README FILE FOR SILICON ENGINES ISO-14230 RS232 CONVERTER

Troubleshooting
---------------

Sometimes the ISO-14230 RS232 Converter does not communicate the
first time the program is run with a serial-to-USB converter being
used.  The solution is to exit the program and restart.  If that
doesn't help, then you may have to go into the control panel under
System -> Device Manager and configure the port manually to the
following serial parameters: 19200,8,N,1 with hardware flow control.

Programming Tips
----------------

Full VB 6.0 source code and full Visual BASIC .NET 2005 source code
for the ISO-14230 RS232 Message Center  is available on the Installation 
CD.  Look in the folder: Reference Software.  This source code could be 
a good starting point for custom application software writing.

Also in the Reference Software folder is a full C project for
communicating with the ISO-14230 RS232 Converter including
some sample KWP-2000 commands.


New in Version 1.9.12 of ISO-14230 RS232 Message Center
-------------------------------------------------------
Support for new "pulse initialization" mode in version 21 of
the firmware.


New in Version 21 of the Firmware
---------------------------------
Allow custom initialization pulse of x milliseconds to be sent
as fast init sequence (with no keyword transaction).  This is an
optional mode; all previous modes unchanged.


New in Version 20 of the Firmware
---------------------------------
Bug fix for slow initialization of ECU's with strict W1 requirement.


New in Version 1.9.11 of ISO-14230 RS232 Message Center
-------------------------------------------------------
Bug fixes for logging to file and editing/sending messages.
Add ability to invoke alternate slow init command for
use with version 18 of the firmware (see below).
Also, the Send Keyword button also sends the System ID
if applicable.

New in Version 18 of the Firmware
---------------------------------

Revision 18 includes a new slow init mode.  This new mode
allows initialization of non-standard ECU's like some Fiat
ECU's which use a radically different protocol where every
byte transmitted is echoed back by the receiver.  The message
center will not be capable of transmitting or receiving
messages to this ECU other than to initialize it - in order
to fully implement messaging, custom software will need to
be written (you can use the VB 6.0 or VB 2005 source code
provided on the CD as a starting point if you like) to handle
the echoing of each byte.  But this converter box is now
able to initialize modules like this and also report what
System ID has been conveyed by the ECU during initialization.
This means this converter box CAN be used with this type of
ECU with the right custom software.


New in Version 1.9.8 of ISO-14230 RS232 Message Center
------------------------------------------------------
Support for Windows Vista and faster computers.  Also, removed
some freeze up conditions that can occur because of an overflow
of the timestamp variable.



New in Version 14 of the Firmware
---------------------------------

Revision 14 includes a new fast init mode.  This new mode
allows alternate method of fast init used in Kia's and 
Hyundai's, to name a few.  To use this method, the command
is the same fast init command except instead of sending
'F' for functional and 'P' for physical, send 'f' (lowercase)
for functional alternate method and 'p' (lowercase) for
physical alternate method.  To implement that in the message
center, simply check the Alternate Method checkbox.

Instructions for upgrading your box to version 14 are also
on the Installation CD in the folder Upgrade.

Documentation
-------------

Documentation can be found on the Installation CD in the
folder Documentation, in PDF format.