Need Help!- Bridgeport comunication problem

[joanpim]

Hello,
I have a Bridgeport R2E3 with Boss 8 control. For some reason, serial communications with the PC have failed. I have tried a new PC and another communication program, but no luck. Does anyone have any ideas for or experiences with this type of problem?

thanks in advanced
Joan,

[machintek]

I use a DOS version of PROCOMM (shareware from ages ago) to communicate with these old machines as well as Heidenhain and Fanuc.
It has terminal or chat mode. When going into edit from port A (assuming everything is correct (cable, handshake, and hardware), the PC will display BOSS 8 EDITOR if a program is in the machine or BOSS 8 INPUT if the memory is empty.
This at least shows COMM in one direction and that everything is OK in that direction.
I carry a Radio Shack RS232 tester which is nothing more than a serial device placed between the PC and the cable. It has LED on it for the important comm lines. These light up and if I send a program will flicker. If the LED flicker the PC is sending data. If it has the correct format, the machine should receive it. If not there may be a issue with the EAF board which receives the data.
Back in 86 when I had a BOSS 9 I eventually used the EZCAM based on the MAC to generate programs, but I used a TRS80 Model 100 for editing right at the machine. Using loops and macros I could condense a 8 page program to less than one page for multiple parts. IE 4 parts per vise with 2 vises on the table. CAM systems are very generous with code but these old machines did not have a lot of memory. My EZCAM did not support cutter comp, so I had to edit programs to insert that as well.

George

[DF-ENTERPRISES]

You might want to try EMI and get a mother board kit.

[cadcamsolutions]

Thanks George, for you reply, i need a ezlink.zip copy if you have i appreciated you send me a copy of this software is very importan for my
joanpim@hotmail.com
thanks in advanced
joan