Altec PC410 (BGA Rework) to communicate with PC

[pronester]

hello guys,

I am trying to control my homemade BGA rework with RS485 (USB) using a desktop PC, but a dialog box keep pop up saying communication error - cant establish connection between the BGA machine and the PC (refer pic).

Some information:
- using windows desktop PC
- the software - PSoft Rework v 2.3.1
- the RS485 and the PC410 are properly connected i.e wired to the right pins
- trying other IR6000 software but require a password for installation

Appreciate your suggestion on how to rectify the problem.

Thanks.

[stj]

first run a terminal program to make sure the usb interface and it's driver work.
99% of serial problems are down to the drivers or interface.

[pronester]

Originally Posted by stj

first run a terminal program to make sure the usb interface and it's driver work.
99% of serial problems are down to the drivers or interface.

how do i do that sir?
thank you for the response tho

[R_J]

Did you install the driver for the usb to rs485 adaptor? If that is a CH340 adaptor I believe there is a program CH341SER.exe that will install the driver

[pronester]

Originally Posted by R_J

Did you install the driver for the usb to rs485 adaptor? If that is a CH340 adaptor I believe there is a program CH341SER.exe that will install the driver

i did install the compatible driver and it is recognized by the pc

[R_J]

What are your com port settings?, there is some information here: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...t=60723&page=2

[pronester]

Originally Posted by R_J

What are your com port settings?, there is some information here: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...t=60723&page=2

my com port default setting as in the pic attached. BTW should i match the com port setting to the psoft. but still it doesnt worked tho.

on the thread, i read it earlier but still i get the same result.

[R_J]

I have read in the ACHI_IR6500 manual which looks like similar software, where the usb to serial needs to be set to com1, I see on another site that the psoft software can be configured to other com ports so make sure it is set to com7 like the serial adaptor

[pronester]

Originally Posted by R_J

I have read in the ACHI_IR6500 manual which looks like similar software, where the usb to serial needs to be set to com1, have you tried that?
It could be that the psoft software can't operate on com7

aha..you got a point..initially i thought it could be connected to any port
let me check where is this port 1 located in the motherboard

[R_J]

I edited my post, I also found this site which has a bit of information https://www.antalife.com/2018/10/pro...plate-mod.html

[pronester]

Originally Posted by R_J

I edited my post, I also found this site which has a bit of information https://www.antalife.com/2018/10/pro...plate-mod.html

ok thanks..i try to work it out..not sure how to connect to com1 of my pc.. i can see a port here in the motherboard labelled as j_com1

but during my test earlier i did match the port from the com port and the psoft i.e i set port 7 for both psoft and pc

[stj]

is the controller using rs485?
i thought they where rs232 normally.

[megaraider]

Originally Posted by stj

is the controller using rs485?
i thought they where rs232 normally.

From what i see that's precisely his mistake, imho.
The CH341 based is an USB to Serial converter, not an USB to RS232 converter!
[@pronester see here how Serial and RS232 are different, already mentioned by @R_J]
Therefore PC410 won't acknowledge connection.

Either use the motherboard COM port or a truly USB to RS232 converter.

[pronester]

Originally Posted by megaraider

From what i see that's precisely his mistake, imho.
The CH341 based is an USB to Serial converter, not an USB to RS232 converter!
[@pronester see here how Serial and RS232 are different, already mentioned by @R_J]
Therefore PC410 won't acknowledge connection.

Either use the motherboard COM port or a truly USB to RS232 converter.

ok thanks on the suggestion man, i will get this converter to test it with the machine and pc

[pronester]

Originally Posted by stj

is the controller using rs485?
i thought they where rs232 normally.

yes rs485 usb

[R_J]

If the pc has an rs232 port, just use that instead of a usb to rs485 adaptor, It looks like the PC900 series (PC-410) will work with rs232, rs422 or rs485, One parameter that can be changed on the controller is the baud rate, so check what it is set to and match it.
acording to the ORDER CODE it could also be that the pc-410 is preconfigured for a certain communication configuration so check its complete part number

[pronester]

Originally Posted by R_J

If the pc has an rs232 port, just use that instead of a usb to rs485 adaptor, It looks like the PC900 series (PC-410) will work with rs232, rs422 or rs485, One parameter that can be changed on the controller is the baud rate, so check what it is set to and match it.
acording to the ORDER CODE it could also be that the pc-410 is preconfigured for a certain communication configuration so check its complete part number

ok i take note on that..thanks for the reply

[vinifera]

Hi Pronester,

i have the same problem and my connection is via RS232 to USB ?
have you found the solution ?
Can you give me feedback

thx

[mon2]

Originally Posted by vinifera

Hi Pronester,

i have the same problem and my connection is via RS232 to USB ?
have you found the solution ?
Can you give me feedback

thx

Hi. Are you still working on this? Cool projects

Perhaps we can help.

We have been designing I/O adapters with 232/422/485 for the past 30+ years.

[azoor]

Originally Posted by vinifera

Hi Pronester,

i have the same problem and my connection is via RS232 to USB ?
have you found the solution ?
Can you give me feedback

thx

For those who have been having difficulties to get their Achi ir pro sc to connect with a laptop or pc via the psoft software. It may work for you too but you can only try to know if it will work. Please note I am not a pro and there is no logical process in this. I have seen others reported here no connect and myself after trying for days to connect this to my laptops via the laptops usb 2 or usb 3 ports on my two laptops, it refused to connect. When it failed to connect, I bought several usb to rs232 serial converters and they all failed although they were all recognised as com port.* I bought the Digitus USB 2.0 to serial convertor FTDI chipset, Ugreen usb* to rs232 serial cable with PL2303 chipset, Dtech 3 pin to usb to TTL serial and finally usb to rs232 XTVTXb pl2303HX to TTL. None of them worked when plugged in directly in the laptops usb ports of my Samsung galaxy book2 pro 360 win 11 and in my good old reliable Sony sve1713z1eb win 10. However, connecting to my very old pc in win 7 directly in rs232 port, it connected and worked but glitchy in win 7 and did not work on another PC with win xp. Even in the pc with win 7 it did not connect directly via the pc usb port through the cable usb to rs232 serial adapter.

*After giving up on the the 2 laptops, and after many days have passed I was reaching for something on a shelf an old usbV1 hub fell in front of me and I picked it up and I said let me try to connect that to my laptop and to the achi pro* sc V1 and to my astonishment it worked on both latops.** I was very happy and started to ponder why is it working via the usb hubs but not directly via the latops usb ports and in my view very strange. I thought may be it is to do with drivers of the PC410 or win drivers. I cannot explain and I do not know the answer. I eventually found out that it does work via usbv2 hub too.

The way I connect via the laptops, I ensure port settings in device manager match the port settings in psoft menu then first tab, configure com port. I connect cables to Achi pro first and then connect cable to laptop using an ordinary usb to rs232* serial converter to the USB v1 hub, from USB hun to pc, start laptop wait for it to boot to windows, I then switch on achi pro then open psoft and voila it works. When it connects the com port in psoft flashes green intermittently and on pc410, com flashes red intermittently. It can be temperamental too and If it does not work repeat the process switch off Achi and close psoft and start again and try in another port. It does work 99% of the time in my case.

I would also check inside the Achi which wire is ground, rx and tx to Din rs232 port (mine) or usb port may be in Achi v2, v3 and v4. Mine was different to the schematics which I found on a utoob video. There is no logic in this, I am merely sharing my experience.