Post by thread:4 serial ports in a PIC development PC?

I have tried to connect my development equipment like this........ ICEPIC-16CXX to COM1 (Addr 3F8 Irq 4) using RF Solutions Ltd. ICEPIC software MS MOUSE to COM2 (Addr 2F8 Irq 3) PICSTART PLUS to COM3 (Addr 3E8 Irq 4) using MPLAB software. Serial I/O of my PIC to COM4 (Addr 2E8 Irq 3) via Windows Terminal. I get problems such as comms timeout errors from the ICEPIC. or if I swap things around the mouse stops working Presumably this is because of the interrupt conflicts. Can anyone tell me if I'm wasting my time or if there is some software to obtain or jumpers to change to make it all work. The alternative is to keep plugging and unplugging units and reloading the various PC software :-( I am running Windows 3.11 on a Pentium 133. Thanks, Gerry Cox Bournemouth. UK

> I have tried to connect my development equipment > like this........ > PICSTART PLUS to COM3 (Addr 3E8 Irq 4) using MPLAB software. > Serial I/O of my PIC to COM4 (Addr 2E8 Irq 3) via Windows Terminal. > Presumably this is because of the interrupt conflicts. You are right, you are sharing IRQ3,4. Try getting a serial board (Siig, or equ.) that allows you to map IRQ9 or another. I've seen them for $25 or so. -Tom

> ICEPIC-16CXX to COM1 (Addr 3F8 Irq 4) using RF Solutions Ltd. ICEPIC > software > MS MOUSE to COM2 (Addr 2F8 Irq 3) > PICSTART PLUS to COM3 (Addr 3E8 Irq 4) using MPLAB software. > Serial I/O of my PIC to COM4 (Addr 2E8 Irq 3) via Windows Terminal. > > I get problems such as comms timeout errors from the ICEPIC. > or if I swap things around the mouse stops working > Presumably this is because of the interrupt conflicts. > > Can anyone tell me if I'm wasting my time or if there is some software > to obtain or jumpers to change to make it all work. > > The alternative is to keep plugging and unplugging units and > reloading the various PC software :-( I've been there too. I think I know what you're trying to do there. My soln was as follows, better solns may exist. First, get the mouse off com 2 and use a PS/2 interface mouse. This gives you at least 2 standard com ports free, probably motherboard ones. Use com 1 for the IcePic, and put a comport switch on com 2 for yr modem / programmer / pic rs232. If your system has free interrupts, you are lucky, and can find add on boards that use these free interrupt lines. This may involve cutting traces on the comport adaptor boards, as these interrupts rarely line up with what is free. (Unless they are PnP boards - see below) > > I am running Windows 3.11 on a Pentium 133. > Win 95 is more robust than 3.11. It also supports PnP bioses, which you probably have, if you have a motherboard newer than 2 years. This lets you swap interrupts around a lot more. MikeS <spam_OUTmikesmith_ozTakeThisOuTrelaymail.net>