I am just about at my wits end with this thing ... I have a laptop and cables that I have used successfully with my Denon gear (except my BD player, separate post). I am using a terminal program that another RC member wrote that works great. I have all the OEM RS232 documentation on hand as well.

Setup is:
1. TV is 'ON'
2. TV's Power Save features are turned off.
3. Laptop to VT25 via Null cable (TV's pin 2 is Rcv).
4. Connection protocol is 9600, 8 bits, No parity, 1 stop bit, No Flow Control.

I send a power off command, \x02POF\x03 and nothing happens. I get no response from the TV, not even an 'ER401' code. I've tried the command in straight Hex with no luck. I can only assume that I am not connected, but as I've tried every combination of buad rates, parity, I am out of ideas.

I'm sure its something simple, but I have digested every letter of the documentation and have had no luck at all. Its frustrating because I have it working on other devices. Its not rocket science, but it seems like it for this TV. For some reason this TV is straight up KMA!.

Help please!!
Thanks,
Bill

It's not a null connection. It's straight through.

If my computers serial port, pin 2 is receive and the TVs pin2 is receive, doesnt that require a null cable to connect the transmit to the receive? This is my understanding of how the connection must be made. My Denon equipment has a pin 2 transmit, so a straight thru cable connects pin 2 from my computer (RX) to the pin2 from my AVR (TX) and it works as advertised.

Can you explain further?

Mark,
You nailed it, I had it wrong...it is straight thru! Can someone explain to me how pin2 RX to pin2 RX will even work?? I thought I understood how the communication has to flow, but I guess I dont .... Can someone school me up furhter?

Thanks Mark, I am humbled ... again ...

V/R Bill

I generally pay no attention to the documentation. Yes it says pin 2 is Rx, but is that Rx to the TV or Rx to the cable? Unless there is a clear diagram the information is unreliable.

I always carry an assortment of cables, gender changers, and null modem adapters so I can connect my laptop directly to a product and "trial-and-error" my way to a working pinout.