PINNED - Info on PROGRAMMING PGDT and others

[woodygb]

The software required to reprogram depends entirely on the MAKE of controller ..
Note that many controllers are simply "rebadged" ..E.G. The Qtronix is I believe a Pilot+

[Guessrow]

Hello all,

OK, so I have a Vista desktop computer with the Mobility PC Programmer software installed. I have a wheelchair with PG VR2 joystick and power control module. The Kenwood KPG-4 cable in on order and I have a Neutrik plug as well. Here's where I start having questions.

1. Woody's interface cable wiring diagram- The green and white wires are connected to the one pin and the black goes to the other, correct?

2. When the cable is done, 1 end plugs into the the joystick and the other goes to a usb port in the computer, correct?

3. Is this where people start having issues? Do I need drivers for the cable? Is this where Woody's Prolific PL2303 ver 3.2.0.0 driver zip download comes into play?

4. Am I on the right path or completely off base here?

As always, thanks for this site an the wealth of information here! I hope someday to be the one offering others help.

good luck -jim

[Burgerman]

Do I need drivers for the cable?

On a disk with the cable.

Yes both wires - same pin.

[Jason12]

I just can not get the comms to go active?? tired all comms ports but no Acitve?

[Burgerman]

After you change com port restart PC, software, plug in and turn on. (only 8 works, and only on ONE usb port on my desktop machine).

Only 2 works on my laptop, and only after removing phone software and after removing RC transmitter software. And then you have to juggle ports with the Hyperion charger, and the Current cost Electricity monitor...

Its a fiddle to get windowd to install the correct driver correctly. And to juggle ports, and other software that uses serial/usb stuff... But it will work.

You also got the right pin on the connector? And the connector makes good contact? They are crap, one of mine neded the pins bending a little to make contact...

[Dave X]

Do all scooters have a computer interface port that will interface with the scooter’s rusty innards??

[woodygb]

The only alternative that I can suggest is for you to send your lead to someone that already has a working KPG lead setup and ask them to test it.

I'd do some more testing myself BUT I only have the early Pilot ( ALL IN ONE CONTROL BOX ) it doesn't seem to be exactly the same as the later Pilot + as far as Comms is concerned as it talks happily via the ICOM lead.
I have a Pilot+ CONTROLLER ... but that needs a joystick and lead for me to interface with it...which I haven't got.

[expresso]

yes i heard that also about the Qtronix being the same as the pilot , just different outer shell , pilot being 100 am vs 80 for my Qtronix

do you think it would be ok to plug it in and try the software i have ? if its not correct for it - would i damage anything or it just wont work ?

thanks

[woodygb]

I'd suggest giving it a whirl...no promises ... but I'd personally be happy.

BTW the Pilot comes in various amperages... 50A 80A and 100A

http://www.pgdt.com/pdf/pilot.pdf

[expresso]

i give it a shot - plug it in and see what happens ,

about a invacare chair - with the MK6i joystick , would you have any computer software to share with me which i can program this chair ?

thanks

[Jason12]

Tried BM way but nowt, so if anyone is willing try my cable for me might save me some grey hairs

Cheers
Jason

[Burgerman]

Post it...

J Williamson
20 Westlands Ave
Grimsby
NE Lincs
DN34 4SP
UK

I will test it... It will work though. You will then be frustrated.

Cancel that. Wrong type of chair/software?

[woodygb]

I just can not get the comms to go active?? tired all comms ports but no Acitve?

As I recall you are trying on a VSI ? ..
If so... I have one report ...from the same person ..of the lead not working on a VSI but working on a Pilot+ ...I have NO reports of any success with any of the Penny and Giles controllers apart from the Pilot+.

[Jason12]

Post it...

J Williamson
20 Westlands Ave
Grimsby
NE Lincs
DN34 4SP
UK

I will test it... It will work though. You will then be frustrated.

Cancel that. Wrong type of chair/software?

Going try another pc tomorrow then if no luck I will post it. Might even put XP on my MacBook Pro again...

Thanks

[Jason12]

I just can not get the comms to go active?? tired all comms ports but no Acitve?

As I recall you are trying on a VSI ? ..
If so... I have one report ...from the same person ..of the lead not working on a VSI but working on a Pilot+ ...I have NO reports of any success with any of the Penny and Giles controllers apart from the Pilot+.

Yes it's a VSI infact we've got two chairs I will try the other one tomorrow...

[Jason12]

I have NO reports of any success with any of the Penny and Giles controllers apart from the Pilot+

My fault if thats the case I just assumed it worked on all P&G...someone will get a free cable if I won't work on my controller.

[woodygb]

My fault if thats the case I just assumed it worked on all P&G...someone will get a free cable if I won't work on my controller.

Not totally your fault ..the heading of this thread should perhaps be re-titled as PGDT Pilot+ Interface.

The original heading ASSUMED that since it worked on the Pilot and Pilot+ then it would work on all the other models.

[Burgerman]

I still assume it will. The problem will be PC related. Nothing works on macs anyway...

[Jason12]

Nothing works on macs anyway...

I saw the end of 6 pc laptops in two years, my MacBook is now 3 years old and never let me down a must for photo editing...

[Burgerman]

Using Win7 64 here for photo editing. And the latest Photoshop. With drastically overclocked water cooled over volted i7 processor, 12gb superfast low latency 3 channel corsair memory, 4 cores, 8 threads, and 8 hard disks (operating system SSD raid) and 3 graphics cards in SLI config. And a dell 30 inch 2560 x 1600 wide gamut monitor. Never saw another machine as good for speed or visually for photo editing. I will likely never want a better machine.

Its been running super stable since I built it about 4 years back - although now has more drives and SSD etc.

And my laptop almost the same mem spec/operating system but slower obviously with a typical shitty laptop screen so no good for photo work.

What was wrong with your laptops?
I have my x GF mac here - locks up about once an hour and wont display her banks or many other websites properly.

Once I clear the dust out and check disks and memory I will see about putting Win7 64 or Win8 on that...

[Jason12]

You are lucky your electrical know how is impressive and knowledge of how to build PC based stuff, its witchcraft to me.

I'm a photographer so need a relible laptop, all the pc laptops either just died, hard drive problems, screens went and battery life an hour at most, I stopped askng why and just kept having replacements until I got fed up of losing data and moved over to macs, I get a steady 5 hours of battery while editing on my mac and the screen is so clear..each to his own I guess..

I was trying to get the cable and software working today on a old laptop with vista on it, don't think it's been used in years and it was so slow to use..

So what's the likelihood that my controller won't work with this cable and software?

Cheers

[Burgerman]

I'm a photographer so need a relible laptop, all the pc laptops either just died, hard drive problems, screens went and battery life an hour at most, I stopped askng why and just kept having replacements until I got fed up of losing data and moved over to macs

Under the hood, the mechanical drives, and other hardware is the same...

As to likelyhood of it working then Vista is crap! And slow/bloated. XP is from last century. But I would put 100 to your 10 that I can make it work anyway...

What kind of photography do you do?
Do yourself a favour. Get a 30 inch dell pro monitor. Colours and details in the shadows etc are completely out of this world compared to your laptop or a cheap desktop monitor. I mean another planet. Theres no way to show someone this untill you see for yourself. I could never go back! And the size/space is essential. Colours are way better than the 30 inch apple screen. I sent one back, had that too to compare. My D800 images need one!

[Jason12]

Just do weddings now as I care for my wife, but since about 2000 the bottom dropped out of this market due to digital everyone thought they could be a photographer and a lot of commercial work dried up..I used to have a studio but no one wants to use them now, I've did track day photography before digital and that was a good earner but now it's all done on site printed with a dye sub shocking quality but it sells.

I used to have the apple 24" screen but never used it as I'm always out visiting clients in there own home.

[ex-Gooserider]

In answer to the earlier question, I can say definitively that Qtronix is at least in some cases a rebadged P&G Pilot +...

I have a Qtronix joystick that I got with a used Sunrise 626 that I purchased. When I pulled the chair apart, I found the control module it plugged into was labeled as a P&G Pilot + (80A IIRC)... Further, I've had a couple of times that I've opened the pod to do repairs, and the circuit boards inside were marked w/ P&G's name in a couple of places...

In addition, I have a second chair with a genuine P&G Pilot + setup, and I plugged the joystick from that chair into the one with the Qtronix setup, and it worked just fine...

Lastly, I have an "official" P&G serial programming cable, and software, and had it work one time for me to reprogram the Qtronix setup... (on a friend's MAC running in a VMware virtual machine..., Connected via an FTDI USB-Serial adapter...)

Seems pretty certain to me that at least my setup is a rebadge, and I've never heard anything otherwise. Of course that doesn't necessarily mean that ALL Qtronix are rebadge, but I'd assume that they are unless I have evidence otherwise....

ex-Gooserider

[rune]

I'll drop radioarena a mail and see what they say.

Unsurprisingly really, Radioarena don't want to help as I modified the cable. Next time I will remeber to test basic functionality before modifying.

Woody, i'll PM you my address and then if you do get time to post a cable or two to me, feel free I'll reimburse the postage cost for you if you like, just send me your Paypal ID or something. I'll send your cables back when i'm done.

[Jason12]

Still no luck I will post BM the cable...

[Guessrow]

Did I buy the wrong cable?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380566950227?ss ... 1439.l2649

I got it and cut the end off and only three wires... No green one!

also, the disc that came with it didn't work, either.

[woodygb]

So far there appears to be only ONE MAKE AND MODEL of cable that works ... any other cable tried so far ...even tho it states KPG 4 etc ...has failed to work.

You should at least try yours ... don't let the cable colours worry you just use BLACK for Common / B- .. as per the diagram... and join the other 2 colours .

[rune]

The one I had worked out to white common, black and red TX and RX.

Still didn't work though, even with a diode.

Mind you, nothing has worked on my controller so far.....

[woodygb]

The one I had worked out to white common, black and red TX and RX.

...

HUH!?

Are you SURE about that?

On all mine BLACK is Common or negative
RED is sometimes present in the cable but NOT actually connected inside the USB Casing ...if it was it would be Positive 5v