>  b>         I'm using a MAX232CPE with a 82C50 to send/recieve
>  b> serial data, i've got reasons not to be using the PIC for
>  b> this.  Sending works fine, but receiving gives me a constant
>  b> stream of characters (usually the same one) that aren't
>  b> being sent from the other side (a PC running Telix).
>  b>
>  b>         Has anybody experienced anything like this?  I'm
>  b> absolutely sure that the software is right, so i'm assuming
>  b> it's the MAX232 or the cable.
>
> Philip,  check your cable, and try to use another chip.
> Many times I use this chip, not MAX232 but ADM232 and ADM202 by
> Analog Devices - its more cheaper then MAXIM, and I have never
> seen this chip not working! I often use it not only for TTL<>RS232
> convertion, but also for providing bipolar power for OP!

I'm not sure if I fully understand what the original poster is doing,
but I had a somewhat similar problem awhile ago after swapping I/O
cards on a PC.  The problem I had was that there are two different
pinouts for the 10-pin "post" connectors found on many motherboards
and I/O cards.  Some cards require a cable that maps pin 1->1, 2->2,
3->3, etc. (numerical order) while others expect 1->1, 2->6, 3->2,
4->7, 5->3, etc. (positional order when using crimp-on ribbon cable
connectors).  Unfortunately, there's no particularly good way to tell
what type of cable any particular card requires and sometimes Murpy
will have the wrong cable "sort of work" just enough to distract your
attention from the real problem.