Making FaNet Adapter

[greenhorn]

I already made Exlink cable for C/D-series (DKU-5) and Exlink for E-series(DKU-5), so I decided to prepare a FaNet adapter. It cost less than 1 EUR.

[juusso]

Please, move this to wiki. afaik you have editor permissions
I think best place to keep it next to ExLink cable schemes, isn`t?

[sbav1]

Looks like your Nokia DKU-5 cables are FTDI (FT232R) based, good to know. I wonder if that's a 100% rule for all DKU-5 cables;
while searching for cheap 3.3V/TTL serial <-> USB adapters previously, I think I've seen some cables marketed as "DKU-5" which in fact were based on Prolific PL2303, like most (?) CA-42 cables.
I guess I just have to buy one DKU-5, an check afterwards if it's FTDI or Prolific based..

BTW, your "Exlink for E-series" cable (the one with mini-jack-stereo connector ?): do you use it with E-series TV (which model ?), or with E-Series BD-player?

[sbav1]

I think best place to keep it next to ExLink cable schemes, isn`t?

Regarding ExLink cable info in wiki ("E series Service port" section): I wonder if this info is valid/confirmed for all E-series models?

Some E-series models (US ES8000's, for example) apparently have MAX3222 chip soldered on the mainboard, so their ExLink jack may be not 3.3V/TTL level (perhaps regular RS232 ExLink instead, like in B-series models - ?).

[juusso]

sbav1, you`re right. We don`t have full picture of all models, just few, confirmed. Maybe list of checked models is required to don`t confuse people.
And yes, i know about UNxxES8000`s compatibility to B-series Exlink... but this is not rule, rather exception (from all of E series models we know exlink cable is C/D series...)

[greenhorn]

@juuso
sure I will.

@sbav1
DKU-5 has the same chip like CA-42. DKU-5 has some additional wires (most important one is 3.3V which is good if you want to power-up the device).
The E-series Exlink cable I use for TVs. Unfortunately BD-E do not have prepared exlink connect, so you have to find the chip and wire the device. I am pretty close to build the Exlink connection on BD-E6100. With the help of oga83 we located 2 candidates for that chip.

[greenhorn]

@juuso
check wiki.

[sbav1]

DKU-5 has the same chip like CA-42.
[...]
DKU-5 has some additional wires (most important one is 3.3V which is good if you want to power-up the device).

Looks like there are great too many variants of DKU-5/CA-42 cables on the market.
My CA-42 "Nokia" cables are Prolific PL2303 based, and they don't provide 3.3V VCC - in fact they require external 3.3V (on the red wire) to operate properly.
Sadly they don't work as FaNet adapters (not even with pl2303.ko kernel module loaded manually).

I checked all cables / RS232-USB dongles I've managed to get my hands on at work (eight or so), but they are all Prolific based (with one exception with ArkMicro-something - which is not good for FaNet either). But never mind, I've ordered one 100-proofed FTDI USB-RS232 converter - it feels kinda nice to spend a little of EU grant money on something actually useful, for a change .