SAS Host controller DLL. What do you want to see?

[Foster]

The S2000 side is Molex SL 0.100 5 pin (or the same style as the BV, most VFD, and Spectrum Netplex connectors - not signals though)
The RS232 DB9 looks like he got it from his local RadioShack, since that is where I got mine.

[Forrhouse]

Yes it should be the same for the 3902 and 044 platforms.  Just an FYI the S2000 and the GameKing/iGame 3902 board use the same backplane.
The 044 is similar. I believe it adds a few things.  I know it has different interface connectors for the insertion of the 044 gameboard and it adds a USB port.
The rest of the connections should be the same. 

Also in the S2000 and GameKing the com board is used for EZ-Pay via Fiber optics.
Thanks,
Eric

[Forrhouse]

I forgot to ask. Will we be able to use this App with Fiber optics via the comm board or does this require extra coding.
Thanks,
Eric

[AndyP]

I forgot to ask. Will we be able to use this App with Fiber optics via the comm board or does this require extra coding.
Thanks,
Eric

No, wont work with Fibre optic at this point, but I will make some modifications later so it will.

[stayouttadabunker]

Bunker where did you get the little plug for
The harness ?

mouser.com
I bought the receptor pins as well.>>>

Housings:
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=50-57-9405virtualkey53810000virtualkey538-50-57-9405

Receptor Pins:
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=16-02-0102virtualkey53810000virtualkey538-16-02-0102

[Foster]

Since I have worked with fiber optic very little and it is my understanding that fiber works basically like token ring.

[AndyP]

Since I have worked with fiber optic very little and it is my understanding that fiber works basically like token ring.

The problem with Fibre loops, is that data you send out on the transmit line comes back in the receive line. At the moment, all I expect to see on the receive line is the response from the EGM. Its pretty easy to deal with, I know home many bytes i sent on the loop, so I discard that number of bytes on the receive line.

[stayouttadabunker]

Fiber optics is NOT necessary for home use... 
Plus + you have to have a completely different interface board
to handle the fiber optics into your laptop or desktop.

I, for one, have never been able to stick a fiber optic cable into my laptop....lol

[Foster]

I did figure that I would need a fiber optic network adapter and the cables with proper ends on them.
The S2000 has fiber interface already
I was planning for when I replace the S+ with another S2000 or the like.

[Forrhouse]

Thanks Andy. Adding Fiber later would be awsome.  I'm sure that there are some inexpensive Fiber interfaces out there.
I believe that the S2000's and GameKings/iGames are daisy chaned together. I know fiber is possible with the S+ an PE+ because I had some
fiber interfaces for them. I'm not having much luck finding the box their in though.  I'm sure that an interface could easily be designed though.
If their was interest we could even do a group buy on them as I can most likely buy most of the parts cheap and get the pcb's done very cost effectively if their 2 layers or less.
I have the part numbers for the fiber cable, the ends and the recepticles that they use.
Anyway, just a thought. I'm very excited about this project.   
Eric

[Foster]

For those that are testing this if you get an error that it cant find or load SAS.....DLL

You must install the MS Visual C++ run time library and at least the .Net 2 client both available as a redistributable exe from MS downloads site.

they are both redistributable, can be d/l from MS directly but I figured this will make it easy for you.

The Net framework installer is the Setup.exe in SASEGMTestInstall.zip

[stayouttadabunker]

When you go to the "Add and Remove Programs " in XP, does it look like this one?
I do believe I have it already?
I attached a couple of screen shots below>>>
Anyways, I downloaded the 2nd attachment (vcredist x86.exe) and and ran it.
The program basically just asked me if it wanted to "repair or remove" - so I clicked "repair" and it did.

Do I need to hit the "Initialize" radio tab button on the bottom left first when I run the Test App?

[AndyP]

Close, but you need the .net framework 2. I chose version 2 because most people will already have it installed. I thought the installer asked you to install the correct framework if not already installed, but I could be wrong.

The initialise button opens the comm port and starts polling the gaming machine. It wont do anything if you dont hit initalise.

[stayouttadabunker]

I asked if I wanted to repair .net framework 4.
I tried the "Initialize" button but I get the dreaded red X and messages saying it can't find the frigging .DLL

You see it in the short video clip...

really starting to hate this message...lol

"The Specified module cannot be found....blah blah blah..."  >>>

[AndyP]

I asked if I wanted to repair .net framework 4.
I tried the "Initialize" button but I get the dreaded red X and messages saying it can't find the frigging .DLL

You see it in the short video clip...

Righteo, there is another bug. It should ask you to install dot net 2 framework. Just noticed the warning when I built the installer 2 minutes ago. I shall fix that.

However, i dont think the app will run at all with out dot net 2 framework, so its unlikely that is the problem.

[Foster]

Net is part of his test app in the zip file

[stayouttadabunker]

Is this not it?>>>
I think I have all of them...lol

[Foster]

I do not see the C++ runtime library in your list

They start out "Microsoft Visual C++ .... redistributable

[stayouttadabunker]

I tried installing the new link you posted Foster...I think I'm screwed...lol
It won't continue the install because of it's "incompatibility" with the older versions I think...arghhh!
I'll check for the C++ runtime program and post back >>>

[stayouttadabunker]

Is this the one?

Let me re-boot the computer and see if it's maybe the serial port not opened?>>>

[Foster]

You could try uninstalling any ones that say 2.0 and run the .net setup again.

I have the following installed for MS .NET Framework. All Start out "Microsoft .NET Framework
1.1
2.0 Service Pack 2
3.0 Service Pack 2
3.5 SP1       (means Service Pack 1)
4.0 client profile

I have 2010 C++ redist installed as well. I do not think that would matter though.

[stayouttadabunker]

hey hey hey!
I rebooted the computer and lookie what popped up!  
A new button..."uninitialize"!!!!!!!
Houston...I think we have communications???
Click on photo to enlarge if you're old...lol >>>

[jay]

Foster,

Networking can be best described by the OSI 7 layer model.

Application
Presentation
Session
Transport
Network
Datalink (MAC)
Physical

When we talk about fiber, Copper, UTP CAT5, Wireless we are simply discussing the physical layer.
IF I was to ask what is faster ? Copper Fiber or Wireless ---- at this layer there is absolutely no difference. All are capable of carrying bits from point A-B.

The datalink layer also known as the MAC (Media Access Control) layer describes how the physcial interfaces with the machine.
This is where 10BaseT or 100BaseT, 1000BaseT (gig), FDDI, TokenRing, etc is defined. 100BaseT is still 100mbits/second regardless of Fiber, Copper or Wireless.
RS232 or RS485 etc are all defined here. Wireless can be 802.11b (11mb) 802.11g (54mb) or 802.11n (faster - spec is not fully defined).

In a simple networks if I want to run a cable between buildings I could use a device called a FOT (Fiber Optic Transceiver). This would convert my 100BaseT (Copper Cat 5) to Fiber which then allows me to run up to 10miles and then a FOT at the other end converts it back to regular copper that I could plug into another network switch. In industrial plant control systems FOTs come in a variety of forms. You can convert Rs232 etc to Fiber and back again. The best thing about fiber is that it doesn't conduct electricity and any issues you may run into with grounding goes away.
Most of these implementations are Point to Point and not a ring.

Many industrial devices imbed fiber connectors into them directly as having a FOT is just another point of failure. It also one ups the security as the disconnection of a fiber point can be immediately flagged as a physical interruption. Where as if your were using a FOT you would be able to detect packet loss (loss of communication) but you wouldn't know if this was due to a busy network as packet loss or if someone disconnected a segment of fiber.

Coming back to your point of Token Ring. Although it is a ring, the physical implementation was almost always point to point using a Token Ring Hub called a MAU. This way if you unplugged a PC or other device the whole network did not go down. FDDI which is a Fiber implementation of Token Ring typically used a fiber concentrator for the same reason. These again are packet based networks.

Rs232 is also a point to point connection. RS485 however is a multidrop system. The idea is that you can use one set of wires paralleled to many devices.
The network layer of the OSI model defines how machines are addressed. TCP/IP the protocol of the internet is but one of thousands of different protocols.
The reason I bring this up is that in a RS485 network each machine would have a unique address allowing the multi-drop scenerio to work sharing one set of control wires.

The fiber implementation of RS485 this is also a ring in that the TX of one device goes into the RX of the next device. Unlike the copper implementation if one machine was to lose power the whole ring would go down because you depend on the powerered interface to keep the ring lit. With multi-drop copper its paralleled drops and not dependent on the next device to be live.

I will be very intersested to understand the direct fiber interface on the S2000 and other such devices.

[stayouttadabunker]

Holy Crap Jay! Where the hell you'd learn all this stuff?  

Hey anybody got an XP so I could do an "remote assistance" so you can control my mouse
and see what the heck is going on with my computer?
This ones totally dedicated to this so there's really nothing on it...lol >>>

[Foster]

Same place I did, I just forgot some of it.
I figured they would use a fiber concentrator.
The places I deal with do not use fiber at all.

What is it doing now?