left everything default in XP (9600b, 8n1, no flow control, default FIFO settings).

**jimbonzzz** · 03-26-2005, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by drait

Ok, ran through the tests you outlined and here are my results:

- Got a new 9V battery, tested at 9.4V with no load; hooked it up to pin 7 of DB9 and ground
- Tested collector line from 3906 transistor, 0 voltage
- Tested base line, 4.3V (a bit lower than expected?)
- Jumpered a 22k resistor between the base and ground; base voltage changed to 4.18V
- Tested RXD (pin2) with jumper connected, shows 4.84V (with the 5% tol 4.7V zener in place)

Are there any specific COM port settings I should try? I left everything default in XP (9600b, 8n1, no flow control, default FIFO settings).

Sounds like it is 99% working, I just need to figure out that one piece of the puzzle that is keeping it from working 100%.

The software sets all of the COM port parameters while it is running, and doesn't use the windows defaults set up in the device manager. I'm pretty sure it's an issue with the interface...I'll play with the interface design some more tomorrow and see if I can figure something out.

I'll play around with the design some more tomorrow, and see what I can find out...

Jim

**drait** · 03-27-2005, 01:34 PM

Jim, would any of these tests be applicable once the device is hooked up to the PC?

**Jammer** · 03-27-2005, 04:30 PM

Welcome jimbonzzz!

Originally Posted by Saab9-5

The process to create an ID and then request to join a forum is a pain.

That all depends on the yahoo group. Some you need to verify your email. Some you can just join and post.

To everyone else. If you joined that group stay with it. That mod might be a little slow on repling and verifing accounts. I got in but do sign up for radardetector.net

**stoodo** · 03-29-2005, 09:55 AM

Bump for good measure.

**tj!2k4** · 03-29-2005, 05:06 PM

Hehe, I see that my V1 has just arrived via UPS =)

Has anyone attempted any further testing with the cable? Any new results, either good or bad?

**Arathranar** · 03-29-2005, 05:11 PM

Hmm. I just head that the state patrol in WA has mostly switched to laser nowadays. That might make a V1 less of a useful asset

.

**drait** · 03-29-2005, 09:54 PM

The V1 also detects laser too

Laser has been argued before as highly inaccurate (stationary objects 'appear' to be speeding, etc) so it's quite possible that any tickets that result from laser use could be thrown out with a good lawyer.

Still waiting on word from Jim regarding the S1 interface and/or cable.