Re: Troubleshooting a BTR

Hello Vinny,
I too have an Ikegai FX-25 Lathe.
I came across the "Gateway BTR" from Inspiration Systems.
It is a very nice, affordable, BTR. I purchased one from them but
haven't had a chance to hook it up yet. It cost $200 US + shipping.
They have very good support & I would deal with them in the future.
Maybe this would be your best solution?..... I know I couldn't
affort the more expensive BTR's!!!.
Good Luck, Tim Bostic
(Just a satisfied customer!!!!!, That's all)


--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "metlmunchr"
<metlmunchr@y...> wrote:

> Vinny, a lot of the old controls read @ 300 baud. If your machine

is

> good otherwise, you might consider buying a new btr. There were a

lot

> of early BTR's that used proprietary software and basically won't
> operate with a PC. They were sold to large companies that had
> mainframes or minis and the $$ to network and DNC early on. I've

got

> a couple of fairly new BTR's from Advanced Digital Research, and

they

> work flawlessly. There are people around who kinda specialize in
> BTR's on specific controls and have re-seller agreements with
> manufacturers like ADR. You can buy from them for about the same
> price as from ADR or similar companies, but they include

installation

> tips and instructions for your specific control and reader combo.

On

> one of mine, the guy included a special pre-made cable to allow

hookup

> of the BTR to an existing plug at the reader board instead of

having

> to do a bunch of wire splicing. The BTR and cable cost $1300, and

the

> list price of the BTR alone was $1295 at the time. When I called

ADR

> and told them what I had, they steered me to the guy who I

ultimately

> bought it from. Installation was a snap, and I had a guy I could

call

> with questions who was familiar with my specific setup. When the
> alternative is beating on a keyboard and hoping you don't make that
> one error that causes an unexpedted crash, a good BTR is the best
> money you'll ever spend on an otherwise good machine. If you

should

> decide to purchase a new one, the minimum memory is plenty for any
> lathe application, so there's no need to spend the $$ for larger
> memory on the board.
>
> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "vinnygenovese"
> <superman@r...> wrote:
> > --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Jon Elson <elson@p...>
> > wrote:
> > > vinnygenovese wrote:
> > >
> > > >I am trying to bring an IKEGIA FX25-N / Fanuc 5T back to life.
> There is a
> > BTR
> > > >that I am trying to bring online. Problem is I don't have any
> instructions or
> > dip
> > > >switch settings. I uploaded a photo to

http://radiantheat.com/UCM-

> > BTR.jpg.
> > > >The board has a single LED , which seems to 'blink' when i

send

> data, but
> > it
> > > >seems no signal gets through to the Fanuc 5T. (or I am sending
> the wrong
> > > >commands). I googled and googled. It seems they are out of
> business. Any
> > > >hints on the dip switch's or other hints would be very

welcome.

> > > >
> > > >
> > > Well, I think it can be deciphered. It looks like there is no
> > > microprocessor there,
> > > I think the big chip is a 40-pin UART. It also looks like the
> markings
> > > have been
> > > sanded off that chip, but by tracing the power pins, you may be
> able to
> > > figure
> > > out which if the several 40 pin uarts it is. It is socketed,

so

> pulling
> > > it and
> > > looking on the back may have some markings that at least

identify the

> > > manufacturer,
> > > which may be all you need to narrow down the type of UART.

Once you

> > > know this,
> > > you can see which dip switch is connected to which pin, and

with the

> > > crystal frequency,
> > > you can figure out how to set the baud rate and transmission
> characteristics
> > > (# bits, even/odd/none parity, etc.)
> > >
> > > I could be off on this, but there is clearly no EPROM chip,

and

> > > something about
> > > it just makes me think it predates one-chip micros. I note

1488 and

> > > 1489 chips,
> > > and wonder if it is getting the right power to those chips, as
> they need
> > > both
> > > positive and negative voltages.
> > >
> > > I don't know Fanuc machines, but most systems need some switch
> settings
> > > and/or
> > > commands or buttons to put them in the right mode to read a
> program from
> > > tape
> > > or to go into DNC mode.
> > >
> > > In DNC mode, the computer becomes a file server for the CNC
> control, and
> > > doesn't send anything until the CNC control asks for it by

file name.

> > >
> > > Jon
> >
> > Thanks for your insights. I have taken the board apart as per

your

> suggestions
> > and found the UCM logo was painted over the first markings on the
> large chip
> > just like you guessed. The original markings are close to gone

but I

> can make
> > out the lowest line GFSX904 5 or S. On the back it says

Malasya. I

> have
> > found the trademark (tm) MICRO-BTR on the back, but they must

have

> gone
> > under in the pre-internet days (nothing on google but one

reference

> to UCM
> > in LA.).
> >
> > The dip switch settings on the top dip switch seem to control

baud

> rate, the
> > traces for that chip go to one SN74LS165N. When I change these
> settings the
> > LED blinks out the new baud rate after a reset.
> >
> > I also learned that if I type into my terminal like a madman and
> change comm
> > settings on the fly, sometimes I can get it to lock up and the

LED

> blinks out a
> > steady 0. The BTR dip switch's came set up for 1200 so I assume

a 1979

> > Faunc 5T defaults to that baud rate ? .
> >
> > FYI in order to set up my Fanuc 5T control to read the BTR I have
> set my main
> > mode switch to 'memory' and pressed the read button on the tape
> reader. ( as
> > stated in the Fanuc 5T book that came with the machine. The

drive wheel

> > spins in the reader full time. of course I would throw the BTR

board

> into the
> > Atlantic if I could afford to replace it ! ! !
> >
> >
> > Thanks everyone for your interest and suggestions.
> >
> >
> >
> > vinny