PICAXE14M2 Programing board

[AllyCat]

Hi,

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/321363093977?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

That looks like the USB adapter recommended by manuka (in NZ) and ones I've used successfully in UK. But there is always the risk of "fakes" on ebay (or even elsewhere). I can't check the postage cost (here in the UK) but if it's low then it might be "worth a punt". Or this one is even cheaper (again with no absolute guarantee of success) if you can wait a few weeks.

Westy has suggested one inverter method, but many types of intergrated buffers or inverting gates (e.g. NAND) could be used. However, unless I had a suitable ic to hand, I would just use two "general purpose" NPN transistors (e.g. BC 548, or many, many others), one for each direction, and four resistors, one in series with each base (input) and one pullup from each collector (output) to the supply rail. Perhaps 10k for the inputs and 1k for the outputs, but the exact value is unlikely to be critical.

Cheers, Alan.

 

[jpacman]

this is USB to RS232 witch is the same as this isnt it ?

 

[Polaris Jim]

I'm using a Gigaware USB to serial converter from Radio Shack on Windows 7. Works great with the Picaxe programming resistors. I also tried it with a MAX232 serial to TTL converter and inverted the TTL signals with a 75452 dual NAND peripheral driver with the O.C. outputs being pulled up with 1K resistors. That works great as well.

 

[jpacman]

could i use a set up like this with a cable like this ?

 

[westaust55]

The Rev Ed AXE027 uses the FTDI FT323-RQ chip which as already mentioned above and from the FTDI datasheet: “The UART interface also supports the RS232 BREAK setting and detection conditions.”

At post 42 you introduce two more USB to serial cables from E-Bay.
The first does not indicate which chip is used.
The second uses the Prolific PL2303HX chip for which the datasheet states “
Supports RS232-like Serial Interface -
Parity error, frame error, and serial break detection”



From this thread: http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?22053-Serial-to-USB-adaptor&highlight=PL2303
The PL2303 is capable of working based upon posts 9 and 10.

Now at post 44, just 20 minutes later, you are asking about a CH340 chipset and a new board layout.
See this thread about that chip: http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?14889-CH341-340-USB-gt-Serial&highlight=CH340
Forum member saborn indicates he purchase a bundle of cables with that chip and they worked.
However the OP to that thread did have problems.
I recommend that you please also read post 4 in that thread by forum member hippy.


While you are jumping around akin to “a cat on a hot tin roof” putting forward a new interface cable every post folks here may rapidly lose patience.
You cannot expect folks to check your alternate board layouts every few minutes.
Most in fact prefer to see a schematic diagram rather than a board layout - far easier to see quickly what is likely to work and what will not.

Please try to search this PICAXE forum in the first instance for information and answers.
When you have a problem, then ask your questions.

 

[AllyCat]

Hi,

this is USB to RS232 witch is the same as this isnt it ?

NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT !

When I first read your post, I assumed you were comparing the two "blue" cables linked above. But following the links, they not only LOOK completely different but have different connections and almost certainly a different chip. But the VITAL difference is in the title: one is described as "RS232" and the other "RS232 TTL" which is NOT the same thing.

But even comparing the two "Blue" cables, only somebody who has actually bought both from the same suppliers within the last few weeks can say if they are the same! Actually, if you look at the two photos, one has blue "thumbscrews" and the other white/clear:

Somewhere (it may have been on this forum) somebody took the trouble to remove the plastic from two samples and showed that the circuit boards were completely different, which they attributed to one being "genuine" the other "fake". That may be the case, but mine actually looked more like the fake and works fine (for me). However, that's NOT to say that even all those that look exactly the same will always work. There is also the strong possibility that cheap cables will only be supported by "old" drivers and won't work with a modern PC.

So, as other have indicated, if you want "certainty" that it will work you MUST buy a branded cable such as Rev. Ed's. If you want a gamble, try one of the Blue cables for only a few Dollars (delivered), but don't expect anybody on this forum to (be able to) help get it working, if it doesn't.

Cheers, Alan.

 

[lbenson]

Regarding "USB to 9 Pins RS232 COM port Serial Coverter Adapter Cable -CH340 Chip", I don't know about that particular cable, but I have successfully programmed picaxes with CH340 RS232 cables, so I suspect it will work. I have also succeeded with the more commonly used PL2303 cables--but not with CP210x RS232 devices.

You'll need a way to connect the 9-pins. Note that these cables don't generally provide power.

 

[jpacman]

Could I use this cable in revers, so i place the serial D-9 Plug onto my programing board and the USB into my PC ?

 

[premelec]

As to specific cables actually working - you have to try it. My experience with Ebay cables was some would work USB to RS232 - BUT I had to find the right driver which was not necessarily the one the seller recommended! Manuka claims to have used dozens so it's certainly a possibility!

 

[AllyCat]

Hi,

You can certainly put a D-9 plug on the/a Programming board, although some would call it a socket (female) connector.

However, that cable clearly is not the "blue" cable (which uses the CH340/1 chip) recommended by Manuca and others (including myself). It appears to have a mini/micro (?) USB adapter which is not likely to be of much use; you'll probably need USB drivers for a Windows (or maybe a Linux) computer.

The fundamental issues are whether the cable supports "break signalling" (required to program PICaxes), and whether drivers are supplied (or you can find) for the Operating System that you are using.

You really have to pay the price of a fully-specified cable/adapter, or buy so cheaply that you can afford to just "buy another type" if it doesn't work.

Cheers, Alan.

 

[hippy]

Could I use this cable in revers, so i place the serial D-9 Plug onto my programing board and the USB into my PC ?

It is not possible to say if any third-party USB-to-serial cable will work simply by looking at it. Even if it looks exactly like some other cable that someone has working there is no guarantee that it is exactly alike.

We recommend the AXE027 cable for programming PICAXE devices.