Purchased a PCS 100/8031 scope and i am having quite a time trying to get it to work with my laptop.
Here is the problem listing:
Calibration fails and log file says:
Offset at 3V/div : 66 FAIL
Offset at 1V/div : -7 OK
CH1 correction at 20us/div : -35 OK
CH1 correction at 10us/div : -31 OK
CH1 correction at 4us/div : -7 OK
Also “sometimes” i get LPT port communication failure.
After reading various docs from the Velleman site i tried setting the communication speed to “Slow” and also deleted the WinDSO.ini file. Nothing consistent as far as successful operation is concerned
Magically the calibration ended successfully once…and i closed the program and tried once more…with failures ever since. Really dont know what that “magical” setting was that i did for it to conclude successfully??
In one of the docs, it says to run the calibration after keeping the unit on for an hour or so. Tried that also…the log file test data values have changed drastically…though the 3v offset test still fails.
Sorry about your problem with the new PCS100. The reason may be the LPT port communication problem or the oscilloscopes hardware is defective.
Do you have possibility to test the scope in other PC to eliminate some possible reasons to the failure.
You may replace the contents of the WinDso.ini file with the following text:
[Status]
Running=0
[ScopeMainForm_100]
Top=1
Left=1
Width=719
Height=560
Status=1
[EditForm_100]
Width=293
Height=262
[EditForm_100rec]
Width=294
Height=259
[Calibration_100]
f20us_offs=0
f10us_offs=0
f4us_offs=0
offs_1=128
V1_offs1=0
V30mv_offs1=0
V10mv_offs1=0
Ch1_pos0=128
Ch1_pos1=32
Ch1_pos2=224
Ch1_ad0=128
Ch1_ad1=192
Ch1_ad2=62
[Hardware]
DemoMode=1
LPT_Port=1
LPT4=888
[Menu_100]
HWdialog=0
RMS_on=0
dBm_on=0
Rate_on=0
Rec_Rate_on=0
Hide_Scope=0
LPT_Speed_Slow=0
[Colors_100]
DefaultColors=1
Background=0
Ch1=65535
Dark_Grid=8388608
Bright_Grid=16711680
Time_Marker=16776960
Then you may try to run the software and you’ll see how it works with these default settings without calibration.
As suggested i copied the parameters you supplied and pasted onto WinDso.ini
Program now starts without any calibration…though i am still to see anything on the screen…i have connected the probe to the front square signal source to test the scope…clicked on Autoset also…though it looks as the program has now stopped.
Used Task manager to kill the process.
Just now tried on my desktop pc…works flawlessly! Default install…no extra steps!!
So what is the problem with the laptop?? Port is ok as i have been printing through it…
Please advise to get the scope working on my laptop!
To test, i am connecting the probe (1x) to the square wave generator on the front panel…and pressing run does not show anything.
Clicking on Autoset…the program shifts through 4-5 combinations as can be seen on the screen as well as the clicking noises from inside the PCS 100…then nothing happens…
I then right click on the taskbar to close the program as it does not respond otherwise. Everytime i click close…the program shifts 1-2 more combinations on screen as well as the clicks inside the PCS 100.
After 4-5 right clicks to close the program i get error message:
Access violation at address 7C4ED81E in module ‘kernel32.dll’. Read of address 0000000C.
I click ok and try to right click and close the program…same as above…some clicking noises and screen changes…on the 7-8 right click, i get same error message.
Then finally program closes on the 10th attempt.
What is going on? Some problem with the software or hardware?
The unit is working fine on my desktop!! Same software (latest) working under XP pro without problems!
Probably the port on your laptop is not 100% standard so the levels are not sufficient to drive the PCS100.
Please try changing LPT settings in your laptop BIOS or try changing the port communication speed in the hardware set up.
I own a complete PCS 500, which is working fine. I am owner of a PCS 100 ,too, but without accessories. PCS 100 is not working, LPT1 is not functional, but LPT1 is working with my PCS 500.
I have following questions.:
Should a cable, which is connecting my PCS 500 sucessfully, connect the PCS 100, too ?
Do you have an idea, why at my PCS 100 the LED is lighting even without running the software ?
Which component of the PCS 100 is not working ?
I have found a scheme and a description for the PCS 500, but I could not find a scheme for the PCS 100; do you have one ?
According to your paper “Using the printer port” data are delivered by pins 10 and 12 of PCS 100, in the last sentence of this paper pin 12 is described as an indicator of finishing the data acquisition; is this statement true or is this a printing error ?
[quote]1. Should a cable, which is connecting my PCS 500 sucessfully, connect the PCS 100, too ?[/quote]If there are all the 25 wires connected, it should work.
[quote]2. Do you have an idea, why at my PCS 100 the LED is lighting even without running the software ?[/quote]This is OK. The LED should be lit when the power adapter is connected.
[quote]5. According to your paper “Using the printer port” data are delivered by pins 10 and 12 of PCS 100, in the last sentence of this paper pin 12 is described as an indicator of finishing the data acquisition; is this statement true or is this a printing error ?[/quote]I think it is OK. The pin 12 has two functions.
