Ex-link cable issues - Samsung UE40D6530

[brooksymike]

@ neil75
From "http://wiki.samygo.tv/index.php5/Ex-Lin ... C/D_Series"
"As the TV has TTL level serial output (3.3V) a TTL-level to RS232-level adaptor is needed, normal RS232 Level is up to 15V which can cause seriously damage at your TV!"
My understanding is that putting the TV RS232 setting from "UART" to "Debug" (from service menu) changes the configuration of the TV's VGA port from being a standard vga port to allowing serial comms to be initiated.
I've also read that you need to put the turn the "watchdog" setting from "on" to "off" and put the tv into hotel mode, but in my case I get the serial stream by ONLY putting the RS-232 to "Debug".
You'll may need to download an appropriate driver for your USB to TTL converter, which was not easy to find for my adapter. Windows did not recognise or download the drivers automatically like it usually does. I guess it depends on the specific device you purchased.
@firtzbrau
I've read that when typing commands you will not see the text appear on the screen, but that after entering 10041004 then 81588 the TV should respond by presenting a message like "serial input enable" then after entering 20089999 should display the debug menu. In my case I get no response from the TV to my commands. If I remove the vga connector from the tv and connect pins 11 to 4 at the tv end of the VGA cable I do get an echo of what I type in the terminal window, which suggests my cable configuration is ok. However maybe the length of the cable is creating some sort of problem for me.

[neil75]

thanks broooksymike.
ive read the wiki page but it shows a cable with a 5v adapter! did you use this as well? just wanted to clarify if the cable you have shown in your pictures is the only cable you have used ie, just the usb to ttl adapter and a vga male to male cable.

[brooksymike]

Yes, I was a little confused at first thinking that i needed another converter but I believe that is only if you started from a nokia type cable. I'm no expert but I do know that there are a number of different conversion steps to go from USB to TV, but the converter I have purchased does everything. So yes, with my specific converter you just plug the vga cable directly into the TV. If your converter has pins something like "TX, RX, GND RST, 5V, 3V3" then you can connect these pins directly to the relevant pins on the TV - you only need TX, RX and GND. Also, if you get problems try swapping the TX and RX connections - mine appears to receive from the TV though the pin marked "TXD" on the converter, which seems backwards!
Bear in mind with this arrangement that I haven't been able to get this fully working with my TV - all I have been able to do with my cable/converter is receive the serial stream of data from the TV. My next step is to omit the VGA cable and use a VGA connector with soldered wires - although i can't figure out why I suspect the VGA cable is causing a problem somehow. If you go for this arrangement and get it fully working, please could you let me know so I can figure out what to try next!

[neil75]

thats great - will be trying this week! thanks for the feedback mate. i plan to use to access tdm in order to access hidden service menu settings so we'll see how it goes!! thanks again.

[neil75]

did you get your ex link cable working ? i ciuldnt get mine to, same set up as your except i have a ps51d8000 plasma. service manual seems to suggest communication to serial port is achieved with a jack as opposed to usb to ttl cable.

[brooksymike]

I've just tried mine with a soldered connector and it didn't work. Same as with the VGA cable. Think i'm going to try connecting different pins to see what happens! Bang possibly!
Anyway, if yours is saying you need a jack (as in audio style jack?) If so then I think you should be able to use your converter to connect the tx and rx pins up to the audio jack. You'll probably need to do some soldering though, or you could butcher some earphones and splice the wires together that way.
You should connect the wires up as shown below:

400px-TTL-232_E_pinout.jpg

Remember though that the TX and RX on the converter could be labelled the wrong way around like on mine.

[brooksymike]

Forgot to ask, where did you get the service manual from?

[E3V3A]

Just to have it said (again)! That picture above, is the reason why 80% of the faulty Ex-Link cables constructed here are not working, the other 20% is that people insist using crappy Prolific converters. They are cheap for a reason, and that reason is that they suck! (You get what you pay for.) That diagram is meaningless with out the diagram to the female jack, to plug it in to. The picture above is from a FTDI serial cable, not at all related to Samsung TV's. Therefore you need to swap the Tx/Rx of your cable so that it pairs up with that of your 3.5mm Samsung service jack.