At 03:49 PM 12/9/96 GMT, you wrote:
>On Sun, 8 Dec 1996 20:31:34 +0100, you wrote:
>
>>Hi.
>>
>>What would be the easiest way to have multiple 16C84's talk to the same
>>Max232?
>>I don't want to use PortB for this, so open drain configuration as
>>described in one of the Parallax Stamp application notes is out of the
>>question. At least as far as I can see.
>>It is crucial to use only one MAX232.
>>
>>
>>Would this work?

I am working on a design using soemthing similar.  In my application, there
is a master processor on the "network" who controls when each PIC can talk.
All PIC's listen all of the time.  The master polls the PIC's for data and
when they have data, they answer within a time window.  The plan is to use
one line as the data line and only allow half duplex comms.  The PC fits
into my network just like one of the PIC's (it could be the master).  Note
that the idle state of the serial port must be a logic high.  This means an
inverter for the output and inputs to the serial port (if I remember
correctly).  Each device pulls the line low as it sends the data.  The
outputs must be open collector.

Norm