USB to serial conversion

We have a legacy design using the RCM2020. We program it using RFU version 2.25 to match the DC version 7.25 that it was programmed in. Recently the computer that we used for the programmer died, and I am trying to get the RFU working on a new Dell desktop computer running XP using the Rabbit RFU to Serial cable.

The serial port is accessed based on the LEDs on the cable, but it does not see the RAbbit module. I have tried it with the “Use USB To Serial Converter” selected and deselected, I have tried with the baud rate reduced, but still no Rabbit detection.

In the control panel, system, hardware section there are several other settings and before I try to change them I was wondering if they made any difference- currently they are set to 8 bits, 1 stop, no parity, no Flow Control. Plus of course the baud rate matches the rate I am trying from RFU. Does any of this make a difference?

The programming still works on another computer running Windows 98 with a serial port, so there is no problem with the Rabbit cable or the module itself.

Did you try unchecking “Enable processor verification”?

Not all USB to serial converters communicate with Rabbit products. Tech Note 258 might also help.

http://www.rabbit.com/documentation/docs/refs/TN258/TN258.pdf

Thank You! After the multitude of things I did try, this is one I did not since it was always selected in the past. Do you know if this is documented anywhere?

Once again, many thanks
-Aubrey

I found it somewhere in the rabbit manuals I think… don’t remember… But I had a lot of problems with usb2serial converters, most of them don’t work with rabbit (programming the rabbit that is). Glad I could help…

This problems caused by DSR signal handling compatibility.
My test results,
FT232BM Chip used USB-232Converter is fully okay.
FT232"RL" Chip used USB-232Converter is not fully okay.

but Rabbit’s newest DynamicC10.25 is included FTDI USB Converter Driver.

Hi Moroheiya,
It seems that you have worked on FT232R(I have read your post on rabbit forum.) I am trying to implement serial to USB & vice versa communication using FT232BM. Can you please guide me whether I have to use all handshaking signals or only RTS & CTS are sufficient for communication? & if these two signals are sufficient then what we have to do with other handshaking signals(ie. DTR, DCD etc.) Is there any good material which I can refer?

Thank you,
Rashmi.

Moroheiya,
I know this is old - but I was wondering if you’ve actually had a “bad” experience trying to get a FT232RL working? I have a design that’s been in production for 8 years but now I want to make it USB instead of serial. It works fine for just data transfers (when the program is running) but won’t reliably do a FLASH download using the RFU. It works - just not reliably! I cant’ seem to find a problem. It works better on an XP based machine - very poorly on a Vista/64 machine (in XP mode). Frustation galore.
thanks
Gary