PowerBook, GPSy and serial port issues. :(

[Guest hellbender]

I'm hoping SOMEONE out there has encountered this...

 

System: PowerBook G3 Series(that model right before they went to the "Bronze" keyboard", MacOS 9.1, eTrex w/ Garmin Cable and GPSy DB-9 to DIN-8 adapter.

 

Problem - nothing but serial framing errors!!!

 

I managed to get the software/cable/gps to work on my G3 desktop, so it rests with the PBook. Note, the Pbook serial port does work(have used external modems, use it to console in to various network gear, etc).

 

Checked via Zterm - data is garbled there as well. Elimitated non-PB hardware and the software...grrr

 

Anyone have any clues? I used to be an Apple tech and I've exhausted everything.

 

TIA

 

-hb

[Guest Rootbeer]

Just a wild idea... But could you have a PalmOS device that might HotSync through that port at times? Or could you have AppleTalk turned on, trying to use that port? Or a serial printer, for that matter.

 

Hope this helps!

[Guest hellbender]

Good suggestions, but unfortunately, negative on all of them. I've even gone so far as to crawl into Open Firmware to have a look and see if there were any serial-port specific items in there(thorougly lost, so no help there). Hrmm...this is really a bummer. Wish I had another PB to try it on for comparison. I really don't want to give up on this...the machine has such a great display and a decent processor in it...arghh.

[Guest hellbender]

Good suggestions, but unfortunately, negative on all of them. I've even gone so far as to crawl into Open Firmware to have a look and see if there were any serial-port specific items in there(thorougly lost, so no help there). Hrmm...this is really a bummer. Wish I had another PB to try it on for comparison. I really don't want to give up on this...the machine has such a great display and a decent processor in it...arghh.

[Guest hellbender]

For all those who may follow or check this thread, the "official" reply from the GPSy folks:

 

Thank you for your inquiry. We do support our cables. But you are using the same cables on both

systems so I do not think it is a cable problem. Actually, I have seen this problem before with the

eTrex. I used to have a G3 Series Powerbook, and it worked fine with the Garmin 12xl GPS unit. But with

the eTrex I saw the same problems you are seeing. To make things more confusing, on the same powerbook

the eTrex worked fine with a serial port PCMCIA card and a USB port PCMCIA card and a serial/usb adaptor.

I could never figure this our, some strange serial port issue with this powerbook and the eTrex.

 

In the end the only solutions are:

 

Purchase a serial port PCMCIA card for about $100.

Purchase a USB PCMCIA card (especially if you have other USB needs) for about $100 and a Keyspan PDA

adaptor for $50. We well these if you are interested.

 

---------

 

That is annoying, esp. since they ASKED what gear I was using before I bought the cable. Grrrrrr