[time-nuts] Prologix GPIB/USB converter help...

[Bill Janssen]

John Ackermann N8UR wrote:
> Hi --
>
> Sorry if this is a bit off-topic, but I know there are some folks here
> who have used the nifty little Prologix GBIB dongles.
>
> I just got one and am trying to get it running under Linux.  I have the
> low-level configuration right (I think) and the device is recognized and
> I can talk to it, after a fashion, on the /dev/ttyUSB0 port.
>
> But when I try to actually communicate with it using a terminal emulator
> (I've tried both minicom and picocom) using the 115,200 N81 settings
> that I've been told are required, it's as if there is a baud rate, word
> length, or parity problem -- 99% of the characters echoed on the screen
> are question marks, with a few other characters randomly tossed in.  The
> device is talking to the terminal program, and appears to be accepting
> data, but something is screwing up the characters received (and maybe sent).
>
> I've tried a couple of different comm parameters, but none of them make
> a difference.  I am *not* getting the blinking LEDs on the dongle that
> supposedly indicate improper comm settings.
>
> Any ideas what's going on, and how to fix it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> John
Don't know about the prologix bit but have had similar problems with 
other equipment
and had to get my terminal program to ignore the 8th bit in the ASCII byte.
One of my terminal programs can be set to recognize 7 bits and ignore 
the 8th.

Bill K7NOM