Do I have right data cable for Palm?

[abakja1]

I got the TMO software copy and the datalogging cable with it for 1G to use with my laptop. But now I want to log with my Palm 125m (cause its more convenient( and know that the TMO wont work with a Palm so I downloaded the MMCD software off the internet.

My question is, will the datalogging cable I got that works with the TMO software work with the MMCD software? The datacable I have has the spades on it for pin 1, 10 and 12 leading to a serial cable end (female) for laptop/computer connection, but I got the hotsync serial cable and will buy the null modem Male/male connector for connection to Palm 125m.


All this about the RS-232 connector crap/description got me all confused (http://mmcd.meditprofi.ru/) as a connector to my Palm and a previous post on DSMTuners got me thinking that the datacable I have will work (http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=94346&highlight=data+cable). Check the ebay link,...

Any help to end my confusion greatly appreciated,
Kevin

 

[steve]

Get a serial hotsync cable for your palm.
You'll need a male to male gender changer and a null modem adaptor to switch from the two female DB9 connectors you will have and to swap the signals on pins 2 and 3 so that the cable will talk to the palm vs. a PC.

Steve

 

[Mike1992]

I recently bought a cable and software from a guy on here, he said it was for latop only however my datalogger cable has a db9 male connector. What do I do? I can simply take the male end off and put a female end on it? Do You have a layout of how its put togeather, I opened it up to find 2 little resistors thingies, and I dunno exactly where the 2 wires/2resistor thingies are suppose to be.

Ill be using this on my laptop, and my laptop also has a db9 male fitting

 

[steve]

Mike I hope you didn't pay much for that cable. It sounds like it's a passive cable and set up for a palm the way you describe it.
To switch to a PC you need a female DB9 and the pins on 2 and 3 need to be swapped.

I don't care for passive cables, they rely on the logging devices serial port being very forgiving. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.

If you got TMO software with that cable then it's most likely bootleg because TMO cables use active circuitry to convert the ECU signal levels to RS232 and you can only get the software with the cable.

Steve

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

Originally posted by Mike1992
I recently bought a cable and software from a guy on here, he said it was for latop only however my datalogger cable has a db9 male connector. What do I do? I can simply take the male end off and put a female end on it? Do You have a layout of how its put togeather, I opened it up to find 2 little resistors thingies, and I dunno exactly where the 2 wires/2resistor thingies are suppose to be.

Ill be using this on my laptop, and my laptop also has a db9 male fitting

can you possibly draw up an exact diagram of what it looks like?

hit me up on AIM when you get a chance i may be able to help you figure it out

 

[Mike1992]

The cable cost me $25 and came with TMO software and Tunerstein Software. I made a very crappy drawing to try and get it togeather right. I know where the ground wire goes, but I am confused on the placement of the other 2 wires. These wires connect togeather, but theres a resistor thingy between them. You say swap the pins 2/3, but i lost track of where these 2 were in the first place what holes in the db9 plug are 2/3

 

[Mike1992]

My wannabee diagram

 

[Mike1992]

Are the pins I have marked in my diagram as 2 and 3, actually 2 and 3? Are these the ones I need to switch when I put the db9 female connector on?

 

[steve]

I guess thats something like this circuit.
I can't vouch for it working. It's just one of the circuits I collected.

I think you have 2 and 3 reversed in your drawing.

Steve

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

Originally posted by steve
I guess thats something like this circuit.
I can't vouch for it working. It's just one of the circuits I collected.

I think you have 2 and 3 reversed in your drawing.

Steve

do you have anything on what pins go where on each side? (like what pin is what on the ALDL and what pin is what on teh RS232 for that diagram?

where did that diagram come from?

 

[steve]

Originally posted by HighPSI TSi Guy
do you have anything on what pins go where on each side? (like what pin is what on the ALDL and what pin is what on teh RS232 for that diagram?

Hun?

Everything is marked or are you talking to Mike.

BTW, I use a derivitive of the circuit shown in the MMCd page for the ones I've built.

Steve

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

Originally posted by steve
Hun?

Everything is marked or are you talking to Mike.

BTW, I use a derivitive of the circuit shown in the MMCd page for the ones I've built.

Steve

haha i see it now... nevermind that one..

it seems too simple... that actually work? and if so... why would the other designs be so much more complicated?

 

[Mike1992]

Thanks Steve thats exactly what i've got, I just had the 10k resister in the wrong place. Ill put it all back togeather tomorrow and report if it works

 

[Mike1992]

Another thing the ALDL Plug is the direct connection plug used instead of the 3 spade connectors right, if so where do i get one of those, I dont like the spades, they're not secure enough

 

[steve]

Originally posted by HighPSI TSi Guy

it seems too simple... that actually work? and if so... why would the other designs be so much more complicated?

It is too simple. It only works if the serial port hardware deals with really non-standard inputs. They depend on the RS-232 interface chip in the logger doing all the hard work.

The other circuits do the right thing and convert the 0 to +12v serial data to + and - 12 (about) RS-232 compliant datastreams. They should work with any serial port, not just one that uses a forgiving RS-232 interface chip. For example the cheap passive cables wouldn't work at all with a original PC's serial port.

Steve

 

[steve]

Originally posted by Mike1992
Another thing the ALDL Plug is the direct connection plug used instead of the 3 spade connectors right, if so where do i get one of those, I dont like the spades, they're not secure enough

Unless you have lots of money or find someone who has spent lots of money you don't. It's not a common part, the only people who have them are people making OBD I tools. The only guy I know that might have them sells logger cables and he spent a ton of money to get the connectors and female connectors.

Steve

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

Originally posted by steve
It is too simple. It only works if the serial port hardware deals with really non-standard inputs. They depend on the RS-232 interface chip in the logger doing all the hard work.

The other circuits do the right thing and convert the 0 to +12v serial data to + and - 12 (about) RS-232 compliant datastreams. They should work with any serial port, not just one that uses a forgiving RS-232 interface chip. For example the cheap passive cables wouldn't work at all with a original PC's serial port.

Steve

what do you mean "original PC's serial port"? you mean old computers won't be able to read it? but new ones will? i take it that one wouldn't work for making a logger cable for a palm because of this?

 

[steve]

Ya, old computers most definitly wouldn't be able to communicate with the ECU using this passive circuit. Who knows with newer until you try. It's worked for some people but since it really doesn't covert the signals it's hit or miss with anything. The most expensive part of this cable is the DB9 connector followed by the plastic hood.

Steve

 

[abakja1]

Get a serial hotsync cable for your palm.
You'll need a male to male gender changer and a null modem adaptor to switch from the two female DB9 connectors you will have and to swap the signals on pins 2 and 3 so that the cable will talk to the palm vs. a PC.

Steve

I got the hotsync serial cable, the DB9 male to male null modem plug too,...

The datacable that I got with the TMO has the 3 spades for pin 1, 10 and 12 to the diagnostic going to a female DB9 end. I really dont want to have to splice the shroud and not sure how to switch pins 2 and 3 (do I have to cut off female DB9 end and cut wires and switch them?). Also, if I would like to use my laptop again, I dont want to damage the TMO cable I got with the software as I ordered this off EBAY. I rather cut the hotsync cable at the female end at this is cheaper to get and more abundant to get.

Are you sure about the pin 2 and 3 switch off?

any help appreciated
Kevin

 

[steve]

Kevin,
If you PC works with the TMO software and the logger cable plugged into the serial port then to use the palm you need to do two things, switch the connector gender and swap pins 2 and 3.

Rather than cutting anything, I use two DB9 adaptors to do that. One is the gender changer and the other is the null modem adaptor. This way I can switch between the PC and Palm on the fly.

If you really have a single adaptor that is both a gender changer and null modem adaptor you should be all set. Just plug in between the hotsync cable and the logger cable and have at it.

Steve

 

[Mike1992]

Originally posted by steve
I guess thats something like this circuit.
I can't vouch for it working. It's just one of the circuits I collected.

I think you have 2 and 3 reversed in your drawing.

Steve

Ok steve, I spent 3 hours making my logger cables exactly like this diagram(I suck at soldering) I switched the db9 from a female to a male and connected things as shown in the diagram. However my laptop doesnt have a db9 serial port, it only has a db15 and a db25 serial port, so I used an adapter db9 to db25. I hooked it all up and tmo software says cables not getting power or not hooked up or something along those lines. Do you have another simple diagram you know that will work with a laptop setup? OR should I try swapping pins 2 and 3 first?

 

[steve]

I tried making one of these this weekend just to see if it would work. It didn't!
It was too darn cold Saturday night to spend any time in the garage and Sunday when I wasn't glued to the TV I was working on the truck. I'll take another look tonight after I replace the drivers side door switch and figure out how to disconnect the wiring harness to the same door so I can fix the intermitant window switches on my son's Stealth

Steve

 

[Mike1992]

So you made a cable using the same diagram i did huh, grrrreat both dont work. Got anymore diagrams that should work with laptop? Or do i need to try and swap pins 2 and 3?

 

[abakja1]

Mike,...

Did you get the pic of the datacable I have?

I guess I understand about what you're saying about switching pins 2 and 3 and can do this on either the hotsync serial cable (my Palm one is USB, but I bought a serial one "just" for datalogging) or the null modem. Im taking it that the null modem can be opened up and I can switch pins 2 and 3 there.

BTW, which are pins 2 and 3 when looking at the DB9 plug (female end) facing you? Are 2 and 3 the pins on the top row going from right to left?

thanks
KEvin

 

[Mike1992]

DB9 54321 looking at the front of it send the pic to [email protected]

Originally posted by abakja1
Mike,...

Did you get the pic of the datacable I have?

I guess I understand about what you're saying about switching pins 2 and 3 and can do this on either the hotsync serial cable (my Palm one is USB, but I bought a serial one "just" for datalogging) or the null modem. Im taking it that the null modem can be opened up and I can switch pins 2 and 3 there.

BTW, which are pins 2 and 3 when looking at the DB9 plug (female end) facing you? Are 2 and 3 the pins on the top row going from right to left?

thanks
KEvin