Hi I am looking for info to build an interface cable for a Thyssen version of a US PCD/Ascension tool that runs on a laptop.
The program runs ok but I need an interface. As many of you are familiar the original PCD of which I own one and probably the World version uses a short 25 to 25 pin D shell that plugs right into the control backplane. After looking at the real tool this appears to be a parallel interface. The circuit pins are talking to an SN7415 4 to 16 decoder as well as a 8255. Have any of you seen this interface as done for a pc program ? I am thinking of trying a 25pin parallel to 25 pin serial data converter. Buy I'd rather not reinvent the wheel if not needed.

I believe the converter is TTL 232 to RS-232 full duplex. Your best bet is to do a favor for someone at TK. They still make them and it’s still part of the service mechanics tool kit.

I'll check with a few buddies over at Thyssen. Most of the adjusters they are given a pretty substantial tablet which pretty much connects to anything. I don't know if it supports Northern but they are kind of a rare beast in the DC area.

Every single service mechanic at TK should have a tablet with IMS & Swift Wizard and a tLink with cables/adapters to talk to DMC, all US controllers with PCD, Kone Miprom 1 & 21, and the escalators (everything but Miprom HS & SL) Schindler HHT and activator for the SIM card workaround for TXR5 & 400A. Otis MECS tool, Fujitec. There’s also going to be a Map tool for Northern but I don’t think it’s implemented yet.

As it turns out this was a series of programs that ran on the older TIM units given to Thyssen mechanics under the label NTS tools. I guess these are not being used anymore. I'd be curious to see the interface box. I was able to build a few interfaces that work outside of whatever they used on the TIM. I need to build one for the US PCD program .

you have the tim unit?, if you have it you will also need an adapter maybe like this one.

The programs are call d WinTools. They were barely used before the new tLink stuff but they are pretty solid and made the old TIM units usable. All of the programs except DMC FAST work without the TIM if you have the right NTS tools adapter. The TIM acts as a converter for everything but the PCD so you still need a PCD if you have a TIM. You probably won’t be able to re-create the TIM though because it’s not just dumb chips. There is a ATMEGA microprocessor that runs TK software. In theory there are hundreds of these TIM units in a pile somewhere but I can’t get ITS to give me any even though we have a lot of trouble with the DMC FAST tool on the new tLink.

The PCD software emulator runs. It gives you the options of either a 1220 ,1230 system or a few flavors of Ascention. The real PCD by US uses a 25 pin D shell right to the backplane. Remember the rather stupid short cable? But internally on the PCD itself the data is straight parallel. Ie an 8 bit data bus with the usually ALE and other controls typical of early Intel 8 bit stuff. So to work with a regular PC, that info needs to be serialized and then converted into an rs232 signal. I see that WE has come down on their interface price. It's just bugging me because I hate having programs one cannot use.

That would be it. Although I am curious what WE was using prior to their later versions using a Bluetooth dongle.