Transparent mode

[Goody 5]

I have a job soon where I have to upgrade an E700 to a E1070 I realised I have lost my CAB30 cable. (it's probably on someones site still stuck in the HMI) and while I was ordering the new E1070 I asked for a new CAB30 too. The Mitsubishi rep told me I could program the HMI with a normal CAT5 Ethernet cable (which I didn't know) so I cancelled the CAB30. What I don't know is can you use 'transparent mode' with a cat5 cable as I will probably need this mode when I go to site.

[Crossbow 297]

I don't think you can do transparent mode when the connection PC to terminal is Ethernet. But I haven't touched an E-terminal in years, so I am not 100% certain, maybe 90%.

[Goody 5]

Thank you. It's what I was already thinking. I'll buy one even though it irks me because of the lost one. Never mind - there is plenty of money in the job. :)

[Veganic 8]

Transparent mode works with a com port redirect. It just doesn't seem that reliable...drops out sometimes or the hmi locks up. Isn't the Cab30 just a null modem cable? Maplin do one for about 10 quid. Edited 7 Apr 2013 by Veganic

[Goody 5]

Interesting. I might have a null modem cable somewhere. When I get the HMI I will test it and let you know. BTW, I don't know what 'com port redirect '' means.

[Veganic 8]

http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?showtopic=14469&st=0&p=70753&hl=transparent%20mode&fromsearch=1entry70753 see if this link works.

[Colin Carpenter 10]

If your E700 is talking to the PLC through the RS485 port into the CPU port then that will still work work fine with an E1070 using the same "HMI to PLC RS485" connection s. If you want to use transparent mode using the serial RS232 port on the E1070, then that will work fine as well. The only thing to remember is that when the HMIs changed from the old "up to E900" range to the newer "more than E1000" range, the wiring on the RS232 ports on the HMIs changed as well. With the old HMIs, the pin wiring was 2-2, 3-3 and 5-5, but that won't work with the newer ones, however, as others have said, a standard null modem cable works perfectly on the newer range and is (imho) still the best and most error free method of using transparent mode. You can use a CAT5 patch lead to programme the HMI from E_Designer as long as you are going through an ethernet switch or router. If going straight to the HMI from the laptop, then it needs to a be a "crossover" CAT5 cable. It tends to be much quicker for large projects. However, as Veganic has said, to transparently monitor / programme the PLC using the ethernet route means that you have to install "virtual com port" software on your laptop so that MEDOC (or whatever) sees a serial port to talk to the PLC on, but that serial port is a "virtual one" that is actually using the ethernet CAT5 route to the HMI. There's a few free versions out there, but they are pretty flakey .... the null modem cable is the most secure way to go in my experience and works fine.

[Veganic 8]

You don't need a CAT5 crossover - any will do. I think that covers everything?

[Colin Carpenter 10]

You do need a crossover CAT5 cable if you're going direct from the laptop ethernet port to the HMI ethernet port. I just tried a normal CAT5 patch lead direct from laptop to HMI and it definitely won't communicate ..... or even ping for that matter.

[Veganic 8]

Maybe it depends on the laptop then?

[Crossbow 297]

Some laptops will auto-negotiate for normal/crossed cables and some will not. Most made within the last couple years do.