D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA (07/07/88)
I received no reply on this before and i still need help. I have a friend with a Kaypro 4 and an NEC 7710 Spinwriter. They don't seem to talk to each other. I've tried simple things like PIPing a text file to various ports, e.g. LST:, PRN:, PUN:, AUX: in every case the system hangs, as though waiting for a DTR. The printer self tests OK and both units are set to run at 1200 baud, 8 bits, no parity. I don't even get garbage. The NEC has a DB25 connector; that with the baud and parity switches makes me believe it uses a serial interface. Is there something else i need to know to get the Kaypro to dump a character stream? It also has a parallel port, but the software didn't have any procedures to reassign any logical devices. H E L P ! [dale] -------
wieland@ea.ecn.purdue.edu (Jeffrey J Wieland) (07/07/88)
In article <12412216898.11.D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA> D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA writes: >I received no reply on this before and i still need help. I have a friend >with a Kaypro 4 and an NEC 7710 Spinwriter. They don't seem to talk to ... >the Kaypro to dump a character stream? It also has a parallel port, but >the software didn't have any procedures to reassign any logical devices. >H E L P ! > [dale] >------- There should be a program on your system disk called "CONFIG.COM". This program permits you to change many of system's parameters, including the assignment of the LST: device, baud rates, numeric keypad and cursor key character generation, etc. You may also reassign logical devices with "STAT.COM" (also on your system disk). It is documented in your CP/M manual. For example: A0>stat dev: will produce a listing of the logical device assignments. The actual pin assignments on your Kaypro should be in your Owner's Manual. Interfacing the Kaypro to a serial printer is discussed at some length in "The RS-232 Solution", available from Sybex Computer Books. Kaypro apparently did some strange things to the RS-232 interface (but then who hasn't!). Jeff Wieland wieland@ecn.purdue.edu
dg@lakart.UUCP (David Goodenough) (07/10/88)
From article <12412216898.11.D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA>, by D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA: > I received no reply on this before and i still need help. I have a friend > with a Kaypro 4 and an NEC 7710 Spinwriter. They don't seem to talk to > each other. I've tried simple things like PIPing a text file to various > ports, e.g. LST:, PRN:, PUN:, AUX: in every case the system hangs, as > though waiting for a DTR. The printer self tests OK and both units are set > to run at 1200 baud, 8 bits, no parity. I don't even get garbage. The NEC > has a DB25 connector; that with the baud and parity switches makes me believe it > uses a serial interface. Is there something else i need to know to get > the Kaypro to dump a character stream? It also has a parallel port, but > the software didn't have any procedures to reassign any logical devices. > H E L P ! > [dale] > ------- I'm no Kaypro Guru, but reading between the lines from above I interpret it to mean that your friend's Kaypro has a serial port for a modem and a parallel port for a centronix style printer. The problem with the "DB25" RS232 connectors is that there are two ways of wiring them: DTE (Data terminal equipment) and DCE (Data carrier equipment). DCE refers to modems, which transmit data on pin 3, DSR (Data Set Ready) on pin 6, DCD (Data carrier detect) on pin 8 and CTS (Clear to send) on pin 5. DTE refers to just about everything else: terminals, the PUN: RDR: port on the back of a Kaypro, and printers: these devices transmit data on pin 2, DTR (Data terminal ready) on pin 20, and RTS (Request to send) on pin 4. Now if you've been following all the above, you will have noticed that BOTH the printer AND the Kaypro are transmitting on the same pins (2,4,20) and listening to the same pins (3,5,6,8). What you need to do is to make up a crossover cable (sometimes called a null modem) which does the following: on both ends pin 2 at one end goes to pin 3 at the other end, pin 20 at one end goes to pins 6 and 8 at the other, and pin 4 at one end goes to pin 5 at the same end: 2------------\/-----------2 3------------/\-----------3 4---+ +---4 5---+ +---5 6-----+ +-------6 8-----+-----\/----+-------8 20----------/\-----------20 with pin 7 (ground) wired straight through. What this does is to trick each end into thinking the other end is a modem, and everyone is happy. I can't guarantee that this is the solution, but if you've been using the same cable to talk to the printer as you talk to a modem with then I'll take even's money bets that's why it wasn't working. -- dg@lakart.UUCP - David Goodenough +---+ | +-+-+ ....... !harvard!cca!lakart!dg +-+-+ | +---+
rap@ardent.UUCP (Rob Peck) (07/12/88)
In article <177@lakart.UUCP>, dg@lakart.UUCP (David Goodenough) writes: > From article <12412216898.11.D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA>, by D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA: > > I received no reply on this before and i still need help. I have a friend > > with a Kaypro 4 and an NEC 7710 Spinwriter. They don't seem to talk to > > each other. I've tried simple things like PIPing a text file to various I agree with Dave Goodenough's solution, that most likely a null modem is needed with the cable that is currently being used. I found that one can often get by with just a 4-wire cable, with 1-1, 2-3, 3-2, and 7-7 in the cable, and pins 8-20 wired independently at each end. Seems to keep the devices happy. By the way, this is a standard cable assembly available from INMAC among other places. Rob Peck
mikes@ncoast.UUCP (Mike Squires) (07/15/88)
In article <12412216898.11.D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA> D-ROGERS@EDWARDS-2060.ARPA writes: >I received no reply on this before and i still need help. I have a friend The 7710 uses hardware handshaking, if I remember correctly. I'll be at a site next week that drives a NEC with a Kaypro and will try to get the cable info; it was written up in one of those books on intrfacing serial devices available at larger Daltons, etc. Mike Squires Allegheny College Meadville, PA 16335 814 724 3360 uucp: ..!mandrill!ncoast!{mikes,peng!sir-alan!mikes} or ..!pitt!sir-alan!mikes BITNET: mikes%sir-alan@pitt.UUCP (VAX) MIKES AT SIR-ALAN!PITT.UUCP (IBM) still fondly using an IMSAI which uses my UNIX box as a terminal
andrew@frip.gwd.tek.com (Andrew Klossner) (07/20/88)
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"The 7710 uses hardware handshaking, if I remember correctly."
The 7710 will do just about anything ... it will do hardware handshake,
XON/XOFF, or ETX/ACK. This is all selected by dip switches. But the
pinouts are nonstandard, so if you want hardware handshake you'll have
to make a special cable.
I've had a 7710 for six years, hooked to my TRS-80 model II running P&T
CP/M. (I never dreamed this system would keep working for so long!) I
use hardware handshake at 1200 baud.
-=- Andrew Klossner (decvax!tektronix!tekecs!andrew) [UUCP]
(andrew%tekecs.tek.com@relay.cs.net) [ARPA]