PC Interface problems

[Virgil]

can anyone help with a problem i'm having with dive manager software bought for use with my Suunto Vyper?

installation seemed to go fine but the test mode gives a message that the pc interface can't be detected at any of the COM ports.

i'm guessing that it may be a common problem as it's the first scenario described in the troubleshooting section of the manaul but the suggested remedies read like a foreign language to me.

any tips?

Virgil

 

[ShoalDiverSA]

Virgil,

I see no-one has replied to you yet. I want to ask a silly question - have you tried to connect to your Vyper regardless of the test results? The test might fail, but it is possible (not probable) that the download works anyway. Just select the COM port that the interface is connected to and Start Transfer.

Did you buy the official Suunto interface (if so, you have far too much money and I can help thin out your wallet, if you don't mind )?

It might be a good idea to test the COM port on your PC. Solder pins 2 and 3 together on a 9 pin serial port plug. Plug it into your COM port and run the Interface Test. SDM should "see" the interface. If not, the fault lies with your COM port. Then a large amount of fault-finding will be required and is best assisted by your motherboard manual, support.microsoft.com and so on.

If you still do not win and you bought the interface from Suunto, return it to your LDS for a replacement.

If the interface is a home-made version, we can talk some more later.

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[Virgil]

Andrew,

thanks for you reply but luckily i have sorted the problem.

it seems to have been that as I had software for my Palm Pilot installed it was occupying the Com port and so the dive manager couldn't access it.

i've subsequently installed dive manager on an old laptop which i now use for that sole purpose.

thanks for your concern.

Virgil

 

[jamiei]

Sorry for not replying earlier, but this seems to be a very common problem with both the suunto version and homemade versions. I have sold a lot of these and never had a faulty one sent back to me, but I've had a lot of people swear the com port is fine and there's no conflicts, only to eventually find another device, even if not using the serial port, is occupying it. I can't seem to convince people that this is a common problem... everyone's skeptical and thinks its the interface first thing. I should just start sending a loop back plug like mentioned above with each interface... that would add a couple bucks to the price though and no one wants that.

 

[Virgil]

Jamiei,

you've hit the nail on the head. i have now sorted, or have had sorted for me, the problem. turns out that the software installed for my Palm Pilot blocks up the com port even when it's not physically attached. i now use the Dive Manager software on a different PC.

thanks for your help.

Virgil

 

[roakey]

I had a similar problem connecting my GPS to my machine. I have an ancient Palm, and software, but hopefully whatever you have is similar...

Open up the Palm desktop and click "Hotsync" on the toolbar. On the popup menu, click the "General" tab and you'll see a HotSync manager with three radio buttons. Click "Available only when Palm desktop is running" and then "Ok".

This will keep the Palm software off the com port unless you start the Palm desktop. So you'll have to startup the desktop before it'll pay attention to the hotsync button, but other than that it'll work exactly the same way it does now.

Roak