SV-1 and Xidon problems!

Hi
I have bought the SV-! 2G. I managed to use it for 8 times, then my laptop broke down. So now I have been trying to use it with my new laptop (Windows 7, USB port). Of course, Xidon could not detect it, so I dowloaded SuperLab, which it detected the SV-!. Then, Xidon did find the SV-1, but the problem is that when I edit the device on Xidon, the port mode cannot be changed from XID to SRB…whatever-the-name-of-the required mode which you suggest on your web site. And the error message says that maybe Xidon or my SV-1 are out of date!!! I dowloaded Xidon again today and…nothing! And I bought the SV-1 just a few months ago…And I really HAVE to run my experiments tomorrow morning Any suggestions?:mad:

It sounds like your USB-serial port adapter either doesn’t have its USB driver installed correctly, or the COM port that Windows assigned to it doesn’t match what E-Prime is set to. You mentioned the SV-1 being in SRB mode, so I’m assuming you’re using it with E-Prime.

  • To verify that the USB driver is installed correctly, open Windows' Device Manager and look under the section "Ports (COM & LPT)". Look for "USB Serial Port" or something like that. The name is usually followed by the COM port number that Windows assigned to the driver, e.g. "USB Serial Port (COM3)".
  • Once SV-1 is in PST SRB mode, the Xidon program will not be able to detect it.
No need to be mad, where else will you get technical support on a weekend? :)

found the problem! solution?

[QUOTE=Hisham;4118]It sounds like your USB-serial port adapter either doesn’t have its USB driver installed correctly, or the COM port that Windows assigned to it doesn’t match what E-Prime is set to. You mentioned the SV-1 being in SRB mode, so I’m assuming you’re using it with E-Prime.

  • To verify that the USB driver is installed correctly, open Windows' Device Manager and look under the section "Ports (COM & LPT)". Look for "USB Serial Port" or something like that. The name is usually followed by the COM port number that Windows assigned to the driver, e.g. "USB Serial Port (COM3)".
  • Once SV-1 is in PST SRB mode, the Xidon program will not be able to detect it.
No need to be mad, where else will you get technical support on a weekend? :)[/QUOTE]

Hi Hisham
Thanks for your quick response during the weekend (you are right!)! Yes, I am using E-Prime. I checked everything you said and I found out that the problem probably is with the serial-to-USB cable adapter I have: although it has been propperly installed, it cannot support (I think) the communication with the SV-1. In my PC, using a serial port, the SV-1 & the experiment run fine. But again not with the serial-to-USB adapter! So, it is a communication problem. As my laptop (and no laptop as far as I know) has no serial port, I have to make the SV-1 work with what I have: either a serial port (do you think I should buy a new better adapter?), or maybe with a network cable (bec. my laptop can support that)? Can I make SV-1 work with E-Prime via a network cable? If yes, how?
Please reply as soon as you can, because I have participants tomorrow morning and they are quite hard to find (clinical population)!!
Thanks again:)

I would avoid network cables. USB-serial port adapters have uneven quality when it comes to the USB driver. The one that we’ve had the best luck with is made by FTDI and sold in the U.S. by Saelig. See http://www.saelig.com/product/U003.htm.

further advice please!

Hi again Hisham
It will take about 2 weeks to get the cable you suggested from the US, and unfortunately I don’t have this long, as I am collecting data now, and I will lose participants if I postpone my data collection. So, I took my laptop for service, to put a serial port in it. But they said it can’t be done! Next solution: I got a network cable (although I suspect from your message that it is going to be a…pain in the _____!), and I am literally begging you to give me instructions on how to connect the SV-1 with the laptop in E-Prime mode via an ethernet cable. I suspect that maybe it is not the serial-to-USB cable at all, but the form of the port, because the message I get when I try to convert the port mode from XID to PST SRB (with the Xidon software), the error message is “Xidon cannot convert the port mode” and this IS the problem! Do you thing it is a port problem after all? Can I fix it if I use the ethernet cable? How?

Sorry for continiously asking for advice :o
but I have gotten a little desperate with this!

Can you call me? This is probably faster resolved over the phone, especially given your deadline.
1-800-Cedrus1 (that’s 1-800-233-7871). If you are not in the U.S. or Canada, the number is 1-310-548-9595.

advice for the cable you suggested?

Hi Hisham
I ordered the USB-serial adapter you suggested and it got here really fast! BUT (this can’t be happening to me!) if you see the serial end of this cable which is to be connected to SV-1, it has 2 holes for screws to the right & left of the serial port! AND the SV-1:confused: also has these holes, which means that the cable cannot be connected to SV-1, bec. either the cable or the SV-1 should have 2 screws to fit in the holes. Please advise! Should I open the adapter and get rid of the screw-holes? Can this be done without…distroying it? For God’s sake, I have paid 70 euros for this! and my participants are losing their patoence!:frowning:

Can you post a picture of what you received, especially the serial port end?

photo of usb cable

here it is! As you can (hopeully 'cause it’s blur) see, it has 2 holes for receiving screws on the sides. But the SV-1 also has holes for RECEIVING screws, so…disaster:confused:! I will HAVE o use the SV-1 from the beginning of September, so please if ANY solution comes to your mind, tell me!
Do you think I should give the usb cable to a PC expert to remove the “holes” or it would be destroyed?

usb cable.zip (642 KB)

You can remove the standoffs with a pair of pliers and the USB-to-Serial Port will fit into the SV-1.