palm error

[mountaineerjeff]

I have a palm m125, mmcd, both cables to connect to the car. I plugged the cable into the port by the fuse box/ driverside kick panel. I get no readings from the mmcd, when a run the test option, I get a serial communication error. I have tried multiple ways of initiating the program all ending with the car and mmcd running with the same result. I have tried starting/connectiong things in different orders, unsure if that has an effect. maybe something isnt formated right? please help. I imagine its simple.

 

[s_firestone]

Was it ever working or is this a new install? What kind of logger cable, passive or active? Check that your getting power to the cable if active. Is this a logger cable made for the palm or one made for the PC??? The PC version will have a 9 pin D shaped serial connector.

Do you have a null modem adapter? Cables made for connecting a logger to the PC need the transmit/receive wires reversed via a null modem adapter. PC's are known as DTE(Data Terminal Equipment) and Palms are DCE(Data Communications Equipment). The ECU is DCE. With serial, you cannot connect DTE to DTE or DCE to DCE, only DTE to DCE. The null modem adapter adapts changes one to the other, DCE to DTE, and vice versa.

 

[mountaineerjeff]

new install, I started a thread earlier on what to buy, I bought exactly what everyone said to get. I got the one cable that plugs into the fuse box, then I have the cable that then connects to the palm. downloaded the mmcd and got the serial communication error, I know nothing else. I have them in hand, I could try and figure out what you asked, but dont know how.

 

Are you sure that the spot you tapped for power in the fuse box has 12 volts on it?
You have the key turned on when testing, so the ECU is ON, right?
To log with MMcD you have to highlight the things you want to log, "RPM" for example, so that the word "RPM" has a black box. Then, you have to unclick the arrow in the "PAUSE" box.

 

[s_firestone]

Definitely check power. Some people make the mistake of tapping into the fuse box on the on a lower finger of a fuse, I think the upper side of the fuse is 12v. Its tough to see into the diagnostics plug, so make doubly sure you connected the leads onto the right pins and didn't miss a pin. That won't be a problem if the cable has a full connector though I suppose you could get it backwards. Either way, check.

There is a minimal chance you could have a bad cable, palm serial port, or an ecu that can no longer communicate.

Does your ABS light come on when you plug in the cable and start the MMCD software on the palm? I'm not sure how the newer cables work with respect to putting the ABS computer into diag mode.

Do you have anybody near you with a similar logger setup? It would eliminate some guesswork.

 

[mountaineerjeff]

no one is near me, lol. so thats out for now.
I didnt hook into the wrong pin, because I didnt hook into any pin at all, the wire I bought had a connector that just plugs into the port, all I did was plug it in. is the wire made wrong? I just bought the cables that members suggested, off of egay.

 

[mountaineerjeff]

I tried again to no avail. following the order. I still recieve a seriel communication error. I dont think the palm plug works. I have a usb cradle that came with the palm when it was new. with nothing plugged into the cradle the palm beeps when plugged into and removed from the craddle. the connector cable does not cause the palm to make a sound at all. it doesnt seem to hook quit right, but I might just be picky. I figured that I would still recieve the palm beep. maybe im wrong. but my ingorance leads toward a bad cable/ connection.

 

Does the Palm cradle also have a serial port you could try?
The beep is probably to indicate a good charger connection. A serial cable connection doesn't beep that I ever remember.

 

[mountaineerjeff]

the cradle is just a usb port. it beeps whenever it is plugged into the cradle, not even with the cradle hooked into anything, the m125 doesnt have an internal battery, or a charger. it just runs off AAAs. the cradle is for syncing to your computer. what about a usb-serial connector? kinda mad I got bought new toys and cant play with them

 

[mountaineerjeff]

still cant figure it out. no luck with any configuration. im set on it being the palm cord

 

[Nabeel]

I face the same problem using a JDM ECU. Are you using DSM ECU? I think some ECU's for some reason can't be logged by mmcd.

 

[mountaineerjeff]

its original,as far as i know

 

[joec]

That ecu worked with the TMO datalogger (PC version) so it should be fine with the Mmcd. It was also rebuilt/isc-drivers-replaced/socketed (I think by Terry Posten) so it shouldn't have any cap leakage problems.

I wonder if the cable you have is setup for a pc instead of a palmpilot? Two pins are reversed in that case (and a different gender connector).

Do you have a laptop with a serial connector? If you can connect your datalogger cable to the laptop you can probably download the TMO software from somewhere. I think it's no longer supported/sold so it might be available for free download?

Here it is: tmo software

Just to be clear, the cable you are using for the M125 is a serial cable and NOT a usb cable -- correct? Do you know the brand/type of that cable? I think on the pocketlogger.com site they said that some cables didn't seem to work with pocketlogger click

Quote:
The Belkin Serial/USB Y cable sold for some Palm mXXX models, as well as some Sony Clie models, are NOT compatible with PocketLOGGER.

 

[mountaineerjeff]

its a no name ebay special. both wires are serial and plug into each other. I do have a plug on my laptop but it is used for a moniitor, dont know if it would work, that would not sove my problem though, just go around it.