Date   : Tue, 29 May 2007 16:37:04 +0100
From   : beeb@... (Kris Adcock)
Subject: PC/Beeb serial cable woe

Afternoon all!

I'm trying to make a serial cable to go 'twixt Beeb and PC. I'm using the
serial-cable textfile as found in http://bbc.nvg.org/util/xfer_30.zip, but
I'm having little joy. Which annoys me, because I built one a year or two
ago, and had no trouble at all getting it to work. Then someone borrowed it.
Bah.

The first thing that confuses me is that the textfile's description of the
five-pin DIN plug (the ASCII-art of it) seems to have pins 4 and 5 swapped
around compared to the numbers inscribed on the plugs I've bought. Can anyone
confirm this?

The other thing that confuses me is that the textfile doesn't have the 0v
pins on the two plugs wired together - there just seems to be four wires that
go from one plug to the other. Is this right?

If anyone has a serial cable easily to hand that you know works, if it is
convenient could you possibly take it apart and let me know what wiring
you're using?

As far as usage goes, I'm setting the Beeb to transmit and receive at 9600
baud, and then set the input to serial port, like this:

*FX 7,7
*FX 8,7
*FX 2,1

.. which I hope should mean that if I had a working cable, then typing
anything on my PC (I'm using Hyperterminal) should transmit the keys to the
Beeb and make them appear on screen?

Lastly (honest) what is the correct flow control setting in Hyperterminal?

Cheers, and many thanks in advance,

Kris
("frustrated" of Derby)