can someone describe serial input

[Prolightman]

heres the thing
I found a 4 axes controller as salvage yard(new in box)
it uses serial input to communicate
there was no software theres no silkscreen info on board
(proto-type) said claw machine
how does a serial based controller get data from computer
are they all different codes??

[Al_The_Man]

Without further info on the actual board it is just guess work.
But typically motion cards, wether in a PC slot or stand-alone use some kind of RS232 terminal program to download individual commands or complete programs.
Of course the command instruction set has to be known and what is required as to the RS232 protocol.
Some board manuf. will supply a suitable interface program, and many will allow any modem program to work, like Win-Terminal, Qmodem, ProCom etc.
Al.

[JEST]

Sounds like a vending machine "crane" (claw machine) control.
X axis
Y axis
Up/Down
Open/Close

Google for info that direction.

[Prolightman]

thats My guess (CLAW MACHINE)with some looking around
this is an all in one has steppers drives built in
2 serial outputs inputs?
I looked that up,they are out of business or have been bought out buy some company in main,
theres a pic processor on in can't make out the numbers
another for for the trash

[JEST]

Could be used for 2d or 2.5d applications. Use drivers for the XY functions, use the relay functions to raise and lower the Z axis. May not be suitable for a big project, but usefull for small items or engraving.

[Prolightman]

yes I'm going to go on a limb
and agree this is direct input from open close contacts
so the best I could do is make a parallel adapter

was hoping for someone with knowledge of common serial interface protocols


thank you all

[Al_The_Man]

was hoping for someone with knowledge of common serial interface protocols
thank you all

If you want the common Serial specification, do a search for RS232 there should be rafts of information. Originally commonly done through a 25pin D port, now 9 pin D is common.

If you want the board RS232 communication protocol, baud rate etc, that would be a question of experimentation using various settings.

For the command language required to communicate, this is more than likely proprietary to whoever wrote the firmware in the PIC etc.
Al.

[Prolightman]

refer to the protocol used by the common controllers
that send out to serial
you know the big guys like Allen Bradly Rockwell/
Dynapath Hurco
unless they are diff and its the software that sets the protocal
other than baud rates
I had a old bandit controller on a excello
used bobcad 16V took awhile to get bobcad setup to communicate ,but from what I remember the bandit book said the controller used ascii teletype input ???