Teledyne 5499 User Manual

 
APIcom Instruction Manual 

 

 

This section briefly explains how to configure an API analyzer to work with APIcom. Refer to the 
instrument’s manual for detailed information. 

In most instruments pressing SETUP-MORE-COMM-BAUD sets the baud rate. The higher the baud 
rate, the faster the communication with the instrument. However, long serial cables or those with low 
quality, poor cable connection or noisy phone lines (when using a modem) may require lower baud 
rates. You may have to experiment to find the optimal baud rate for connection. Keep in mind that the 
baud rate specified in APIcom needs to match the baud rate of the instrument! Baud rates vary between 
2400 and 19200 baud (115000 in E-series models). 

The instrument ID allows you to use more than one instrument on a multi-drop setup as well as multiple 
instruments of the same model. In most instruments, pressing SETUP-MORE-COMM-ID sets the 
instrument’s ID. 

Flow control improves communication between host computer and instrument and may prevent many 
transfer failures (particularly when uploading the iDAS configuration). To enable Xon/Xoff flow control in 
APIcom, it must also be enabled in the instrument by setting the instrument’s RS232_MODE variable 
properly. 

Older API instruments do not have Xon/Xoff, hence, the default value for flow control in APIcom is set to 
NONE. 

Modem support can be enabled in instruments by setting the RS232_MODE and the MODEM_INIT 
setup variables properly. Please consult the instrument documentation and/or the factory for details on 
doing this. 

If modem support is enabled it is critical that “computer” mode is also enabled. Otherwise, the 
instrument will try to send the modem initialization string to the modem when the instrument powers up. 
Most likely, the modem is also in echo mode at that time and the modem will echo an AT command to 
the instrument returning an AT echo from the instrument in an indefinite loop. 

05499 Rev. A 

2-3