PSX serial

[mrhaboobi]

No advanced debugging, printfs only. Software can be found here.

So would this cable with Psxserial work ok with a standard yaroze set up or am i restricted to siocons,. Trying to avoid the shift to psyq as im just getting familiar with its sdk.. ?

[Shendo]

Unfortunately no. Yaroze sdk compiled applications require libps.a library to reside in ram which
siocons uploads upon startup. That's where the size limitation comes from as that library is always there.

It would be a good idea to switch to PsyQ or PSXSDK anyway because for Yaroze compiled applications
you will also need to distribute libps.exe in order to run them on the retail unit.

[jman]

I received the serial adaptor, but I've opened the serial cable without checking the pinout beforehand:
http://www.storiepvtride.it/galleries/psx/index.html

If I'm correct (looking at this scheme) I need TX (which is brown), RX (which is yellow) and GND (which is violet), right?

Thanks

[Shendo]

I don't have official cable to confirm colors but the pinout you linked is correct.

[AmiDog]

My serial cable doesn't have the same colors as yours, but yes, that's how I think one should wire the cable. Haven't gotten mine to work yet though. Not really spent much time on it, but the psxserial software reports success even if there's nothing connected to the FTDI-adapter, which is quite annoying. I was expecting some software handshaking, but there doesn't seem to be any. Sometimes the PSX part will react (the text gets removed), sometimes nothing happends, and I don't have a clue why (yet). Tried exchanging the TX/RX lines, made no difference.

Would really help if either end could be told to send a constant "I'm alive" as well as report whatever is received (if anything). Being able to change the baud rate would also be usefull...

[jman]

My serial cable doesn't have the same colors as yours, but yes, that's how I think one should wire the cable. Haven't gotten mine to work yet though. Not really spent much time on it, but the psxserial software reports success even if there's nothing connected to the FTDI-adapter, which is quite annoying. I was expecting some software handshaking, but there doesn't seem to be any. Sometimes the PSX part will react (the text gets removed), sometimes nothing happends, and I don't have a clue why (yet). Tried exchanging the TX/RX lines, made no difference.

Same here.

I've attached the FTDI to the PSX serial for a quick test, no soldering (and I'm dubious I've connected the wires correctly).

However PSX SERIAL says:

Code: Select all

 Transmission Acknowledged!
 Sending packet 317 of 317 (100)%
 Ending Transmission and Closing com3... Done!

On screen I see the colored bands, nothing changes.

[danhans42]

Rather than relying on the colours use a multimeter to check the connections. Set it to continuity mode to check the colours to the pins. Is ground definitely ground?

I have around 20 cables from the same manufacturer and they are all different.

I have used many ftdi/prolific/siliconlabs/atmega solutions without issue.

[Shendo]

Sometimes the PSX part will react (the text gets removed), sometimes nothing happends, and I don't have a clue why (yet). Tried exchanging the TX/RX lines, made no difference.

PS1 is waiting for a 'c' character for synchronization. If any other character is received that text will disappear
but that doesn't mean transfer has started. Even if it reads garbage data other than 'c' it will react the same.
I think that is what happens in your case. So, as Danhans42 already said, confirm that you wired it correctly.

PSXSERIAL PC software is based on my Send.NET clone of Hitmen's original upload application.
To keep everything compatible protocol was not updated, that's why there is no software handshake present.

I suggest you burn the echo example from PsyQ examples directory.
That way you can be sure that your serial cable is working correctly.

[jman]

Sometimes the PSX part will react (the text gets removed), sometimes nothing happends, and I don't have a clue why (yet). Tried exchanging the TX/RX lines, made no difference.

PS1 is waiting for a 'c' character for synchronization. If any other character is received that text will disappear
but that doesn't mean transfer has started. Even if it reads garbage data other than 'c' it will react the same.
I think that is what happens in your case. So, as Danhans42 already said, confirm that you wired it correctly.

PSXSERIAL PC software is based on my Send.NET clone of Hitmen's original upload application.
To keep everything compatible protocol was not updated, that's why there is no software handshake present.

I suggest you burn the echo example from PsyQ examples directory.
That way you can be sure that your serial cable is working correctly.

Ok, I've double checked the wiring with a multimeter and I think I've correctly connected TX,RX,GND.
When the upload starts, the text disappear (as Amidog wrote); during the upload I see on the USB converter the green and red leds blinking; there are also pauses during the upload, as if a buffer needs to be emptied before proceeding.
When the upload has finished, nothing happens, the coloured bands stays on screen.

Do I have to do anything to trigger the execution of my main.exe?

Second test: burned the SIO echo test. Took the MAIN.EXE from "psyq\psx\sample\serial\SIO\TUTO1". Upon start of the CD (after the usual Sony intro) the screen stays black. I connect PuTTY on COM3 @9600. On keypress of the keyboard I see red and green LED (of the USB converter) blinking but no echo back on the console (unless I specify so in PuTTY config). I don't see of the text that Type79 mentions in this thread.

Bonus test: I've switched the RX/TX wires. When I press a key now I only see the green led blinking.

Out of frustration, I've even uploaded the MAIN.EXE of SIO echo test with PSXSERIAL. Same as above. No response when the upload finishes.

What am I doing wrong? :-)

Thanks for any hint!

[Shendo]

Test if your adapter is actually working properly.
Put a jumper between TX and RX and use Putty to send and hopefully receive data.
Test with multiple speeds also. PSXSERIAL uses 115200 bps.


What is the exact model of the adapter you got (link)?

[jman]

Test if your adapter is actually working properly.
Put a jumper between TX and RX and use Putty to send and hopefully receive data.

OK, I've connected TX with RX and activated local echo. When TX/RX are short-circuited I see on console my input twice, when I remove the TX redirection into RX I only see it once; I think the cable is ok.

Test with multiple speeds also. PSXSERIAL uses 115200 bps.

Do you mean PuTTY speed? Because the Windows binary of PSXSERIAL is not configurable. Anyway whatever I set the connection to (115200, 8N1, parity=none, flow control=none) I don't have anything back on console.

What is the exact model of the adapter you got (link)?

This one. As I understood, it's ready to use, this doesn't need any voltage shifting.

By the way, why on Windows I have to launch first PSXSERIAL and then re-invoke it with parameters?
And after the upload is finished, what is it supposed to happen? The EXE should be executed automatically, correct?

thanks

[Shendo]

OK, I've connected TX with RX and activated local echo. When TX/RX are short-circuited I see on console my input twice, when I remove the TX redirection into RX I only see it once; I think the cable is ok.

Seems like it, although your adapter has RTS and CTS which you should also bind together.

Do you mean PuTTY speed? Because the Windows binary of PSXSERIAL is not configurable. Anyway whatever I set the connection to (115200, 8N1, parity=none, flow control=none) I don't have anything back on console.

Yes. Make sure TX/RX RTS/CTS loopback works properly on standard speeds (9600, 38400, 115200).
If it doesn't work with 115200 then you will have to use another adapter.

PC client is not configurable because 115200 is the fastest speed PS1 will accept
and I doubt anyone wants slower upload speed (which really is slow as it is).

By the way, why on Windows I have to launch first PSXSERIAL and then re-invoke it with parameters?
And after the upload is finished, what is it supposed to happen? The EXE should be executed automatically, correct?

There is no "double launch" requirement. PC client is a command line software and requires parameters to work.
If you don't supply any parameters usage will be shown but that doesn't mean you need to run it without parameters first.

Yes, when uploaded application should start automatically.
I don't know why Shadow did not leave some info like the original Hitmen PS1 application had.
That way you would at least know if you got something or not.

Also, ignore "Transmission acknowledged". PC side only sends while PS1 side only receives.
That's how it originally is and that's how my Send.NET application (which PC PSXSERIAL side is based on) operates.

[jman]

Thanks Shendo per clarifying a bit.

I have another question: why the pinout shows 8 wires while on the cable I only see 7 of them?

According to the pinout scheme, wire no. 7 is +3.3v but I can't find its other end on the cable, it's just plain dead.

Pinout:
http://hitmen.c02.at/html/psx_siocable.html

Plug:
http://www.storiepvtride.it/galleries/p ... 6.JPG.html

[danhans42]

3.3v isnt present in a link cable as it is not required.

[jman]

danhans42 sent me one of his cables. It is working with PSXSERIAL.
Note that with his cable, when the upload starts, the text on the PSXSERIAL Playstation client does not disappear.
I'm not giving up on the cable, but now it's confirmed that I'm doing something wrong on the wiring.