Using Vipertune with Laptop/non-com port PC

[NICKKINSMAN]

Hey Larry;

Have had any luck finding the ability to use a virtual com port via USB or something to be able to tune the servos without a tower PC which seems to be the only thing with a com port still in it? I did attempt to use a FTDI chip type deal to get a virtual com which was very inexpensive, but unfortunately I couldn't get it to communicate. I was close though, I got some jibberish to come thru on the readout in Vipertune. It would be really great as my whole point with the SS is to be able to use a laptop for the control.

Thanks.

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[Larken]

If your getting jibberish, then it may just be the wrong baudrate setting in the USB-serial converter.
I have used USB - serial converters and they do work, as long as your USB produces a comm port in the 3-6 range EG: comm3- comm6

Try getting the Laptop to comunicate with a desktop using a null modem cable , both running teraterm or hyperterminal

[NICKKINSMAN]

I'll give it a try again. We tried alternate baudrates. It had com1 I think is what it defaulted too and I didn't see a reason to change it. I'll try it again with a different com port setting.

[deancnc]

If your getting jibberish, then it may just be the wrong baudrate setting in the USB-serial converter.
I have used USB - serial converters and they do work, as long as your USB produces a comm port in the 3-6 range EG: comm3- comm6

Try getting the Laptop to comunicate with a desktop using a null modem cable , both running teraterm or hyperterminal

Hi Guys
I seem to have the same issue with set of Viper 95's - I have a usb serial port - it seems it doesn't matter what rate used the data on start up is gibberish - and if one changes through the different rates just gives different levels of gibberish - seems the old serial port is no longer supplied on new pc's

I'm trying to tune the dives - but seems hard work just to get the coms going

linking the 2 & 3 pins works as null modem - it echo's back the data fine - I have use 2 different types of USB - 232 ... same issue -and usb on com3 to usb on com4 works - and if I change rate on one we have gibberish (as expected)

[Larken]

Hello Again,
Thanks for the quick reply. I used a Futureshop Dynex usb to rs232 converter and it worked like a charm on my first attempt. It seems to be able to detect the baud rate on its own has I did not need to set anything other than choosing the proper baud rate in vipertune. I found vipertune to be convivial and easy to figure out...nice and simple.

Thanks
Eric

Here is a post from an other member using one from futureshop that works.
What baud rate are you using. If its an older V95 before 2011, it ran 9600 baud, if its newer it ran 38400 baud.

Larry

[deancnc]

I tried the tune tool - which looked like a simple way around- but this did not work.
I got the set of V95 from Kiling in 2011 so could be 9600 or 38400 depending on how old their stock was I guess. I have started from 1200-to the highest rate, I have played with xon/xoff/hw ... all seem to have either no effect or no data

When turned on the units then all the lights turn on, then 1/2 second later the red fault light drops you see one bit of gibberish (about 6 characters which I assume is meant to be m0000) - then another 1/2 second the second bit of gibberish - you get more gibberish the higher the bit rate
- all the units are responding the same - they all will move the axes be it with a lot of dead slack - you can turn each of the motors a good 1/4 turn - before any resistance is given up - then it works fine

I have dragged out a laptop with a com port on the back of it docking station - hoping that the usb to rs232 was the issue - same gibberish

[Larken]

If the drive flashes error codes by a count then its propably 38400baud.
If it flashes errors as ditterent speeds, its 9600 baud

the comm setup is 8,1N with no handshake if your using Hyperterm or Teraterm.
Download teraterm V4.66

use the z command to initialize the drive.
Do you have the Viper manual for the older drive ?

Larry

[deancnc]

Thanks Larry...


This is a strange one - but this worked - I cut down the length of the cable from about a meter to about a foot - and we have contact - maybe the cable was just picking up too much noise. I found some old posts talking to green screen terminals that they had to use different cable as the length was picking up a lot of noise....

one of units is is older 9600 type, the rest seem newer

I'm getting about 4m/s - which is fast enough - the head units is just about up to full speed before it needs to ramp back down, I think any faster and it may all end in tears. with stepper I found the loss of power at high speed an issue. These drives are great, and seem stable, and a lot quieter ...

(I kept the manual from the time of purchase - but it was just a single page with a link to the web page)

Dean