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Chapter 6:
TriCoder Connection
Interfacing with the computer is possibly the most critical operation. Without proper communication between the computer and
TriCoder, all that data you collected for hours and hours really isn‟t doing you much good. Whether you are using the USB interface,
or the Serial interface, before you even begin collecting data you need to establish communication in NON PORTABLE MODE, (See
Chapter 3
; Non-Portable Mode
), and then move on to uploading stored data. There are several steps involved in establishing
communication:
Connecting the hardware
Configuring the TriCoder
Testing in NON-PORTABLE MODE
We will explain each of these steps for the USB and Serial Interface. If you are using your TriCoder with a USB connection, continue
on with the next section. For serial interface, go to page 5-3.
USB HID Keyboard Interface – PC and Mac
The TriCoder can be attached to a PC or Mac via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port. The USB connection offers several
advantages, which are:
There are two “Timing” settings for use on older PC‟s and faster modern PC‟s,
In Windows, you have the convenience of
HID Keyboard
Interface in Non-Portable Mode, but you can still download new
firmware releases, upload/download programs, and download tables using the
Full Speed USB
mode.
With the
Full Speed USB
interface, data uploads and program transfers are up to 40 times faster than serial and 1000 times
faster than keyboard. See
Chapter 3:
Non Portable Mode
,
First time USB use
regarding Windows and USB.
The
C22
USB I/O Cable is required to connect the 5000 TriCoder to a USB port. The USB port does not power the TriCoder – it will
operate on batteries or the Worth Data 5V power supply only.
Plug the USB end of the
C22
cable into the USB port located on the back of the PC or Macintosh. Only one end of the cable fits.
Plug the other end of the C22 cable into the I/O port on the bottom of the TriCoder.
If this is the first time you have connected the TriCoder to a USB cable, you could be asked to select the exact USB interface you
desire, and you will be asked to install Windows USB driver(s). See
Chapter 3:
Non Portable Mode
,
First time USB use
.
Testing Communication using NON PORTABLE mode
To test communication USB HID Keyboard, go to
Chapter 3
:
Non Portable Mode
for detailed instruction on how to use NON
PORTABLE mode to establish communication between the TriCoder and the host computer. The key to testing communications is to
keep it simple – you don‟t want to have to determine whether it‟s your software or the TriCoder causing a problem.
