[mh] DSC5401 Problems (again)

[Troy C. <tr...@ca...>]

Before I flat out accuse my DSC5401 of not playing nice, I wanted to get so=
me=20
input from others using it on Linux. =20

=46or some time, when I restart my Misterhouse server, I ususally don't get=
 the=20
DSC5401 to talk with the system until I do some unknown tinkering.  Sometim=
es=20
the board will send a few updates right at MH startup then quit, most of th=
e=20
time it doesn't work at all, and very rarely it works perfectly.  I have no=
t=20
figured out the magic incantations to get it to work.

I recently thought it might have been due to a braindead motherboard, so I=
=20
replaced that (had to replace anyway because no other linux kernel worked=20
other than a custom job I managed to compile in Fedora Core 4), but found i=
t=20
wasn't the issue.  I have, as of late, tried using a serial-to-USB connecto=
r,=20
but with the same results.

In the past, when I tried just echoing the port to the screen, I would see=
=20
nothing unless I tripped a zone, then non-stop data would come across the=20
screen.  Using the Serial-to-USB adapter with activity light, I see somewha=
t=20
of the same thing with MH...with MH running I can trip a zone then the=20
activity light on the adapter goes crazy.  All the while MH does not put ou=
t=20
anything on the console, nor to the DSC5401 log (with or without DSC5401=20
debug enabled).

I have tried all different baud settings (powercycle between each one...my=
=20
monitoring company loves me :o ).  My DSC5401 does not seem to have the tx/=
rx=20
lights, so all I see are the KEY and PWR lights (or maybe I've never notice=
d=20
the other lights).

So, what I want to know is whether or not you Linux DSC5401 users have to d=
o=20
anything to set up the serial port outside of Misterhouse?  What baud rate =
do=20
you use (I've gone back to the default 9600)?  Do you follow the cable=20
diagram on http://misterhouse.wikispaces.com/DSC5401+PC+interface, or do yo=
u=20
just use a standard DB9 serial cable (same as I use on my Lynx10PLC and W80=
0,=20
both of which talk to MH just fine)?

=46inally, it's been so long since I first bought this card, does anyone ha=
ve=20
any vendor recommendations in case I have to buy a new one?

Thanks,
Troy Carpenter
troy at carpenter dot cx