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theoUK
sage
Reged: 04/22/04
Posts: 279
Loc: N. Yorks, UK
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Hi,
When making my own shutter jack cable I had the same problem when connecting it to timer circuit. The problem was just the polarity of the jack switch, don't know why. Try reversing the jack cables.
Theo
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Vixen SP
TAL-150P
Surplus shed f5 travel scope
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Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 70
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
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Hi Steve,
Thanks kindly for your considerate offer, I really appreciate it. I doubt I'll be available tonight to take you up on it, I have a late doctor's appointment after work and it's over an hour's drive. I'll try to hook it up to the desktop as well as to the multi-meter if I get a chance and I'll report back tomorrow.
Where in our "Great White North" are you located? I'm just outside of Guelph, ON.
You know, looking back at all the replies to this post really makes me feel that the folks in the amateur astronomy community have got to be some of the most thoughtful, considerate and intellectually generous people on the planet. I'm very flattered to call myself a member of this community, it really is quite extraordinary.
Many thanks to everyone for your feedback and support.
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cdndob
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 658
Loc: The Great White North
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I'm in Winterpeg 
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Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 70
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
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Well, I can empathise - I drove through the first snow flakes coming down this morning. Some were the size of golf balls! 
Sure wish we could pipe Florida sunshine up to Canada the way we pipe Canadian oil down to the States!
I didn't get home until well past my bedtime last night, hopefully I'll get a chance to apply all the wisdom above tonight.
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Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 70
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
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Hi Steve,
I tried hooking up the camera to the desktop last night with the same results as I had with the laptop.
I got the multimeter out and it's sitting next to the camera & cable now. I'll try getting a reading for the resistance between the tip and the sleave on the 2.5mm jack. What am I looking for? 
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cdndob
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 658
Loc: The Great White North
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Hi Kurly,
So if the desktop is doing the same then that rules out the wacky serial port signals.
For the next test,
- Connect the serial cable to your laptop
- Start DSLR shutter and select the COM port where the cable is connected.
- Set the Exposures to 1, Duration to 5, Enable Mirror-lockup should be "Unchecked" and all the rest of the settings below to 0.
- Click "Start Sequence" and wait until it's completed. This basically guarantees the serial port signals are in a known state.
- Set the mutlimeter to measure resistance, some range around 200 to 2000 ohms, whatever is close to that.
- Connect the mutlimeter to the sleeve and tip. What does the resiatance read? (if any)
- Now click "Start Sequence" and see what the resistance shows before the sequence is complete.
If the cable is functioning properly the resistance should be very high when DSLR shutter is idle and somewhere between, say 10 to 100 ohms, when its operating the shutter. If its not we'll need to get at the components and wires inside to test and fix the problem.
Steve
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Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 70
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
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Hi Steve,
I finally got around to trying out the test you outlined. Hooked everything up and fired up DSLR Shutter. I selected COM 1. Actually, I tried all of them, all rejected by DSLRSH except for COM 1 & 3, I stuck to COM 1. I got a high negative reading around -170 with the multimeter set at 200 ohms and that's all I got, regardless of where DSLRSH was in the routine. I got no reading, of course, if I disconnected the serial cable and tried the tip & the sleave.
Once again, I'm at a loss. Got another test for me? 
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cdndob
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 658
Loc: The Great White North
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Hey Kurly,
Is there any way to open the unit up to see the circuitry inside, maybe even get a picture of it? This might get things going faster to see what we're dealing with, might even be able to see the problem.
Steve
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Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 70
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
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I was actually thinking of doing just that last night. The serial port end of the cable looks like it's got a very clever cover design, I'm not quite sure just where to poke a little screwdriver to pry it open, but I'll play with it a bit and see if I can get a look inside.
I'm seriously leaning towards this being a cable issue - the camera and the serial port seem to be fine. When it's all plugged up, the shutter opens (and stays open) the moment I select COM 1 with DSLR Shutter.
Maybe I should just send it back to Hap and ask him for another. I guess that's what I'll do if I can't pop it open.
If I can, I'll take a picture and attach it here.
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Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 70
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
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So it turned out that the cable wasn't the problem, I was. I was using the wrong cable - I have no idea where it came from or what it's for, but it sure isn't for a 300D! It's just a cable with a stereo jack at one end and a serial port at the other. Could have fooled me. And it did.
After rummaging through the office at length, I found a parallel port cable - yes, the one I got from Hap Griffin - and of course, it worked like a charm on the first try.
Then my laptop had a stroke.
And my R.A. stopped functioning on my NexStar C11.
And my backup laptop refused to boot up.
Would you believe that was Friday 13th?
I stopped there - while my camera was still working. I seemed to have a very adverse effect on any electronics I wanted to operate that night.
If you see Murphy, please tell him he's not welcome back at my place.
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