Topic: Davis VP2/Vue/Envoy Serial cable prototype interest thread

[donstephens]

Thanks.

[kobuki]

SLOweather, is the cabled interface still available for order? I'm still thinking of buying an Envoy, and I'm going to need one for it.

[belfryboy]

I do have these available in both serial and USB version, PM me for details.

[kobuki]

Sorry, the question was misdirected it seems. Alright, thanks, I'll contact you if I have a device.

[SLOweather]

Yeah, best if you go with Belfryboy. The fact that you said

I'm still thinking of buying an Envoy, and I'm going to need one for it.

says my interface won't be compatible with it, being newer firmware/hardware.

[kobuki]

I do have these available in both serial and USB version, PM me for details.

Belfryboy, is your offer still valid? I've sent you a PM a few days ago.

[belfryboy]

PM sent

[kobuki]

Maybe some of you might have some experience. I'm deciding over which cable to get, serial or USB. Serial might be better for me as I'll prolly need to tie the Envoy to a router to pass the signals into my wifi network (the ideal placement of the device is pretty far from my home server). I can hook it up to my TP-Link MR3020 (a very small wifi device capable of running OpenWRT) for example on its builtin serial header and install a serial-ip driver. Does the serial version have TTL signals, or PC-compatible +-12V one? Anyone ever did something similar?

[snapper]

Hi

If you buy the serial version, you can always use a usb to serial converter if you ever need to... (But use a good one based on ftdi chipset)
You could also convert rs232 to rs485 for long cable runs.
With the usb version, you can't convert usb back to serial, so are more limited IMHO.

The voltage will be standard rs232, like a PC.

[kobuki]

Yeah, thanks. Though I think it's serial over USB, just like the original Davis one.

[Freezer]

Someone let me know if I should start a new thread.

I have a VP2 with a 6152C and not going to pay Davis anything. I've been looking over ALL of these posts and have all this knowledge but no mental picture of where to start.

Here's what I have so far. I had this FT232RL FTDI Mini USB to TTL Serial Converter Adapter https://tinyurl.com/yb9g7rpp laying around and according Dekay's instructions https://tinyurl.com/yc5rdvyv, connected TX to RX pins (IE: VP2-TXD0 to USB RXI & VP2-TXD0 to USB RXD0 to TXO).

I could not connect the GND's together as it would cause some type of power issue with the VP2. I also did not know what to do with the VP2 #18 (DC in) since I couldn't locate a reason nor what voltage.

So, here I am...Hyperterm'd up and nowhere to go! 
Yea, I don't let the smoke outta-da-box!

Any suggestions or guidance would be GREAT!

[davidmc36]

IDK

I have been trying to get data out of a logger without having all the original connection parts (sort of wanted the data storage on it) but no luck so far.

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=25351.0

I had a look at Dekay's blog. Wiring looked easy (I have lots of connector hardware kicking around) but I never looked at  the software end of it.

You are talking to it through Terminal? I guess load up some software on a PC or RPi or something and see if it does anything.

[Freezer]

davidmc36,

Yea, using HyperTerm (19,200/8N0).

Speaking on the Dekay's blog, did you connect anything to:
VP2
#18 (DC in)
#16 to #15
#14 to #13
and #15 to USB adapter GND?

When I connect that #15 to my USB adapter then plug my USB cable into my PC, I get some (not good) power issues on the VP2.

[davidmc36]

I have connected nothing to the console pins.

I figured it would be basically easy and may give it a shot at some point but have been trying to get the Davis Serial Logger working.

[Freezer]

Update,

As mentioned above, I connected the TX & RX on VP2 and USB to Serial adapter (IE: VP2 Tx to Adapter Rx and VP2 Rx to Adapter Tx) and when I started up Cumulus it states "Connected to station" but it's not pulling data. That's a start but, what I'm wondering is, the "connected" message due to Cumulus seeing the connection to the adapter or actually seeing connection to the VP2?

For me, WIN10 "Device Mangler" is seeing the Serial to USB adapter as being on COM5 which I have that setup in Cumulus and HyperTerm. In HyperTerm (19,200 / 8N0) it shows "connected" but I am not getting any type of VP2 response (IE: TEST, VER, STRMON).

If I connect the GND from the VP2 to the Serial Adapter then I get some type of power issue on the VP2 so...yea, like "crossing the streams!"

Update to the Update on the particular HiLetGo SERIAL to USB adapter that I'm chose, "This adapter is not genuine FTDI chip because it's based on so cheap a price, so it will be automatically bricked by the latest FTDI drivers in Windows." well, well...you get what you pay for! 
The fix is to ensure that you use the older version of the FTDI drivers (2.8.3) on windows or use only with Linux or OS X. If you've already bricked it, please follow these instructions at below link (requires a Debian based Linux) **DEAD LINK** http://www.minipwner.com/index.php/unbrickftdi000

Drivers/Support: http://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm

Besides giving me grief for my cheap purchase does anyone have suggestions, thoughts?

[Freezer]

Just a question to make sure I didn't miss something but, unless I want to archive or look at historical data, then I should be able to connect my Serial to USB adapter (https://tinyurl.com/yb9g7rpp) to the Tx & Rx pins on my AP2 and I "should" get some data in Cumulus, correct? Cause I AIN'T GITIN' NUTTIN!! 

I'm just trying to put the pieces together and this is obviously not my area on expertise. 

I am seeing traffic via the Tx & Rx lights on my Serial/USB adapter & the adapter looks good in WIN10 Device Manager.