Y Cable pin outs

This keeps getting better and better. Are you sure that the display is working on the same serial port as the timer? Don't TAG 505's operate at 1200 baud? Normally the 9 pin serial connector would use Pin 5 as ground, 3 as transmit to the board and 2 as the input to the PC. Where is all of this interesting hardware installed?

The laptop has a single serial port built in, and a second USB serial port was used to have a remote computer, so I am pretty sure it is only 1 port. Yes the 1200 baud is correct and working for the Tag. Since the wiring up in the start shack was completely redone when the new one was built, I do suspect the pins not going into the cable correctly (electrician did the wiring changes). Tough to troubleshoot without the pin outs though to know for sure. Thanks for the reply, will trace the 2 wires back and test.

That makes more sense. In fact you are using 2 serial ports just like everybody else. So make sure that you USB to serial adapter is working correctly. The "Y" cable is an old archaic Split Second concept for using the serial port bidirectionaly which you could do with DOS. Windows does not support that concept. You need a DB9 female plug with pin 2 as signal and 5 as ground going into the PC from the timer. Pin 3 as signal and 5 as ground going from the PC out to the display. I would use the "y" cable for the timer to the Pc and make a fresh cable from the PC to the display. You can always check the operation of the display by turning the timer input port to "none" and then using Com1 as the output port for the display.

Got the wires straight, changed a setting in the Nastar software and the display is working again, the guy doing it could not tell me exactly which setting in the computer but I still suspect it was something with the wires since they all were replaced.

Thanks for the replys and suggestions.

As a side note, is there a reason that private messaging is not available on this board? I still may be interested in some of the manuals but not sure how to contact you FKP, other than trying the Phoenix web site address.

Interesting. I will ask the forum administrator.

Thanks,

By the way you may want to edit your email address so spammers do not harvest the address with a bot. Suggest you add (remove-nospam) to the address or spell out the @ sign - (at) or something that is obvious but will not work without human intervention.

Just a note.
It is possible to use the TAG display using a Y cable, even in windows.
We need to put the display working on the same speed as the timer. This is done with the code on the display.
To work with the CP 505 we need to put on the display the program 1. The rest of the code depends on the software or on the information required on the display.
If you need more info I have it here.
Best regards,