I'm having an issue connecting a serial device to an embedded device I'm writing code for.
The device I am writing has two serial ports, an incoming from my laptop, and an outgoing to an external device.
When I connect both terminals to my laptop and view the data, I get exactly the data I am expecting.
When I connect my laptop to the external device directly, I am getting exactly what I expect, and a response.
When I connect the laptop and the external device to the embedded device I am working on, the laptop sends data to it, it receives it, it passes it on to the external device. This works as expected.
However, the external device doesn't send back the response.
If I send data to the external device from the embedded device, each new message I send allows it to send the original reply.
I know the first message got through correctly because the external device whirrs to live, and I know when it is sending the response by running and logic analyser on the tx/rx comms and viewing the traffic.
I considered that the embedded device is holding the rx line and preventing its transmission, but I don't see how that possible in the code. Also if that is the case it shouldn't work when I plug both lines into my laptop.
I also considered the DTR was not set high, but checked this and it appears to be set high.
Does anyone know a reason which would prevent a device from responding?
Note: When I say Serial Ports I am referring to the UART when referring to the embedded device. All device use a DB9 connector running RS232.
Edit: Operating System on laptop is Windows 10. Embedded device is a Atmega324p.
Edit 2: Did some more testing. It appears that it sometimes work and sometimes doesn't.
I have added an image which show a almost perfect signal of the response.
The blue section is a gap in the signal that shouldn't be there.
Ended up finding a solution.
The RTS line was held via the embedded device at 1.2v, while the Pc was holding it at 5.2v.
Pulling the RTS line up to 5v fixed the issue.