25-pin to USB timer help !

General timing system discussions.
Post Reply
St_Louis_Racer
Pine Head
Pine Head
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

25-pin to USB timer help !

Post by St_Louis_Racer »

I'm in charge of our PWD event this year and am having an issue with interfacing with the timer.

The setup I've tried is to set up a virtual comm port using a USB to 9 pin serial dongle. The Grand Prix software, after installing the driver for the dongle, did recognize it as COM4 . I then added on a 9-pin to 25-pin adapter to attach to the 25-pin timer cable.

I set the Grand Prix software to ready and haven't been able to poll any times.

Anybody have experience with this and/or suggestions ?
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4926
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: 25-pin to USB timer help !

Post by gpraceman »

If your system is using a 25 pin connector, it is most likely a parallel port system, not a serial port one. GPRM V7 and above only supports serial port timing systems.

There is no easy way to convert a parallel port system to work on the serial port, without giving it a brain (processor). Parallel port systems are dumb (no brains) where the computer does the timing based on inputs from the sensors. Serial port systems are smart. They contain a processor to do the timing and then transmit the results to the computer.
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
St_Louis_Racer
Pine Head
Pine Head
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: 25-pin to USB timer help !

Post by St_Louis_Racer »

gpraceman wrote:If your system is using a 25 pin connector, it is most likely a parallel port system, not a serial port one. GPRM V7 and above only supports serial port timing systems.

There is no easy way to convert a parallel port system to work on the serial port, without giving it a brain (processor). Parallel port systems are dumb (no brains) where the computer does the timing based on inputs from the sensors. Serial port systems are smart. They contain a processor to do the timing and then transmit the results to the computer.
Thanks for the reply. Have you heard of any easy resolutions to my problem ?
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4926
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: 25-pin to USB timer help !

Post by gpraceman »

St_Louis_Racer wrote:Thanks for the reply. Have you heard of any easy resolutions to my problem ?
Check your email.
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
Post Reply