hyperterminal connection

Hello, I've connected a USB to serial port adapter cable from my pc to a SICK 9000 fixed-mount barcode scanner and am trying to get to the menu. I know the default baud rate for the scanner is 9600 but it has been configured elsewhere and I'm not sure if it is still set at 9600. I've tried several different baude rates but the hyperterminal screen is blank. The scanner is powered up and running and I know it doesn't have any problems. I just need to get to the config screen to see how it is set up. Also I did run the drivers for the USB to serial port adapter cable and that's ok. Any help is appreciated.
I've attached the users manual for the scanner but had to split it into 3 parts, just remove the .zip extension from the .z01 and .z02 files

Thankyou,
Roy

I'l put out a couple of things that you didn't mention.
1- Which comm port did the USB to Serial adapter take Comm 5,6,7,8?
check device manager to see.
2- Not all USB to serial adapters work with all devices. Its a real cr??
shoot. I use an "Aten" a lot say they have good luck with a "Keyspan"

It took COM3
it's a radioshack usb to serial
thanks for the brandname tips, I may have to try them

Do you need a straight through cable or a null modem cable betweent the RS232 adapater and the RS232 port on the bar code scanner? How do you know?

I've just checked the manual for the 9000E, it shows the Local Port has its TX on pin 2, so you would need a straight thru cable to connect to the Rx on pin 2 of your RS232 adaptor
9000E PC
2 Tx -> Rx 2
3 Rx <- Tx 3
5 Com - Com 5
It also shows that there are no flow control signals on pins 1/4/6/7/8, so you would need to set Hyperterminal Flow Control to None.

In Hyperterminal "COM3 Properties", set the "Flow Control" to "None".

Hope this helps, let us know if this works..

I'm finding that the usb serial adapter I got from Automation Direct talks to things that my Belkin adapter won't (handshaking issue I presume). I don't have any Sick barcode scanners, but Monday I'll see if it likes one of my Sick LSIs or PLSs.

Something else you might want to try.

My computer=>Properties=>Hardware Tab=>Device Manager=>Universal Serial Bus Controllers=>USB Root Hub=>Properties=>Power Management=>Uncheck the "Allow the computer to turn off power to this device to save power".

Thanks alot everyone..I tried a straight-thru cable and got the same results.. a row of dots across the screen which SICK tech support says is the scanner booting up. After the row of dots I type in cfg and nothing happens, no menu screen. I've tried all combinations of parity, stopbits, all with hardware control off..still nothing..

Tresco-oz said:

I've just checked the manual for the 9000E, it shows the Local Port has its TX on pin 2, so you would need a straight thru cable to connect to the Rx on pin 2 of your RS232 adaptor
9000E PC
2 Tx -> Rx 2
3 Rx <- Tx 3
5 Com - Com 5
It also shows that there are no flow control signals on pins 1/4/6/7/8, so you would need to set Hyperterminal Flow Control to None.

In Hyperterminal "COM3 Properties", set the "Flow Control" to "None".

Hope this helps, let us know if this works..

Click to expand...

I'll do that, thankyou

Scadaman said:

Something else you might want to try.

My computer=>Properties=>Hardware Tab=>Device Manager=>Universal Serial Bus Controllers=>USB Root Hub=>Properties=>Power Management=>Uncheck the "Allow the computer to turn off power to this device to save power".

Click to expand...

Is there some way to reset the scanner to default state so that the comm settings (word size, parity start bit(s)) is a known? (paperclip through a hole that trips a reset button, hold down 3 keys simultaneously . . .)

What's confusing is that if the dots are really the initialization of the scanner bootup, and those are being sent by the scanner (where else would they come from?), then it would seem that the com link is, in fact, working.
Dan

Thanks Dan, tomorrow when I get to work I'll look for a reset button (small pin hole)..there are no regular buttons of any type.

danw said:

Is there some way to reset the scanner to default state so that the comm settings (word size, parity start bit(s)) is a known? (paperclip through a hole that trips a reset button, hold down 3 keys simultaneously . . .)

What's confusing is that if the dots are really the initialization of the scanner bootup, and those are being sent by the scanner (where else would they come from?), then it would seem that the com link is, in fact, working.
Dan

Click to expand...

Roy
How many dots do you see on the screen when the unit boots up?
Do any other characters appear?
If you cycle the power off/on the 9000E, do the same number of dots reappear on the screen.
Are you plugged into the local port?
Unplug your cable from the 9000, then link pins 2+3 on your cable - now anything you type into Hyperterminal should echo back on the screen, this will prove if your serial adaptor setup is working.

Phil
On initial power-up, there are 43 dots with a flashing cursor at the end i.e.(..........................................._). If I power down the scanner then back on again, this time instead of dots, there are 43 pairs of << with a cursor at the end i.e. (<< << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << << <<_). If I power down/up a 3rd time, the << pairs repeat. If I power down AND restart a new hyperterminal session, it starts over with the dots sequence.
I disconnected the 9-pin from the scanner, crossed pins 2 and 3, and the characters typed DID echo back properly.

If I change the baude rate from 9600, 8-N-1, to 4800, 8-N-1 on the hyperterminal session and restart the scanner, it gives a ^ symbol followed by 43 characters but this time the character is hard to describe. Picture a square, remove the top side of the square and replace it with an upside-down V, almost looks like a house or something. Restarting the scanner again gives the same response on bootup again..the house symbol sequence.

With a baude rate of 19,200, the sequence is u followed by 43 pairs of xf i.e. (uxfxfxfxfxfxf...)

The SICK helpdesk guy said the dots were normal on startup so he assumed the 9600 baude rate was correct. He said I needed to experiment with other combinations of data bits, parity and stop bits, which I did, all with the same result..one 'house' symbol followed by 43 dots, for each of the combinations with a 9600 baude rate selected.

I just pulled out the manuals for both my handheld bar code scanners (different manufacturers) and each comes with a printed sheet of pre-printed bar codes, one of which is 'reset' (to factory defaults). Scanning that code resets the bar code scanner to default conditions.

I recall that when I had a problem, that was first thing I was supposed to do, so that there were a known set of conditions to work from.

Find out how you reset that scanner to defaults. Can it be that different from other brands?

Dan