PC pat cable

[Monkeh]

Or a cheap one which does - it might be worth a punt if it's cheap enough.

True. Be hard to beat the price I got mine for though.

Let's not lose perspective here - this is a PAT downloading some data, not a disk drive. As long as the data doesn't get corrupted, then does it matter if it's a bit slow?

I believe the point plugwash was raising was more of a compatibility issue. Poorly written software (ie. just about all proprietary software) may not be able to cope with the added latency.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Could always try the free s/w option - run Linux and do a cat /dev/{whatever} > datafile.txt ...

 

[plugwash]

Could always try the free s/w option - run Linux and do a cat /dev/{whatever} > datafile.txt ...

I'd expect something like a pat tester to only speak when it's spoken to so this would probablly acheive absoloutely nothing.

 

[Monkeh]

Easy enough to intercept the commands and figure out how to do it properly.

 

[maguire]

Thakns again, A couple of points tho checking the voltage, where other than the pins mentioned do I apply the volts,Do I apply 12v to the case and one pin and read the voltage at the other pin, Coms port my tester is defaulted to coms port 3 but lead comes up as 6 on the pc Now my knowledge of computers is limited to what I need to know So this is a bit of info I will need to look into, any pointers
Devlin

 

[maltaron]

I cant comment on other PAT testers but my MPAT 10 needs only 3 connections Ground, Data send, and Busy. I made my own cable and it works fine into a dongle. The actual data rate will be in your PAtester manual, mine is 1200 bd. You may need to set your COM port if it doesnt detect automatically.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'd expect something like a pat tester to only speak when it's spoken to.

Might do.

Or it might have a"button" marked "send"...

 

[Monkeh]

Thakns again, A couple of points tho checking the voltage, where other than the pins mentioned do I apply the volts,Do I apply 12v to the case and one pin and read the voltage at the other pin, Coms port my tester is defaulted to coms port 3 but lead comes up as 6 on the pc Now my knowledge of computers is limited to what I need to know So this is a bit of info I will need to look into, any pointers
Devlin

.. You don't apply anything. You measure the voltage between the pins I indicated.

You'll need to configure whatever software your PAT tester uses to use the correct COM port. I can't tell you how to do that.

 

[maguire]

Sorted the cable from easysync works a treat I had the guy talk me through the driver install all device manager lpt what nots and a few other bits of klingon. works on Vista and 7 so thats me sorted, one other tale was testing a dishwasher the other day and got a flash bang from the socket on the tester my own fault my assitant had not checked the plug yet and I jumped the gun, any way it defaulted the tester to factory settiings, I restarted it and selected my own settings and carried on and today could not find any tests after the day in question I missed the fact that the date had jumped to 2199 so when I entered the search dates it found nowt you can guess the relieve I felt when I discovered that. I thought I had lost 600 od tests

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Now you've got a cable, no excuse for not dumping the contents every night.

Anyway - if you had lost them you could have just made them up, like some testers do...

 

[Monkeh]

Good to know of a reliable source for these adapters. I might buy a few.

E: Ooo, they have 3.3V TTL ready-made cables.

 

[maguire]

Absolutly BAS to both laptops and at the end of the week to a seperate back drive still I suppose once the initial shock wears off complacency will creep in, and your dead right I knew a guy who sat at home and did tests then went to the job with stickers ,He got caught when a table lamp shorted and singed a brand new carpet the insurance company realised the test records for the hotel room bore no relevance to the items in the room: result the insurance company paid up as it was an accident but the guy lost about 1000 tests a year then word got round, he has a window cleaning round now.
Devlin