Slater
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| posted on 14/4/25 at 03:10 PM |
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Megajolt help
Hi, I set up my Megajolt Lite Jr back in 2009, using laptop with supplied software on a CD & serial cable ports and all was good. Now 16 yrs later
it still runs fine, but I want to connect a new laptop to the megajolt box.
I've been on the autosportlabs website and downloaded the 3.2.1 version of the software onto laptop and got a USB 2.0 to Serial Cable (FTDI
Chipset) and plugged it in but the laptop and megajolt box are not speaking to each other... any ideas?
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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mcerd1
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| posted on 15/4/25 at 08:24 AM |
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Do you still have anything with a real serial port to test it with?
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Slater
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| posted on 15/4/25 at 12:01 PM |
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Good idea, but nope, but I'll check on my Mums laptop which is quite old, if it has a serial port, I'll report back in a day or two.
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 15/4/25 at 03:55 PM |
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Serial emulators were always a problem, even way back when the Megajolt was new.
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johnemms
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| posted on 15/4/25 at 05:35 PM |
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Device manager windows.. look for com port .. look for com port number .. set com port on megajolt settings.. maybe?
Own chassis & Build - First time pass!!
"7's" aren't really "cars", they are 'experiences"
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Partofthechaos
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| posted on 15/4/25 at 06:05 PM |
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Emerald says to connect the USB to serial adapter first, then once that is recognised connect the ECU. Have you tried connecting separately?
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 16/4/25 at 08:41 AM |
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Never had a problem even with the cheapest of cheap USB converters, usually if you do it's a driver problem. Check it's getting a COM port
in the device manager tree before connecting the ECU in, then bring the ECU into the equation. I can't remember if MJ needs some of the
additional lines the serial provides, I seem to remember having to cut a line in my old serial cable at one point.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 16/4/25 at 11:20 AM |
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I used to keep a tatty ancient laptop with an old version of Windows especially for use with Megajolt - it had a real serial port! It was good enough
for the job, as long as there wasn't full sun on the screen, else you had no chance of reading the numbers.
The big advantage was that I never worried about it getting knocked or scratched as it was effectively worthless. It often rattled around in the
passenger footwell while I logged the system performance.
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obfripper
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| posted on 16/4/25 at 08:03 PM |
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Have you got a genuine FTDI interface, or a clone?
The genuine FTDI drivers started to brick clone interfaces in 2014, and newer drivers cause the interface to purposely output "NON GENUINE DEVICE
FOUND!" in a loop over the serial connection, this can be seen if connected to another computer running a terminal.
https://www.theregister.com/2016/01/31/ftdi_accused_of_bricking_counterfeits_again/
Here's some instructions to correct and downgrade the drivers to a pre bricking version, I don't know if the linked files are still
available though.
https://rlogiacco.wordpress.com/2016/03/04/win-10-ftdigate-solved/
Dave
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Slater
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| posted on 18/4/25 at 07:00 AM |
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Thanks for the advice guys, I got my Mums old laptop which does not have a serial port, but tried the USB/serial cable and it then asks to install
some software which I have an a CD provided with the cable but the CD drive does not seem to work as i think it's a DVD drive? So it's even
more confusing and frustrating! arrggghh. I'm off back to work in lagos for 4 week, so will continue my efforts once I get back......
thinking I might buy an old laptop with serial port and CD drive off gumtree and try that.
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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Slimy38
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| posted on 18/4/25 at 08:10 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slater
Thanks for the advice guys, I got my Mums old laptop which does not have a serial port, but tried the USB/serial cable and it then asks to install
some software which I have an a CD provided with the cable but the CD drive does not seem to work as i think it's a DVD drive? So it's even
more confusing and frustrating! arrggghh. I'm off back to work in lagos for 4 week, so will continue my efforts once I get back......
thinking I might buy an old laptop with serial port and CD drive off gumtree and try that.
Oddly enough I've kept a really old PC for just this eventuality, it's running either Win 98 or possibly NT but it has a serial port so that
alone makes it worth it!
Of course, it's not been booted up for more than ten years I reckon, so it could all be wishful thinking at this stage...
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Slater
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| posted on 18/4/25 at 04:44 PM |
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update, looks like the cable I bought (Sabrent USB to Serial) does not have a driver for windows 11, so I have mailed sabrent customer support,
failing that I will order another cable that works with Windows 11.
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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