Trouble receiving output on anything other than IDE Serial Monitor

Projects Interfacing w/ Software on the Computer
1

I did some searching on here and can't find any mention of the specific problem I'm having, I'm wondering if I'm missing something simple. Has anyone had any troubles getting serial output on a separate terminal program, Hyperterminal for example? I prefer Telix but I'm experimenting with hyperterminal, something just about everyone would have access to since it comes with Windows. My sketch writes data on the serial line periodically and takes commands via serial. I know the sketch is running because it performs SPI communications that make my device react a certain way, however I can never see any of the serial output on any other monitor except for the one in the Arduino IDE.

Is there some trick to this? I'm on windows XP and I duplicated the COM port/baud rate as seen in the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor where it works as expected.

Let me note that I am ensuring the IDE serial monitor is closed so the COM port is not in use. In fact I am sure of it because when I open the IDE serial port monitor I get a mention the serial port is in use and I have to close hyperterminal before I can see the activity with the Arduino IDE Serial Port Monitor.

Thanks for any help

2

Have you got Hyperterminal set for 8 data bits, 1 stop bit and no parity?

3

Yes, and 9600 baud the same as set by my code (and the same setting that I see working in the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor)

I've just changed to a different arduino board and a different computer, I'm about to try it again, I'll post my findings...