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TCU/Dongle

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hansjd(at)online.no
Guest

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 3:54 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

To all with early versions of  the  914.

  

 I have a few questions to the group regarding  setting of throttle positions via the data cable and a decoding unit  (dongle).

  

 My efforts to get in contact with the TCU  has  been unsuccessful so far - using two different dongles, two different laptops  and good help by a computer expert. One dongle with C/D and a diskett was  borrowed from Europa 2004 -another one from our friend Gert in Denmark.  Plugs have been checked for loose connections - although the TCU itself remains  to be checked (difficult panel removing etc). The  TCU  works fine though, and engine operations and indications are all  normal. 

  

 In talking to one of the Rotax dealers he shed some  light on my problem, in that early versions of the engine (mine is serial#:  4417826) where delivered with separate distributer dongles. It's  unclear what the procedure was, but Rotax changed  their procedures on  later versions of TCU's. To put it short: the dongles fitting these  versions are incompatible to the earlier engines/TCU's. The dealer gave me two  choices: either get hold of one of these early dongles or change TCU to a  later version. On my question to get around the problem altogether, to anchor  the aircraft and simply run up the engine the traditional way and set the  required positions, he responded: That's your own decision!     (Any opinions on this procedure??).

  

 Someone out there must have run into the same  problem in the past, or have access to one of these "distributer dongles". Then  you will understand my predicament. An offer to borrow me your dongle shall  not be turned down! I will of course cover postage - or even better: a generous  amount of drinks at a future fly-in!  The dongle will be returned ASAP  after use. Please contact me off list for more details.

  

 Cheers,

 Hans, #334 - ready for CAA inspection.

  

  

   [quote][b]

josok-e(at)ukolo.fi
Guest

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 5:23 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Hi Hans,



Don't know about early dongles, imho, the early versions had one dongle,  

the same one for all serial numbers and versions. But the software is  

tricky in that respect, that it requires MSdos, something that has  

dispappered with Win98.

I got it working on XP however, by running it from an USB stick. It won't  

run when installed on a hd under xp. Then, most portables don't have  

serial ports anymore, forcing you to use a serial-usb adapter. That will  

produse any port number but never one or two, the only ones that this  

archaic software will talk to. That forces some manipulating of the  

Register with regedit, and can better be left to your expert. Let him call  

me, +358 40 5007853, any time.



Kind Regards,



Jos Okhuijsen



-- 

workshopcam http://www.okhuijsen.org/plane

http://www.europaowners.org/kit600

mikenjulie.parkin(at)btop
Guest

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 10:40 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

I am not sure whether it is the later TCU or the  later software, but my setup does not require the dongle, just a standard serial  cable.

  

 regards,

  

 Mike

  

 I received my engine in early 2002.

  

  

 Do not archive

 [quote]   ---

josok-e(at)ukolo.fi
Guest

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 12:09 pm Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Back again,after having a look at the maintenance manual.

It says the dongle is only required for tcu part number 966.470, and is  

not required for TCU part no 966.741

Did you have a look at the part no on the tcu?

There are 3 ! software versions though, TLR43, TLR45 and TLR46. The manual  

is only talking about 4.3a and 4.6a

Hope it helps,

If needed i have the programs, but i have no dongle.

Regards,



Jos Okhuijsen

workshopcam http://www.okhuijsen.org/plane

http://www.europaowners.org/kit600

jodel(at)nildram.co.uk
Guest

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Dongle or ordinary serial cable depend on the part number of the TCU.  The version of the software also depends on the part number of the TCU.  

   

If it is any help, our engine is 4417578 and does require the dongle and version 4.5 of the software.  

   

Cheers  

   

Simon  

         

  

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Mike Parkin

 Sent: 07 May 2007 19:40

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Europa-List: TCU/Dongle  

  

     

I am not sure whether it is the later TCU or the later software, but my setup does not require the dongle, just a standard serial cable.  

    

   

    

regards,  

    

   

    

Mike  

    

   

    

I received my engine in early 2002.  

    

   

    

   

    

Do not archive  

  [quote]    

---

hansjd(at)online.no
Guest

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Hi Jos.



Thank you for your advice and findings. The part no of the TCU is way in 

there on the unit itself. I never did have a look at it. But it's an early 

version - which should suggest 966.470.



Anyway, another Europabuilder has offered his laptop with MS-DOS, which is 

supposed to be required. Maybe that will solve my problem.



Thanks again!



Hans



---

keithhickling(at)clear.ne
Guest

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 12:49 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

You can still run DOS in a window under windows XP (on mine at least) - 

programmes, accessories, command prompt opens a DOS window.



Keith Hickling.



---

wmjack1(at)t3cs.net
Guest

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 3:35 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

FYI: 

Click on START > Run > (type) CMD > (press) Enter brings up the DOS window in

Windows 2000 and XP.



Jack Hilditch



--

josok-e(at)ukolo.fi
Guest

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:37 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Sorry for you folks, but the window is called a command window.

The session looks like dos, but it is a cmd session.

It's a Dos look a like but it is not Dos.

It does things Dos does not do, and it can't do some mainly hardware  

connected stuff that Dos does.

A lot of old dos stuff won't work there.

The Rotax com stuff won't work there.

And that was what the question was about.



 	  Quote: 	
		   Click on START > Run > (type) CMD > (press) Enter brings up the DOS  

 window in

 Windows 2000 and XP.


	


Regards,



Jos Okhuijsen

-- 

workshopcam http://www.okhuijsen.org/plane

http://www.europaowners.org/kit600

mikenjulie.parkin(at)btop
Guest

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 8:57 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Well I am no great computer wizard.  However, this is the story with regard 

to G-JULZ.



When the engine was first installed, my laptop was running Windows 98 and 

was quite successful in in setting up the throttle.



My new Laptop is a PC World Advent using Windows XP Home.  Unfortunately it 

does not have a serial connector.  Sometime back I bought a USB Serial 

Converter so that I could programme a sound chip - a future europa 

modification I am working on.



This afternoon I connected up the laptop to the aircraft TCU and tried the 

Rotax software.



My TCU Serial Number is 4418154 and the software in use is TLR 4.6a.  The 

connection was made with the USB converter and a standard serial cable 

plugged into the TCU cable.  The converter was selected to COM 2.



Double clicking on the TLR 4.6a icon brings up the programme in the 

mentioned "Command Window" - I have to report that all the functions of the 

programme worked perfectly, throttle calibration and setup was confirmed and 

a download of the TCU worked fine.



Perhaps, my system is a one-off,  I will leave the experts to work that out.



regards,



Mike

---

robh(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 9:16 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Jos, you might be right about the TCU software but for those who want to try

running it under Windows XP (I haven't) the attached file tells how to go

about it.  This file is a few relevant pages copied from the digital version

of the book "Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out" published by Microsoft Press.



Best regards,



Rob Housman

Irvine, California

Europa XS Tri-Gear

S/N A070

Airframe complete

--

Running_MS-DOS_programs_in_Win_xp.pdf

Description:

Download

Filename:

Running_MS-DOS_programs_in_Win_xp.pdf

Filesize:

77.07 KB

Downloaded:

415 Time(s)

Gilles.Thesee(at)ac-greno
Guest

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 9:29 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Mike,



 	  Quote: 	
		     Sometime back I bought a USB Serial Converter .....

Interesting data.
	


May I ask what type USB Serial Converter you are using ?



Thanks,

Best regards,

Gilles

http://contrails.free.fr

josok-e(at)ukolo.fi
Guest

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 10:18 am Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Hi Mike,



Interesting,

The version i have is def. 4.6, never saw a 4.6a, although the maintenance  

manual talks about it.

The executable name is TRL46.exe and is 167kb.

Could you please check yours and let us know?

It would be interesting to know if there are really different versions  

around.



Did you try to print the content of the log?

As said before, i got mine running from a memory stick, but hangs on  

printing.

But i could find out the engine had been running for 42 minutes from which  

5 minutes at 5800 rpm, before i got it out of the box.



Rob, the MS dos compatible instructions are good for "well-behaved"  

programs, which are programs that do not try to manupulate hardware  

directly. Try to run for instance an old Dos game, and you will see what  

happens with some games.

But It could very well be, that a 4.6a version would be "well behaved" and  

cause no problems.

Regards,



Jos Okhuijsen.



-- 

workshopcam http://www.okhuijsen.org/plane

http://www.europaowners.org/kit600

mikenjulie.parkin(at)btop
Guest

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Jos, (and any 914 owners interested)



Printing from the laptop of the TCU memory dump is fine.



The list will not accept a .exe file.  If anyone would like me to email to 

them I could change the .exe to .doc???

and email it.



Jos, perhaps you could post it on the europa list?

regards,



Mike



---

robh(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 12:42 pm Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Right you are, Jos.  



I'm guessing that the developers were not so clever as to write code that

bypasses DOS.  Plus, Microsoft would have us believe (What, me, a skeptic?)

that even some less than well behaved code will run in compatibility mode.

For those without ancient PC hardware and some flavor of DOS it would still

be worth a try.

Best regards,



Rob Housman

Irvine, California

Europa XS Tri-Gear

S/N A070

Airframe complete

--

josok-e(at)ukolo.fi
Guest

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: TCU/Dongle

Thanks Mike,



It has been added to the document section of the europa owners forum  

http://www.europaowners.org as a zip, and can be freely downloaded. Unzip  

it in some directory you remember and run it from there.

Please folks, play with it and communicate the results.



Regards,



Jos Okhuijsen

-- 

workshopcam http://www.okhuijsen.org/plane

http://www.europaowners.org/kit600

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