850/dsp100 computer interface help!

How to take the Trouble out of Shooting your problematic Voodoo Audio.
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imbrad
Audio Head
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:49 am

850/dsp100 computer interface help!

Post by imbrad »

any one have any advice on the ts 850/dsp100 with hrd software and lp-pan not much on the web for advice i have the kenwood 232 interface box but hear problems when the dsp 100 is used in the acc 1 slot is the zlp interface the answer to my problems? i can hear the voodoo now i want to control it :D thank you in advance for your help!

BillPaul
Digital Voodoo Guru
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:52 am

Post by BillPaul »

If you have an original Kenwood IF-232C unit, then I would use it. You should connect it to the CONT OUT port on the back of the DSP-100.

You said you have the Kenwood IF-232c "but hear problems when the dsp 100 is used in the acc 1 slot." Unfortunately, I'm not sure if you mean that you hear noise in the radio when the IF-232C is connected or if you heard that there might be problems using it (i.e. you read on a forum somewhere that people have trouble with it).

Please clarify for us what problems you're talking about.

I have both a Piexx USB interface and one of the cheaper G4ZLP CAT cables (the one that's just a level converted with an RS-232 serial connector on it). Both work fine when plugged directly to the ACC1 ports on my TS-850 and TS-950SDX, but not when plugged into the CONT OUT port on the DSP-100. Only my original Kenwood IF-232C works there. I suspect there's some sort of flow control issue but I've never really tried to run it down.

The more expensive USB G4ZLP interface may work ok with the CONT OUT port, but I can't swear to this since I don't have one.

Note that the Kenwood IF-232C does use optocouplers internally in order to electrically isolate the radio's serial port from the computer to try to reduce noise, so ideally you shouldn't be picking up anything in the rig from the computer. The G4ZLP USB adapter also uses this scheme. It's unclear if it would be any quieter than the Kenwood one though.

-Bill, N1GPT

imbrad
Audio Head
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:49 am

Post by imbrad »

thank you for your reply my friend from what ive read the issue was no signal from the cont out from the dsp 100 and would only work when plugged into the acc1 of the radio and also that the cable from zlp in the uk had worked well for them with the 850/dsp combo i just hate to poke and hope on a bunch of 49.00 cables...lol JOHN on the west coast told me about this forum he runs a vmsdx do you know his forum name here ? nice guy with great audio :D

BillPaul
Digital Voodoo Guru
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:52 am

Post by BillPaul »

Hm... you still didn't quite answer my questions:

1) You said: "i have the kenwood 232 interface box." Does this mean you actually have a Kenwood IF-232C right now? (Yes/No)

2) You said: "but hear problems when the dsp 100 is used in the acc 1 slot." Does this mean you tried the Kenwood IF-232C and had trouble with it? (Yes/No)

It sounds like you meant that you heard there might be problems using it.

If you do have the original Kenwood IF-232C (again I'm still not sure), then give it a try. Like I said, I have one and it works fine with the TS-850/DSP-100 combo. Just plug it into the CONT OUT port on the DSP-100 and give it a try.

_Some_ of the 3rd party substitutes definitely don't work. The Piexx one and the cheaper ZLP one definitely don't (at least, not for me). I _think_ the more expensive USB one from ZLP does. It's the one at the top of this page:

http://www.g4zlp.co.uk/unified/KenwoodCAT.shtml

Note: remember that you need to use 4800 baud and 2 stop bits when setting up the serial connection on the computer in order to talk to the rig.

I think I know the John you're talking about. His name on the forum is 'skullman.' This is his profile:

http://wz5q.net/talkvoodoo/profile.php? ... file&u=310

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to talk to him directly because although we're both in northern California, he's too close to me for skip, but too far for line of sight. We do chat on Yahoo! Messenger once in a while though.

Also, I think I may have talked to you before too! If "imbrad" means that your name is Brad, and you live in south Alabama, then we've definitely talked a couple times. I'm the Bill in San Francisco who has the Kenwood TS-950SDX. Hopefully that rings a bell. :)

Note that while my rig is voodoo modified, it's not an official VMSDX as I did the mods myself based on the info on Mike's web site with a few of my own tweaks thrown in. You can see a picture of my station if you click here:

http://people.freebsd.org/~wpaul/station/fullshack.jpg

It's a small world!

-Bill, N1GPT

imbrad
Audio Head
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:49 am

Post by imbrad »

ty for the help and advice bill yes i do remember talkin with you a few times and yes that is me i figured as many times ive read the forums here might as well join as i see this is a very nice place with very nice people. i got the interface working today and woks well with the 850/combo nice setup you have there i have the same setup minus the 950 and the ev 20 which i will soon have those pieces also thanks again for the help. brad from the gulf of mexico 8) !

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