Got the program running, but nothing much happens?

[Gun-neR]

Hello.

I have a PC-1246 with the same 11 pin connector, so I suspect it should work as well.

I wired everything up as shown in your document and 11 pin port orientation (although according to my 1246 Service Manual and my testing with multimeter, pin2 is GND pin3 is VCC!?! So I have plugged my Arduino and resistors GND into pin2)

I have flashed an UNO R3 (compatible with a nano) and am getting the flashing LED.

EDIT - Disregard my issue building the file... (although I still don't have a clue with VS, hah)... as I found the SharpManager.msi and installed it just fine.

Now, however, nothing much seems to happen? When doing a CLOAD, the Sharp PC-1246 goes from BUSY to the prompt, but typing LIST just shows nothing. Making a simple program and doing CSAVE just sits there waiting on the SharpManager program.

Also, there is no sound... I assumed that was coming from the PC?? If not, then my PC-1246 doesn't have even a beep function, so not expecting sound from it.

The wiring is simple, so not sure how I can go wrong there??

[Gun-neR]

I kept testing everything I can...

There is clearly some limited communication happening on the CLOAD, just no data transfer.

No indication of any communication on CSAVE, the Sharp will do its thing and go back to prompt, but the manager just sits waiting.

I even cleaned up the wiring just to eliminate junction issues.

I have a CE-123p on the way... probably in the New Year... but I still would like to figure this out.

[codaris]

@Gun-neR It absolutely won't work with a PC-1246 because while it has the same connector and electrically it's the same the actual format of the tape waveforms are different. I only support the encoding of data from the PC-140x family because that's all I have and the format is well documented.

Printing should work so if you type LLIST, for example, it should display your BASIC program in the application console.

Supporting the PC-1246 should technically be possible with a different tape data encoder/decoder but that's a fair amount of work.

[Gun-neR]

@codaris Thanks for the feedback.

That is unfortunate... I spent hours fighting the apparent inevitable barrier of cross model incompatibility (might explain the reversed GND VCC pins??? ). It seems difficult to find much for the PC-1246 that I ended up with.

Oh well... hopefully my incoming CE-123p works with Pocket-Tools at least.

Meanwhile, I had a moment of insanity and put in a bid for a relatively low cost PC-1401... Can't really afford it, but sometimes my technical interests get ahead of me :D Will see if that goes through (just so I can test this... haha... silly boys and our toys).

[Gun-neR]

Oh, BTW, LLIST also didn't work... That just gets an ERROR 8

[codaris]

Oh, BTW, LLIST also didn't work... That just gets an ERROR 8

Oh that's interesting because printing should work. It's the most basic and most universal feature of the 11-pin connector. It really just needs the ACK pin to acknowledge each bit as it's sent. ERROR 8 likely indicates that it was expecting that ACK and didn't get it.

I had a moment of insanity and put in a bid for a relatively low cost PC-1401.

I don't even want to tell you about my insanity! I'm not as bad as some but I have a few more devices in the PC-140x category than anyone should have.

[Gun-neR]

Well... The seller accepted my offer. So another $78cad toward obsolete, but totally fun, electronics. Who needs to eat anyhow ;P

Hopefully it works with my incoming CE-123P as well... I still don't understand the reversed GND and VCC pins though... why Sharp, why?

I don't even want to tell you about my insanity! I'm not as bad as some but I have a few more devices in the PC-140x category than anyone should have.

And since my CE-123P also includes a (mostly useless???) PC-1270 Calculator... I guess I am falling down that similar rabbit hole.

[codaris]

So another $78cad toward obsolete, but totally fun, electronics. Who needs to eat anyhow ;P

Seems like a pretty good deal. I have a $150CAD limit on things. If it's below that and it's been a while then I try not to feel guilty.

I still don't understand the reversed GND and VCC pins though... why Sharp, why?

I can't believe they switched the GND and VCC between models -- I never would have guessed that. At least the CD-123P has the matching GND/VCC setup for the PC-1246.

And since my CE-123P also includes a (mostly useless???) PC-1270 Calculator... I guess I am falling down that similar rabbit hole.

I have a PC-1401 -- which was actually my first vintage computer that started my collection. Then I got a 1403 so I could use the disk drive functions. And then I had to have PC-1403H with 32KB of RAM. It was in mint condition except it was "untested" and ultimately I could not get it to work. So just recently I got a totally beat up 1403H that actually works -- the next project is a brain transplant between the two.

[Gun-neR]

I can't believe they switched the GND and VCC between models -- I never would have guessed that. At least the CD-123P has the matching GND/VCC setup for the PC-1246.

Well... Now I am really confused. after fiddling with a battery change, I noticed display contrast differences when plugging in the Uno. I realised that unplugging the GND sharpened the display.

So I tested, yet again... And realised that there was 5.31v on Pin 2... supposedly the "GND" line?? It seems that despite what I see in the Service manual on BOTH the PC-1246 and CE-123P, Pin 2 is VCC and pin3 is GND !?! ... So confusing when you can't trust the service manual pinouts :(

But, of course... it didn't seems to make much difference in UNO communication. Well... there is something coming across with LLPRINT now. It is garbage... but at least is shows communication. Progress, I guess :/

[Gun-neR]

I have been unable to find a service manual for the PC-1401... Do you have one?

[Gun-neR]

OK... I occasionally... briefly... was able to get a simple test program to print properly to the terminal (LPRINT), along with simultaneous screen (PRINT). And only when there was NO ground link between the Pocket PC and the Arduino. The resistor's ground could be either to the Arduino, or the pocket, but never both. Go fig? I am also running 470k resistors, but I have tried some others. Doesn't seem to make a difference.

I initially blamed it on my temporary (AKA shoddy) way of connecting the pulldown resistors. But even after soldering up a better link, it is still totally hit and miss. Mostly miss ;P

Perhaps there is some form of timing issues due the different model I am running? As it seems to be a matter of plugging in the ground (with the program running) just at the (randomly) correct moment to get it to work... But that moment disappears if program stopped and restarted, etc. And thus, I have never been able to get a listing (LLIST) to properly display.

Anyhow, it is clearly something on my end, so I guess I will let this dog lie and perhaps return to it when I get my PC-1401

[Gun-neR]

Well, I couldn't totally quit... I found if I remove and reset the GND, then start the pocket program, it more than often displays properly. Just not always. And I still can't make a LLIST properly display, ever.

@codaris What, if anything, you can make of all that, and thus make suggestions, is appreciated. But as I stated, I am probably not going to worry about it much more... Unless it also fails on the PC-1401. Which I might even receive before the end of the year.

[codaris]

@Gun-neR This entire project was me giving up and then staying up past midnight trying to get it work.

What exactly are you trying to print? Obviously I can tell which part is pure garbage but I'm curious what is working. I'm actually surprised that it works -- that indicates that both SharpManager and the computer are able to communicate with the correct protocol for the printer. Getting actual text is a big step and shows that many more things are working than not.

It feels like the problem is electrical -- although I admit it doesn't seem to make much sense. Given that we have the service manual for both the computer and the printer, I might take a look and see if there is anything that might be electrically different on that 11pin correct from other sharp computers (besides power and gnd). You might have had a bit better luck playing around on a breadboard.

[Gun-neR]

@codaris Yes, the desire to beat the "system" can often override common sense... and sleep :)

As I just recently got the PC-1246, I have been slowly learning how to program it... A wee bit different than my Commodores.

The current test program I am running is just a simple one, playing around with WAIT statements (that I just learned about).

1 PRINT "START"
5 WAIT 50
10 PRINT "HELLO"
11 LPRINT "HELLO"
20 PRINT "GUNNER"
21 LPRINT "GUNNER"
30 PRINT "GOODBYE..."
31 LPRINT "GOODBYE..."
40 WAIT 200
50 PRINT "..."
51 LPRINT "..."
60 GOTO 5

I know... Groundbreaking in its sophistication... I should market it :D

Anyhow, as you can see, I had quickly adapted it for the "printing" test.

Yes, electrical could be an issue... I am using a combo of soldered perfboard (for the resistors. The white crud is super glue previously used to hold a socket. Now the black GND wire is soldered direct on the board end) and socketed Dupont jumpers to the UNO. And those jumpers are not always a quality connection.

But it is the fact that I have to run the program, then before pressing [RETURN] after START, I "reset" by unplugging and replugging in the GND link, either using the one on the UNO or the Pocket... or even both, doesn't seem to matter (in this pic I have it looped to the Pocket's gnd... And yes, using Pin3 this time... I don't understand why, but that does work best. Using Pin2 just causes odd errors and whatnot).

I think that Pin3's designation VGG (not VCC) means something different then I previously thought. I found some reference to it being an "input" for power from a dock?? But I am probably confused... too much Googling for info :)

Anyhow, if I just use the Arduino or Pocket GND for the pulldown then it works... If I time it right... sometimes.

[Gun-neR]

Basically, If I can get it started on the "right foot", then it will just keep working in the looping program. That is probably why I can't get an LLIST to properly display (just the usual random garbage characters), no real control on the initial timing??

Oh, also... I sometimes start the program, do a reset of the UNO and reset the GND (belt and suspenders) then press return on the program to continue in it's loop. I am all about the "scientific process"... Do it all quickly and randomly and see what sticks :D