1 Description
This application note explains the process for interfacing and communicating with an MX200 Vacuum Controller from a Windows PC.
The recommended method is to use The Fredericks Company Online Serial Terminal. The Online Serial Terminal communicates directly with the MX200 through a supported web browser and allows MX200 serial commands to be sent without installing additional communications software.
USB communication is recommended when connecting the MX200 directly to a Windows PC.
Alternatively, you can use the Tera Term serial communications program. Tera Term must be installed on your computer before following these instructions. If you do not have Tera Term installed, download the latest version from GitHub .
Back to Table of Contents2 Required Equipment, Tools, and Software
| Equipment/Tool | Part Number/Requirement |
|---|---|
| MX200 Vacuum Controller | 2-7900-034, 2-7900-037, or 2-7900-038 |
| USB Cable | USB Type A to USB Type B cable |
| Windows PC | PC with an available USB port |
| Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge | Online Serial Terminal method |
| Tera Term | Manual method only |
3 Finding the COM Port
On the MX200, press the Home button and navigate to:
Global Setup → Communications → Interface
Verify that USB is selected.
Then, navigate to:
Global Setup → Communications → Settings
Remember the baud rate. You will select it when connecting to the MX200 using either the Online Serial Terminal or Tera Term.
Connect the MX200 to your Windows PC using a USB Type A to USB Type B cable.
Connect the USB Type B connector to the USB port on the back of the MX200 and the USB Type A connector to an available USB port on your Windows PC.
Windows will automatically recognize the MX200 and assign it to a COM Port.
Open the Start Menu on your Windows PC.
Open the Device Manager.
Expand the Ports (COM & LPT) dropdown.
Determine the COM port assigned to the MX200. In this example, the MX200 is assigned to COM3.
If you're unsure which COM port belongs to the MX200:
- Leave Device Manager open.
- Disconnect the USB cable from the PC.
- Watch which COM port disappears from the Ports (COM & LPT) list.
- Reconnect the USB cable.
- The COM port that reappears is the port assigned to the MX200.
Remember this COM port number. You will select it when connecting to the MX200 using either the Online Serial Terminal or Tera Term.
4 Using The Fredericks Company Online Serial Terminal
Using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, visit The Fredericks Company Online Serial Terminal.
Select MX200 from the Product dropdown and USB from the Connection dropdown. Select the baud rate configured on your MX200. In this example, 57600 baud is used.
Click CONNECT to open the serial-port selection window.
Select the COM port assigned to your MX200, then click Connect.
If you are unsure which COM port to select, see Section 3, Finding the COM Port.
Use the terminal input field or the Command Assistant to send a test command to the MX200. For example, to read the vacuum measurement from channel one:
Send: S101
Continue using the Command Assistant to locate and send additional supported MX200 commands or enter commands manually in the terminal.
See Section 6, MX200 Communications Commands, for the available commands.
5 Using Tera Term
Open Tera Term on your Windows PC.
Select Serial, then select the COM port assigned to your MX200 from the Port dropdown.
Click OK to continue.
If you are unsure which COM port to select, see Section 3, Finding the COM Port.
Open the Setup menu, then select Serial port.
Verify that the serial port settings are configured as follows:
- Baud rate: Baud rate configured on the MX200
- Data: 8 bit
- Parity: none
- Stop: 1 bit
- Flow control: Xon/Xoff
- Transmit delay: 0 msec/char, 0 msec/line
Click OK to continue.
Open the Setup menu again, then select Terminal.
For standard communications, configure:
- Receive: CR+LF
- Transmit: CR+LF
- Local echo: Checked
For bootloading, use:
- Receive: CR
- Transmit: CR
- Local echo: Checked
Click OK to continue.
To verify communications:
Send: S101
Press Enter.
The MX200 should return the vacuum measurement for channel 1.
Continue using Tera Term to send additional supported MX200 commands.
See Section 6, MX200 Communications Commands, for the available commands.
6 MX200 Communications Commands
Use the following table as a reference for communicating with the MX200.
When using The Fredericks Company Online Serial Terminal, supported commands can also be located and sent using the Command Assistant.
When using Tera Term, enter the desired command manually and press Enter.
For a detailed description of MX200 digital communications and individual commands, refer to Section 9, Digital Communications, of the MX200 Vacuum Controller Instruction Manual .
| Command | Sample Output | Description |
|---|---|---|
| R1<cr> | XX<cr><lf> | Outputs units setting XX: PA=Pascal, TR=Torr, MB=mBar, TD=Torr decimal, MT=mTorr/Torr |
| W1XX<cr> | XX<cr><lf> | Set units to XX: PA=Pascal, TR=Torr, MB=mBar, TD=Torr decimal |
| S1XX<cr> | ppsee<cr><lf> | Vacuum reading for station XX is ppsee |
| S1<cr> | XX=ppsee … XX=ppsee<cr><lf> | Output ppsee readings for every channel XX |
| S2<cr> | NNNNNN<cr><lf> | Logic firmware version |
| S3<cr> | NNNNNN<cr><lf> | Display firmware version |
| S4<cr> | XX=YY … XX=YY<cr><lf> | Output station types: XX = station number, YY = sensor type |
| S5<cr> | XX=YY … XX=YY<cr><lf> | Output set point XX status YY (ON=on, OF=off, 00=no set point connected) |
| S6<cr> | Televac … <cr><lf> | Output all setup information |
| RC1XX<cr> | Baa<cr><lf> | Output first calibration point for channel XX |
| RC2XX<cr> | Baa<cr><lf> | Output second calibration point for channel XX |
| RC3XX<cr> | Baa<cr><lf> | Output third calibration point for channel XX, return error if point doesn’t exist |
| RC4XX<cr> | Baa<cr><lf> | Output fourth calibration point for channel XX, return error if point doesn’t exist |
| WC1XXBaa<cr> | PPSEE<cr><lf> | Set first calibration point for channel XX |
| WC2XXBaa<cr> | PPSEE<cr><lf> | Set second calibration point for channel XX |
| WC3XXBaa<cr> | PPSEE<cr><lf> | Set third calibration point for channel XX, return error if point doesn’t exist |
| WC4XXBaa<cr> | PPSEE<cr><lf> | Set fourth calibration point for channel XX, return error if point doesn’t exist |
| R2<cr> | 01 02 03 04 05 … <cr><lf> | Outputs channel numbers connected to the MX200 |
| R3XX<cr> | HI<cr> or LO<cr><lf> | Outputs HI/LO resolution for station XX |
| W3XX<cr> | HI<cr> or LO<cr><lf> | Toggle HI/LO resolution for station XX |
| R4<cr> | 01 02 03 04 05 … <cr><lf> | Outputs channel numbers set to display on measurement screen |
| W4XX<cr> | ON<cr> or OF<cr><lf> | Adds or removes channel XX from measurement screen |
| R5XX<cr> | FbaaBAA<cr><lf> | Output analog output format, high and low values |
| W5XXF<cr> | F<cr><lf> | Set channel XX analog output format to linear-by-decade (lin/dec=3, lin/dec 7E=4) |
| W5XX1baa<cr> | Fbaa<cr><lf> | Set channel XX analog output format to linear: baa=high value |
| W5XX2baaBAA<cr> | FbaaBAA<cr><lf> | Set channel XX analog output format to linear: baa=high value, BAA=low value |
| R6XX<cr> | GG<cr><lf> | Output gas setting for channel XX |
| W6XXGG<cr> | GG<cr><lf> | Set channel XX to gas type to GG |
| R7Y<cr> | ppseePPSEEZZ<cr><lf> | Output relay Y on = ppsee, relay Y off = PPSEE, and channel ZZ assigned to relay Y |
| W7YppseePPSEEZZ<cr> | ppseePPSEE<cr><lf> | Set relay Y on to ppsee, relay Y off to PPSEE, and relay Y to channel ZZ |
| R8<cr> | A<cr><lf> | Outputs the cold cathode mode, A (auto = 1, self = 2) |
| W8A<cr> | A<cr><lf> | Sets the cold cathode mode, A (auto = 1, self = 2) |
| R9<cr> | BB<cr><lf> | Returns the cold cathode switch point value, BB (01 to 50) |
| W9BB<cr> | BB<cr><lf> | Sets the cold cathode switch point value, BB (01 to 50) |
| R10<cr> | CD<cr><lf> | Returns the cold cathode status odd and even (on/off) C-odd, D-even (0 = off, 1 = on) |
| W10CD<cr> | CD<cr><lf> | Sets the cold cathode status odd and even (on/off) C-odd, D-even (0 = off, 1 = on) |
| C1TTTT<cr> | TTTT<cr><lf> | Set baud rate to TTTT |
| C2EE<cr> | EE<cr><lf> | Set address to EE (00 to 99), RS-485 only |
| C4N<cr> | N<cr><lf> | Change I/O to N (RS-232=1, RS-485=2, USB=3) |
| C1<cr> | TTTT<cr><lf> | Output baud rate setting |
| C2<cr> | EE<cr><lf> | Output address for RS-485 |
| C4<cr> | N<cr><lf> | Output communications type (RS-232=1, RS-485=2, USB=3) |
| HM<cr> | M<cr><lf> | Return to the measurement screen |
| RLR<cr> | SXXX<cr> | Output the leak rate calculation or channel 1 in mTorr (S=sign, XXX=-999 to 999) |
| WLRX<cr> | X<cr><lf> | Turn on or off leak rate calculation for channel 1 (0=off, 1=on) |
| WD_1XX<cr> | XX<cr><lf> | Restore channel setup defaults for channel XX |
| WD_7X<cr> | X<cr><lf> | Restore set point relay defaults for set point X |
| WD_CXX<cr> | XX<cr><lf> | Restore calibration defaults for channel XX |
| WD_G<cr> | D<cr><lf> | Restore defaults for global setup |
| SN<cr> | NNNNNN<cr><lf> | Returns the six digit serial number of the unit, with values from 000000 to 999999 |
| PG_LGC<cr> | Bootloader … <cr><lf> | Enters the bootloader for the logic firmware |
| PG_DSP<cr> | Bootloader … <cr><lf> | Enter the bootloader for the display firmware |