MACINTOSH NOTE
===========================================

While *we* don't support it, the CE-232 has
been run successfully on Macintosh computers,
as well.  For Mac info, please contact:

   Chuck A. Meyer
   C/O CJS Systems
   2450 Warring St; #21
   Berkeley, CA  94704
   510-845-1415
   E-mail:  chuckm@zocalo.com 

CE-232 and WEIRD PC PROBLEMS #1
===============================

If you are running the CE-232 and its old MS-DOS
program on an ultra-modern PC (fast Pentium) under
Windows 95/98 and experience odd problems here and 
there, try this potential remedy before pressing 
the PANIC button:

Set the PROPERTIES of the CE-232 program.  

There are several ways to do this, but perhaps the 
best is to FIRST create a shortcut to the CE-232
executable and place the shortcut on your DeskTop.

1. Next, RIGHT-CLICK once on the shortcut. 
2. Choose PROPERTIES.
3. Click the MEMORY tab.
4. Set Conventional Memory to AUTO and PROTECTED
5. Click the MISC tab.
6. Move the IDLE SENSITIVITY bar all the way to the RIGHT.
7. Click APPLY
8. Click OK
9. Run the CE-232 program from the shortcut and see
   what happens.

CE-232 and WEIRD PC PROBLEMS #2
===============================

The CE-232 has been tested and certified on
a wide range and variety of IBM-PC and
compatible personal computers, from an
ancient Atari running an MS-DOS emulator
to an ancient XT through 286/386/486 and
the modern Pentium.

We have encountered an odd problem with
running the CE-232 under Windows 95/98 on a
386SX/33 VTech laptop computer.  The problem 
has something to do with the implementation of
the serial I/O ports, but fortunately there
is an easy work-around.  

First, the problem shows as the CE-232 running 
fine the first time it is loaded after the computer 
has booted. It will not load up on second and 
subsequent attempts.

The work-around remedy is to click the START
button and hold down the SHIFT key as you click
on RESTART.  Keep the SHIFT key held down until
Windows 95/98 has begun the process of restarting,
and then release it.  When Win95/98 finishes loading,
you can run the CE-232 as often as you wish until
the computer is shut down and rebooted, in which
case you have to repeat the SHIFT-RESTART procedure
again at that time. 

CE-232 and WEIRD PC PROBLEMS #3
===============================

The serial ports on modern Pentium PC's aren't
all implemented in exactly the same way. I'm
referring to the two serial ports that are built
into the new motherboards. There are minor
differences from one to the next, and they could
cause problems with the CE-232 and its MS-DOS
control program.  If the #1 suggestion above
doesn't work, you may have to try this:

THE EASY WAY
==============

Dump the old MS-DOS program for the CE-232 and get
the all-new Windows 95/98/NT program called Pro-Turbo,
available from:

http://www.iaw.on.ca/~jabba/pro-turbo.htm

This program was written for Windows and the modern
Pentium/AMD PC's and it works fine.


THE HARDER WAY
===============

We can't do anything about serial port implementations
on modern motherboards, but there is a low cost work-
around!

When everything else fails, go down to your computer
store and get a cheap "add-on serial I/O card" of the
8-bit ISA type.  It doesn't matter If this $15 card
has the modern 16550 UARTS or the older 16450's, though
if you can afford the difference, the 16550's are better
for other needs.  Just that the CE-232 doesn't care.

Now this is important.... get an ISA serial I/O card
that has two COMports on it.  A printer and a game port
are not important - all you need are two more serial
ports of the simple ISA type. DO NOT get a PCI-bus
serial port card - these won't work for older MS-DOS
programs, including the CE-232, TRUNKER, MDT and more.
Stick to the plain and simple 8-bit ISA add-on cards.

If the card comes with a printer and game port, follow
the docs to disable them.  We don't need 'em.

Next, follow the docs to set up the two comports as:

COM1  03F8   IRQ4
COM2  02F8   IRQ3

Since these new ports will comflict with those on
the motherboard, the next step is to boot the PC and
go into the BIOS/CMOS setup.  All BIOS's are different,
so tab or scroll down the various options until you
come to the settings for the motherboard's COM and
Parallel/Printer ports.  We will change the COMport
settings only - leave the printer settings alone.

You can do one of two things to the COMports in the
BIOS/CMOS settings:

A.  Disable the existing motherboard COMports
    and let your new serial I/O card take over 
    the duties of COM1 and COM2.

B.  Better, though, is to just change the settings
    as follows:

    Old COM1 to:   COM3   03E8    IRQ4 *
    Old COM2 to:   COM4   02E8    IRQ3 *

    * If you know how to do IRQ reassignments in 
      Windows, you don't have to accept the default
      IRQ4 and IRQ3 as seen above. If you have spare
      IRQs, you might try IRQ5, etc for at least one
      of the above.

The point here is to get two standard ISA comports in
your computer and the CE-232 will run just fine on
them using the old MS-DOS program, even under Windows.

I can't explain this any further, but it is a known
good solution when the CE-232 doesn't want to work
on CON1 or COM2 of the faster Pentium machines and
where nothing else seems to work.

NOTE:  After you've done the above, you may want
to move your mouse, modem, etc, around, to the
reassigned COM3 and COM4 so that COM1 and COM2
remain available to the CE-232's MS-DOS program.

NOTE:  The new Windows Pro-Turbo program for the CE-232
       can use COM3 and COM4 whereas the MS-DOS program
       uses only COM1 and COM2.

------------------------------------------------        --
Bill Cheek - President/CEO/Publisher            \      /
COMMtronics Engineering/World Scanner Report     \    /
Box 262478 ~ San Diego ~ CA ~ 92196-2478          \  / 
Voice: 619-578-9247 (1:30-5:30pm, PST, weekdays    \/
  Fax: 619-578-9247 (any time)                     /\ 
E-mail:  bcheek@cts.com                           /  \
ftp://ftp.cts.com/pub/bcheek                     /    \
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bcheek /      \
------------------------------------------------        --


