Tenma multimeter RS-232 software FUBAR

[James Meyer]

I purchased a Tenma 72-6870 multimeter from MCM (an inone company)
because it was cheap and it included an RS-232 output for recording
measurements.

My laptop is running Windows 98.

I installed the Windows 98 software from the CD included with the
multimeter.

The installation went well and I can start the application.

However, when I click on the on-screen "begin" button, I get a very
un-infoprmative error message "File is corrupt!" and nothing else.

The manual that came with the multimeter makes no mention of ANY error
conditions much less what to do about them. The manual appears to be an English
translation of an Estonian translation from the original Egyptian hieroglyphics
that it was written in.

The Tenma web site was of no help.

The MCM web site also has no customer support for technical problems.

Has anyone here used that multimeter with the RS-232 link?

Jim

 

[Pooh Bear]

James Meyer wrote:

The manual appears to be an English
translation of an Estonian translation from the original Egyptian hieroglyphics
that it was written in.

I was made in Thailand in that case. ;-)

Graham

p.s. I *nearly* pissed myself but my bladder isn't yet that weak !

 

James Meyer <jmeyer@nowhere.net> wrote:

Has anyone here used that multimeter with the RS-232 link?

Roll your own software with the data in this thread:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/sci.electronics.equipment/browse_thread/thread/d62193905c9a03f0/cdda1a8c0891ae04

or just search for "Tenma 72-6870" in Google Groups.

Matt Roberds

 

[James Meyer]

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 04:58:09 GMT, mroberds@worldnet.att.net wroth:

James Meyer <jmeyer@nowhere.net> wrote:
I purchased a Tenma 72-6870 multimeter [... software doesn't work ....]
Has anyone here used that multimeter with the RS-232 link?

Roll your own software with the data in this thread:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/sci.electronics.equipment/browse_thread/thread/d62193905c9a03f0/cdda1a8c0891ae04

or just search for "Tenma 72-6870" in Google Groups.

Matt Roberds

I did the "Google Groups" thing just after I posted here. Maybe I
should e-mail John Smith to see if he's already put something together.

My first guess is that an RS-232 "keyboard stuffer" feeding Excel would
do all I need to do. I used Hyperterminal to look at the raw stuff the meter is
sending. The data rate of 2400 baud at about 4 samples per second should leave
plenty of time to do everything.

Jim

 

[Carl Ijames]

I have a Uni-Trends UT60E dvm that I got from Marlin Jones. On the
off-chance that the software protocols are similar or that they all are
really made at the same plant in China, you could try downloading their
software. Of course, right now the UT60E version seems to be missing,
but there are several other models so maybe you could find one with a
similar list of features to your Tenma. Anyway, go to
http://www.uni-trend.com/recommededproduct.html and browse if you want
to try this. Each program is 3-8 MB.

--
Regards,
Carl Ijames carl.ijames at verizon.net

 

[James Meyer]

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 23:31:21 GMT, James Meyer <jmeyer@nowhere.net> wroth:

However, when I click on the on-screen "begin" button, I get a very
un-infoprmative error message "File is corrupt!" and nothing else.

More info....

While the setup program was doing its thing, I got a couple of messages
that said "Files being installed are older than files already on your computer.
Keep your files?"

Of course, I answered to keep my newer versions of the files in
question. They appeared to be Windows system files. I always opt to keep newer
files with every other software installation I've done, and never had a problem.

When I un-installed Tenma's software and re-installed it and answered
"Yes" to replace new versions with older versions, the resulting installation
started working.

God knows what other previously installed software I've screwed up by
replacing newer system files with older ones. The good news is that the
computer I'm playing with isn't my main one and I can always format the HD and
reinstall everything.

Oh, and now that Tenma's software is working, I can see that the serial
link is dropping data about one time out of every six or eight samples. The
link on sci.electronics.equipment that Matt Roberds and I found about the same
time mentioned that little "feature". I'll have to go back and see if there was
any resolution to that.

Jim

 

[Ken Smith]

In article <vhdpb1l2ubqu5k115869t2bkbua1i2gh08@4ax.com>,
James Meyer <the.hand> wrote:
[...]

Oh, and now that Tenma's software is working, I can see that the serial
link is dropping data about one time out of every six or eight samples. The
link on sci.electronics.equipment that Matt Roberds and I found about the same
time mentioned that little "feature". I'll have to go back and see if there was
any resolution to that.

Do you have any fancy CD writing software installed? On my Win98, the
serial port lost characters when I installed such software. It seems it
goes to look for a CD from time to time *WITH THE BLOODY INTERRUPTS OFF*

Also: Try bringing up a DOS window and running some DOS com program with
a source of serial data connected. Write a file and then create a
software kludge to look of missed characters. This will tell you if the
problem is really their software.

Laptops tend to be the worst about having Windows take long naps with the
interrupts disabled.

--
--
kensmith@rahul.net forging knowledge