GnatGoSplat Posted August 5, 2010 Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 I used to use CarBytes and a serial ALDL interface around 2003-04. I haven't messed with that stuff since, but now I want to interface my PC to the car again to see what my PMIII is storing. Problem is, I have a much newer laptop now with USB. I bought a cheap USB-to-serial adapter cable (PL-2303) for $1.59 shipped from eBay, but I guess it won't lock onto 8192-baud because every packet received is an error, and I can't send packets either. I lost my old CarBytes files so I'm currently trying TunerPro RT as it seems to be what a lot of people are using these days. Are there any settings I can tweak that might work with my USB-to-serial adapter? Tuner Pro sees the interface and can connect to the car, but every packet shows up as a packet error. I think transmitting a diagnostic mode message worked just once briefly, but not after that. Would a PCMCIA serial card work better? I'd really rather not have to buy an extra antique laptop just to do this, and I'd also rather not drop big bucks on a new interface because all I really want to do is to see what codes my PMIII is storing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted August 5, 2010 Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 simplest solution to your problem that i can guarantee will work: parallax 28031 (or 28030 if you don't need the extracable). that is the cheapest serial/usb adapter that will work with the 8192 stream. it's due to it using an FTDI chip that is a lot more versatile than the rest of the TTL convertors out there. i forget the exact model # of it, but anything using it will work, but i've never found anything cheaper than the 17.78 it cost shipped directly from parallax. i've never used a PCMCIA serial card, so i can't comment on if it is a better option, but the info above is why i use them for my ALDL cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 (edited) So an FTDI chip is the key? How about just using one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/FT232RL-USB-UART-Breadkout-Board-RS232-FTDI-Convert-/400140694058?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d2a3e722a It has an FTDI chip that outputs TTL, same as what ALDL needs. I could take a simple 1k resistor and diode to combine RXD and TXD, completely bypassing my serial interface altogether and connecting the FTDI straight to the ALDL on the car. I think the only electrical difference between the one on eBay and the Parallax USB-to-serial that you mentioned is an RS232 to TTL level converter on the other side. I think it should work to bypass the unnecessary conversion of TTL-to-RS232 and RS232-back to-TTL. Hmmm, could be a little hope using the USB-to-serial that I've already got. I might try it first as PL-2303 is the Prolific chip in this discussion: http://www.delcohacking.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=592 Edited August 5, 2010 by GnatGoSplat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted August 5, 2010 Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 FT232RL, that's the one that was in my aldlcable.com version(didn't have a TTL convertor either).... worked. kind of flakey at times, but it worked. the 28031 has the same chip, but has the TTL convertor as well, and for a total price difference of $3.80, i felt the 28031 was a better deal since it didn't require messing with a BOB. never knew about the "generic" 8192 patch.... doesn't seem to work with a lot of the members on delcohacking though... worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 What's a BOB? Yeah, I wasn't that concerned about the price difference so much as I was thinking it would be more efficient to lose the unnecessary converters (and less to haul out to the car). My current ALDL-to-serial interface is a big chunky box. I wonder why your aldlcable.com version was flakey at times? I would think removing the redundant conversion and re-conversion would be better. Although I know my serial cable works perfectly as I used to use it years ago so it would probably save me a lot of time just to use it and the adapter you mentioned (assuming I can't get mine to work with the reg hack). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted August 5, 2010 Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 BreakOutBoard... it's how i've always used the term. i'm actually considering relocating the ALDL port underdash, and just having my USB plug visible in place of it, that way it just plugs in to the laptop cleanly without having to move shit around all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 Ah, I see. I'd just solder some wires onto it and connect it directly to an ALDL connector if I were to go that route. The cleanest idea would be if a Bluetooth-to-TTL module could be used, then you could connect your laptop wirelessly. Unfortunately, 8192 is an odd baud rate which I'm guessing rules out most Bluetooth converters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted August 5, 2010 Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 (edited) it does, it's been brought up on TGO multiple times, but i don't think anyone has ever made anything functional. if they have, it certainly hasn't hit the market either, since i imagine people with newer laptops would jump on it... actually, i think superdave may have mentioned something about it on 60V6, but i don't remember what... EDIT: here it is. I tried bluetooth datalogging, the adapters i used were very high end but wouldn't support the ALDL comm (simple serial with no handshake). Total bluetooth tuning with OBD1 wouldn't be out of reach, it would just need a separate controller. I have datalogged over fiberoptic cable, worthless but cool. Edited August 5, 2010 by RobertISaar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 Yeah, I found a thread on thirdgen about it. I think someone got a prototype going with a microcontroller that communicates to ALDL at 8192 baud, then buffers the data and communicates via bluetooth serial at a standard baud rate. Sounds way too complicated for me to bother building, and way too expensive to bother buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted August 5, 2010 Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 I am a threadjacker! Does anyone know what it would cost to get me set up with this stuff? Hardware and Software to basically talk to my car... I can do serial, but USB is more universal and I like the laptop without serial better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2010 Well, if you want super cheap, I think that FTDI board that has TTL connections will connect directly to ALDL. You'd have to source your own ALDL connector, solder the wiring, and add a resistor and diode though. Ready-made plug & play solutions are about $60 for USB I think. Anyway, I tried that delcohacking site registry hack and it ended in nothing but fail. It actually made things worse, rather than getting corrupted I/O, I got nothing at all with either program. The driver he used also doesn't work with my converter, which I've read is because there's two different types of Prolific PL-2302 which use completely different drivers. I guess I will be investing in an FTDI based converter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 i've put together USB cables with convertor for less than $28 before... that's including EVERYTHING from the terminals on the plug to the USB cords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Where did you get the ALDL end connector? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Where did you get the ALDL end connector? didn't. just took some spade terminals, cut the end in half, soldered them onto the wires and plugged them into the port after insulating them.(which is why i mentioned cleaning it all up via relocation) aldlcable.com has ends.... for 15 + shipping.... i'm trying to find a cheaper supplier, but no luck so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted September 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 Hey Rob, I have an FTDI interface now and CarBytes works just fine. However, I can't get TunerPro to work at all. It either doesn't even recognize the interface, recognizes it but won't connect, or recognizes and connects but can't receive data and every packet is an error. Did you have to use special drivers or any special settings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 if carbytes works, tunerpro should as well. which vehicle(s) are you trying to connect to? that would determine which defintion file you need, which is where most people get stuck after making sure tunerpro is trying to read the correct port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted September 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 TunerPro often fails to initialize the interface even with the right COM port set for some reason. When it does find it, it has shows some hardware version number which is for some reason different every time. I think the definition I am using is the one you made for 94 3.4 DOHC... testing on the 94 vert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 intializing isn't necessary except with emulation or programming hardware, regular ALDL cables don't require it at all. and is this V5 or V4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted September 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 For some reason it doesn't even try to work if that "Initializing ALDL Hardware" or whatever doesn't succeed. It's V4. Where can I get V5? V4 is all there is for download on the main site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 http://tunerpro.net/beta/tpbeta.htm newest version released on the 6th. http://robertisaar.co.cc/w-body/2E.zip and that's my newest version of the 2E(94-95 LQ1) ADX. dash is kinda barebones, but it's easily changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted September 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 D'oh! V5 doesn't work for me either. When I click "Test For Valid Interface Using Settings", I get "Cable not found or not functioning (tested at 8192 baud). Ugh. I've got it set to Standard Serial COM5 using TunerPro Data Acquisition I/O Interface. CarBytes still works, and actually it works even if I bypass my RS-232 interface and connect the FTDI's TTL UART output directly to the ALDL using a diode and resistor. What OS are you using? I'm using Windows 7 x64, maybe that's the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 none of the cables i make pass that test either, but it in no way interferes with their capability to log data. i've used vista and 7 with both home premium and ultimate, but they have always been x86.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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