Serial Input in Windows 7

Hi

Im trying to use Arduino-15 in windows 7 and it seems to work until i try and use the serial terminal in the IDE. It just kicks back random symbols. For instance the following code :

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
Serial.println("A");
delay(1000);
}

returns this :

@ó@ó8ó@ó<ó@ù@ó

I started using the luminet port and thought it might have been a problem with that but its happenign with the normal IDE too. Any Ideas?

Try changing the baud rate to what the sketch uses, this usually helps...

Joachim

yep, tried that.

Maybe this is just a baud rate settings problem.

But let me ask this:

Why do people willingly use BETA (if at all) quality software and complain about stuff not working ?
I'm pretty sure that even Microsoft strictly advises against using their beta releases in any production environment.
Would you ride a sports car with officially untested airbags and have the guts to sue the car dealer because your head punched a whole into the steering wheel ?

...cooling down...

This only complicates thing so much more. Please use software that is known to work, and that doesn't include any kind of BETA or "release candidate" products. Wait for service pack 2 :wink:

Well the fact that you can download the sketch to the Arduino (without errors is assume?) should indicate that your windows USB serial port is working ok. Sound like you haven't set your Arduino IDE's serial monitor baud rate selection to 9600 baud.

Lefty

Have you tried any other terminal programs (e.g. HyperTerminal - which I think you can still download from Microsoft if it doesn't come with the OS).

Why do people willingly use BETA (if at all) quality software and complain about stuff not working ?

Because the idea of BETA software is that companies need users to use pre-release software and find issues with it... sort of like this one (if this is related to the OS)

NO NO NO !

Now it's come that far. Users already expect to "work" for Microsoft to find their bugs (unpayed!). If a company charges several 100s of $ for an operating system and makes billions of $ with it, I expect it to work. Full stop. If they have to resort to using user-power to find bugs...

I'm so glad Microsoft doesn't build cars or writes software for banks.

Think of this (fiction):

Dear Sir or Madam,
We at Ferrari need your help! Our engineering department has come up with a totally new airbag system. It'd be swell if you accepted our offer to switch your current airbag with our design... To further assist us in improving this product we'd also like to remove you car's breaks.

This is exactly the same misery as with flavored yogurt. Today's kids will chose the artificial stuff over the all natural variants with real fruit. Only because they don't know any better.

Once in the US ( Texas, maybe other places are different :wink: ) my roommate got sight of a commercial:

"... yadda yadda... with real lemon juice and fresh strawberries ... yadda yadda ..."

That's so typical. It should have been:

" .... with fresh lemon juice and REAL strawberries ...."

Microsoft is feeding us with junk food and "we" want to have even more.

@madworm

If MS programmed their OS as well as they've programmed their consumers then the world wouldn't need OSX.