Computer control issues - unreliable firmware?

[Phil Kane-3]

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 13:56:46 -0500, Ian Stirling wrote:

>  Even better than a designed-in K2 USB port,
>how about a Bluetooth interface for wireless
>connecting to a computer?

  This assumes that everyone "speaks" Bluetooth.  I don't.

--
   73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
   K2/100 5402 - coming to a
   ham band near you real soon

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[Rich Lentz]

The K2 has a great built in serial bus called the AUX BUS.  All
communications between various modules take place over this bus except for
the I/O. I believe elsewhere it would be called the 1-Wire or Single Wire
Bus and the capabilities of the 1-Wire Bus are limitless.  Someone that
knows what is going on could probably interface directly to the aux bus and
not even use the K2IO.  The K2 serial I/O (pseudo RS-232) uses 2 of the MCU
ports and the needed overhead of code, memory, parts, etc. to talk to the
K2IO, which in turn talks to a USB/serial converter, which in-turn talks to
the PC (And who knows what inside there).  

As a long time comm. engineer then you should know the virtues of getting
rid of three (four) devices in series that do nothing more than convert a
signal back and forth, up and down, so that two devices can talk to each
other. Especially when they could talk to each other directly. My thought is
get rid of the K2IO, the daisy chain of converters, free up the wasted
memory, two MCU ports and do two things: 1) use a USB chip fed directly by
the AUX Bus to provide USB interface. 2) take that freed up memory and add
more useful features, e.g. switches that could be used to activate amps, or,
monitoring of various aspects of the K2 (Temp, etc.) and maybe even free up
memory for other features.  This would be an "Option," the K2IO would still
be available (for those that don't want to change) BUT there would also be a
K2USB (or whatever) for those of us that don’t like dongles plugged into
dongles plugged into adapters to talk to the K2.  

As I said in the first, the newer lap tops have no serial port, and other
than a dongle it is cost prohibitive to add one.  The new PC I just bought
ONLY has a PCI express slot open, there is no PCI slot and I have been
unable to find a PCIexpress serial adapter. I guess a could take out the
four port USB/3 port 1394 adapter and buy a new four port USB/3 port 1394/2
port serial adapter ($$$) but the cost is almost 1/4th the price of the PC -
thus no way.   In the future new PCs will be even harder to use serial other
than the dongle - and I HATE dongles.

Rich,
KE0X




-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Phil Kane
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 9:21 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Computer control issues - unreliable firmware?

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 12:22:31 -0600, Rich Lentz wrote:

>We went through this a few years ago, but it sure would be nice for
>Elecraft to make a USB interface and scrap the serial adapter
>altogether. I think now is the time as the last two computers I bought
>have NO SERIAL PORT and no way of adding a card.

  I don't want to re-kick a dead horse, but you are making a bad
  assumption that everyone has or likes USB ports.  I keep mine
  turned off because they interfere with other on-board adapters in my
  main machine which has 8 serial ports in use running IBM Warp OS/2,
  and I don;t have any external devices whoch run on USB.

  My newest computer (6 months old) running Win XP has 1 built-in
  serial port, and I have three multi-port cards and the slots
  available to use them.  Right now I have three ports in use on that
  machine.

  As aa long-time comm engineer I "speak" serial quite well, and
  would not buy a computer that did not have capability to add or
  enlarge same.

  Pardon my rant - I'll shut up now.

--
   73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

   K2/100 5402 - coming to a
   HF band near you real soon

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[Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/KC8NHF]

One assumes you'll never buy a laptop.
They've not had serial ports for several years and USB is usually the
only expansion route.


Phil Kane wrote:
>   As aa long-time comm engineer I "speak" serial quite well, and
>   would not buy a computer that did not have capability to add or
>   enlarge same.
>
>
>  

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[Mike S-8]

At 04:30 AM 4/2/2006, Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/KC8NHF wrote...

>One assumes you'll never buy a laptop.
>They've not had serial ports for several years and USB is usually the only expansion route.

You just have to look before you buy, and not assume you can't get what you want. I'm typing this on a Dell D610 which is a current model and does indeed have a serial port, as do many other models.  
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[Rich McCabe]

You CAN buy laptops/notebook with serial ports. I have bought at least 4 of
them in the last year. I just tooked delivery on a HP NW8000 last week with
one serial point. Dell also offers notebooks with serial.

Besides, dont rule out a 4 port serial- pcmcia card.

73,

Rich

> One assumes you'll never buy a laptop.
> They've not had serial ports for several years and USB is usually the only
> expansion route.
>
>
> Phil Kane wrote:
>>   As aa long-time comm engineer I "speak" serial quite well, and
>>   would not buy a computer that did not have capability to add or
>>   enlarge same.

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[Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/KC8NHF]

Thanks. I'd not considered that. I'm not familiar with PCMCIA cards. I
assume they're relatively expensive. I'll check it out.


Rich McCabe wrote:
>
>
> Besides, dont rule out a 4 port serial- pcmcia card.
>

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