Firecracker not working with recent computer?

[MikyMike]

Hi,
I have a firecracker interface. This interface seem to work on older
computers, but not on new ones. It works on an old K6-500, but not on
a Pentium 4, Athlon XP 1700, and Athlon XP 2400.

Have you encountered the same problem?

If so, have you found a solution?

[Dennis Slater]

Don't tell me that. :( I just ordered a Firecracker CM17A to replace the
PowerLinc 1132cu which never has worked properly and now has totally
died. The 1132cu is going back and hopefully the Firecracker will work.
I have an old IBM that will eventually be dedicated to run my system
using Mister House. Right now I am using a trial version of Homeseer on
an HP Pavilion for now to drive the 1132cu. It doesn't seem that the
1132cu supports Mister House and/or visa versa. To quote the always
helpful and smart--- SmartHome tech people "What is Mister House?"

[Charles Sullivan]

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:11:43 -0500, MikyMike wrote:

>
> Hi,
> I have a firecracker interface. This interface seem to work on older
> computers, but not on new ones. It works on an old K6-500, but not on
> a Pentium 4, Athlon XP 1700, and Athlon XP 2400.
>
> Have you encountered the same problem?
>
> If so, have you found a solution?

It works OK on my Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz system. Have you tried
reinstalling and reconfiguring the software?

(The new ActiveHome Pro software for the CM15A seems to
disable the serial port and Firecracker has to be reinstalled -
there may be other USB stuff which does the same thing.)

[wkearney99]

> I have a firecracker interface. This interface seem to work on older
> computers, but not on new ones. It works on an old K6-500, but not on
> a Pentium 4, Athlon XP 1700, and Athlon XP 2400.

It probably has more to do with the motherboard and serial port-related
chipsets than the processor. The firecracker is not a "serial" device in
the classic sense. It depends on twiddling the signal lines, not sending
data, and this is a timing critical activity. Some USB serial devices
(most?) do not support doing what the firecracker needs but I've never seen
a clear list of which ones do or don't.

[Si Ballenger]

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:11:43 -0500, MikyMike
<abcdef70@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>Hi,
>I have a firecracker interface. This interface seem to work on older
>computers, but not on new ones. It works on an old K6-500, but not on
>a Pentium 4, Athlon XP 1700, and Athlon XP 2400.
>
>Have you encountered the same problem?
>
>If so, have you found a solution?

Some command line applications below that you might try to see if
they work with the firecracker on your machines.

http://www.ubasics.com/adam/electronics/cm17.shtml
http://mscm17a.sourceforge.net/

[Charles Sullivan]

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 07:59:13 -0500, wkearney99 wrote:

>> I have a firecracker interface. This interface seem to work on older
>> computers, but not on new ones. It works on an old K6-500, but not on
>> a Pentium 4, Athlon XP 1700, and Athlon XP 2400.
>
> It probably has more to do with the motherboard and serial port-related
> chipsets than the processor. The firecracker is not a "serial" device in
> the classic sense. It depends on twiddling the signal lines, not sending
> data, and this is a timing critical activity. Some USB serial devices
> (most?) do not support doing what the firecracker needs but I've never seen
> a clear list of which ones do or don't.

The required timing may be voltage related. The built-in RS232
serial ports on my system swing between about +/- 11 volts.

I have two USB-to-serial adapters. A Sewell SW1301 swings between
about +/- 9.5 volts whereas a Keyspan USA-19HS swings only between
about +/- 5.5 volts.

I have two firecracker programs which run under Linux. Both of
them operate the Firecracker satisfactorally on the RS232 serial
port or on the Sewell adapter. But only one of them works with
the Keyspan adapter, and that one stretches out the pulses longer
than the other one.

I understand that RS232 serial ports on many current-model PCs
only swing between +/- 5 volts, and that may be the reason
for the observed difference in Firecracker performance between
the OP's systems.

[Bob Linca]

I've run the FireCracker on a Athlon XP 2200 without any problems.


"MikyMike" <abcdef70@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5ebiv0l898v0lif9rpqeb8gubn50lf9ngp@4ax.com...
>
> Hi,
> I have a firecracker interface. This interface seem to work on older
> computers, but not on new ones. It works on an old K6-500, but not on
> a Pentium 4, Athlon XP 1700, and Athlon XP 2400.
>
> Have you encountered the same problem?
>
> If so, have you found a solution?
>