[clug] USB to RS232 DB9 Adapter

George at Clug Clug at goproject.info
Wed Aug 7 13:55:11 UTC 2019


Bryan,

Thanks for providing me the extra information.

I think setting up a physical DOS computer with a Serial Port might be the best solution, at least to verify the Polar Heart Rate devices are still all working well.

Can the Palm PC use an external keyboard?  I am guessing not, from what I could find on the Internet.

I use a Linux PC that has a physical serial port (/dev/ttyS0), I have KVM installed and using virt-manager, I created and installed a DOS 6.2 Virtual machine which has a virtual serial port set to the physical serial port. 

I have no DOS software in my DOS 6.2 virtual machine. Is there any utilities or methods in DOS 6.2 to use/test a COM1 or COM2 port? I tried msd but it never returns (i.e I think it hangs).

Using "mode com1:48,n,8,1,p",  returned "COM1:  4800,n,8,1,p". When I removed the serial port from the DOS virtual machine, using "mode com1:48,n,8,1,p",  returned "Illegal device name - COM1".  So I am guessing the serial port is there in DOS.

Well all that was entertaining.

George.


C:\> doskey

C:\> mode /?

Configures system devices.

Printer port:      MODE LPTn[:] [COLS=c] [LINES=l] [RETRY=r]
Serial port:       MODE COMm[:] [BAUD=b] [PARITY=p] [DATA=d] [STOP=s] [RETRY=r]
Device Status:     MODE [device] [/STATUS]
Redirect printing: MODE LPTn[:]=COMm[:]
Prepare code page: MODE device CP PREPARE=((yyy[...]) [drive:][path]filename)
Select code page:  MODE device CP SELECT=yyy
Refresh code page: MODE device CP REFRESH
Code page status:  MODE device CP [/STATUS]
Display mode:      MODE [display-adapter][,n]
                   MODE CON[:] [COLS=c] [LINES=n]
Typematic rate:    MODE CON[:] [RATE=r DELAY=d]

C:\> mode com1:48,n,8,1,p

COM1:  4800,n,8,1,p

C:\> mode com2:28,n,8,1,p

Illegal device name - COM2

C:\> mode com1 /status

Status for device COM1:
-----------------------
Retry=B




On Wednesday, 07-08-2019 at 22:27 Bryan Kilgallin via linux wrote:
> Thanks, George:
> 
> > On Tuesday, 06-08-2019 at 17:01 Bryan Kilgallin via linux wrote:
> >> My ancient DOS palmtop is very unreliable.
> > 
> > Bryan,
> > 
> > I apologise, but below I have so many questions about that you are ultimately wanting to achieve.
> > 
> > I am now curious what is it actually that you want to achieve?
> 
> Applications on my old DOS palmtop are:
> 	* PROLOG (my job-application writer);
> 	* Polar heart rate monitor; and
> 	* rhyming dictionary.
> 
> > I am guessing that you have and would like to use an old Polar Heart Rate device that connects to a computer via a serial port.
> 
> Yes, I don't need the others now.
> 
> I have the Polar Sport Tester. Here is the user manual.
> 
> https://support.polar.com/support_files/en/C225742500419A8A422569ED00322DDA/Sport%20Tester%20GBR.pdf
> 
> > And that you are currently trying to do this by running the "Polar heart rate analysis software" in a virtual DOS environment to connect to the physical Polar Heart Rate monitoring device.
> 
> The heart monitor software is dated 1990 (29 years ago)! I recorded in 
> the heart-rate wristwatch/receiver, several minutes of resting heart 
> rate data. But the polar software, running in DOSBox window--did not 
> receive any data from the watch that I had placed on the Polar receiver 
> box, and set to communicate with a computer.
> 
> > I guess you have tried to find and were not successful in locating other software (e.g. OpenSource) that could connect to the physical device?
> 
> Correct.
> 
> > Have you thought about setting up a old (physical) DOS computer that has a serial port?
> 
> That is a good idea! I have a 32 bit Dell PC. And it has a serial port!
> 
> > Can you please tell me as much as possible by what you mean when you said "DOS palmtop". From your other emails, I am guess this is Palmtop PC that runs Microsoft (or IBM) DOS ?
> > Similar to this  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmtop_PC  ?
> 
> Yes, this is it.
> 
> > What is the make and model of the device ?
> 
> Hewlett Packard 200 LS. Unfortunately its keyboard requires percussive 
> therapy to accept say the press of the `a' key. It was so much trouble 
> to get going, that the last time I recorded an exercise workout--I gave 
> up trying to get the palmtop going!
> 
> > What type of storage does the device use?  a 3.5" IDE hard disk drive?
> 
> It has 2 MB of RAM. And I have my applications and data on a 32 MB 
> PCMCIA 2 flash card.
> 
> > What version of DOS did it come with ? Would it be 3.3 ?
> 
> The ver command reports thus.
> {
> MS-DOS Version 5.00
> }
> 
> > You may have said, and I may have missed the point, but is there data you want to get off this drive, or is there an application that you want to run that only runs in "DOS" ?
> 
> I have copied applications and data from the flash card A: drive to the 
> onboard RAM C: drive. Then I changed the PCMCIA 2 card for an adapter, 
> so plugging in my 256 MB CompactFlash card. Next I copied the 
> applications and data from the onboard C: drive to the CompactFlash 
> card. Then I inserted the CompactFlash card into my tower-PC, and copied 
> the stuff into a desktop folder. Lastly moving that to a directory that 
> DOSBox can see.
> 
> > Later you said "Polar heart rate analysis software to a directory that DOSBox sees as C: drive."
> 
> I found DOSBox' configuration file, and added a line to mount my DOS 
> directory as C: drive. As advised, I set Serial 1 to ttyUSB0. I wonder 
> whether instead I should set serial1 to be say modem? As the Polar 
> software is trying to receive data from the "POLAR INTERFACE" box under 
> the wristwatch.
> 
> {
> [serial]
> # serial1: set type of device connected to com port.
> #          Can be disabled, dummy, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
> #          Additional parameters must be in the same line in the form of
> #          parameter:value. Parameter for all types is irq (optional).
> #          for directserial: realport (required), rxdelay (optional).
> #                           (realport:COM1 realport:ttyS0).
> #          for modem: listenport (optional).
> #          for nullmodem: server, rxdelay, txdelay, telnet, usedtr,
> #                         transparent, port, inhsocket (all optional).
> #          Example: serial1=modem listenport:5000
> #          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
> # serial2: see serial1
> #          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
> # serial3: see serial1
> #          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
> # serial4: see serial1
> #          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
> 
> serial1=directserial realport:ttyUSB0
> serial2=dummy
> serial3=disabled
> serial4=disabled
> }
> 
> > Do you have a Polar Heart Rate device that connects to a computer via a serial port?
> 
> Yes.
> 
> > If so what is the make and model number of the Polar Heart Rate device?
> 
> The receiver-wristwatch is stamped "POLAR ELECTRO FINLAND", and labelled 
> "POLAR SPORT TESTER". The instruction manual is tagged thus.
> {
> KÄYTTÖ4000
> 1.90 PE
> ENG
> }
> So I think it's model PE 4000. Perhaps someone who reads Finnish, can 
> correct me.
> 
> > Can its software be downloaded from a reliable web site?
> No, I've looked that up unsuccessfully. The best I could manage was the 
> user manual, as above.
> -- 
> members.iinet.net.au/~kilgallin/
> 
> -- 
> linux mailing list
> linux at lists.samba.org
> https://lists.samba.org/mailman/listinfo/linux
> 



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