confused about connecting to computer

[Lised]

OK. I'm sure this is a very stupid question, but I'm tired. I don't see how to connect this to my PC given the connector I've got, as the only similar port is taken by my keyboard... I'm looking at other posts and it all looks very complicated and only makes me more confused- seems maybe I have to get an adapter for USB to start, is that it? Specifically I want to be able to use Neuroprogrammer with the Light goggles. Not really concerned at this moment with anything else. Can someone help?

Thanks

Lise

[Andy]

Hi Lise;

The only cable you need between your computer and the Proteus to do what you want to do is the included 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male cable. Looks like an MP3 headphone cable with the same connector on each end.

Plug one end of that cable into the headphone or line out of your computer and the other to the Aux in on your Proteus.

Put the Proteus in AS (AudioStrobe) mode and run the AS setup on NP2 to get the levels set correctly.

The other cable (called a serial cable) is for programming the Proteus, and if you decide to get into that advanced stuff, you'll need to get a USB to Serial cable.

The newer MP products like the Procyon use USB connectors instead of serial.

Let me know if you have any more difficulties. I'm no expert on NP2 but there are a couple of people on the forum that are and they may willing to help.

-Andy.

[Lised]

Ok. That makes sense. I just need to send the sound from NP2 to the Proteus console. I guess I need the serial cable though to download additional sessions though...

( honestly, I'm not new to computers or stupid about them, but I guess It's been so much water under the bridge since the last time I connected anything except a monitor with a serial cable, and I'm looking on the back of this one going, "didn't they used to have more of these on a computer?" LOL - and of course I know if I think about it that they've all gone to USB now. I really AM tired this week...)

Thanks Andy,

Lise

[passnthru2]

go to Goodwill or Salvation Army and get a USB or the round colored plug if you have a keyboard port for it.. might cost $4 dollars. i got some brand new really nice keyboards. people have their own board and buy a new computer, donate the unused new board to Goodwill. a dell and an ibm quiet key.. love it

that would free up your serial port.. that's gotta be an old old keyboard too. my new computer doesn't even have a serial port, an extinct thing of the past.

[Andy]

Thanks for offering that advice, but there's a bit of confusion going on here with regards to what connector is what. (Not so much directed at the posters in this thread, but the discussion in this thread may confuse others reading it so I'm going to try to explain a bit about connectors on PCs)

What is commonly called a "Serial" connector is a 9-pin trapezoidal connector which connects to a "Com Port" in the PC. Usually Com1 or Com2. They are more correctly called "RS-232" ports, since USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. Using the word "Serial" can make it quite confusing indeed!

If your computer is an older one, (Say 5+ years old), it may have one of these connectors on it. The cable that is included with the Proteus can connect to this directly, and if it's enabled on the PC, it'll work with the editor, with no drivers required.

There is no such thing as a Serial (or I should say RS-232) Keyboard. Keyboards can have "PS/2" connections (The small round 9-pin connectors, usually Purple for keyboards) or USB, which is the flat rectangular connector on a PC. There's usually pairs of these connectors together on PCs.

For most modern computers to work with the Proteus, they will need a USB to RS-232 adapter cable, which can connect to the cable included with the Proteus and plug into the PC with the USB connnector end.

Hopefully all that makes some sort of sense!

-Andy.

[robino5454]

Thank you Andy for that nice explaintion. I felt like other posters, I am not stupid, but was confused about wheither I could just convert to USB for my computer!!

Robin

[TomC]

If you want to use your existing PC USB connections you just need a USB/Serial adapter. You can get these at any PC store. I use a Targus PA088 adapter and it works fine for both my Proteus and Thoughtstream on WinXP.

Cheers,
TomC