First off thanks to ALL who have replied so far, I have been active on Internet since working for NeXT computer back in the days that WWW was a typewriter with a stuck key and I must say that having read through this list and reading the quality of answers that this list is in the TRUE spirit of the original Internet. It rocks. I like the idea of sending a "code" sequence from one end that could be picked up by a reader at the far end that would display the ID of the cable on a LCD. The cable I am dealing with most thought I am interested in being able to handle any cable is telecoms cable consisting of average of 30-120 cores (two twisted wires). Though they are colour coded and should be in proper order I have to deal with a lot of cable that needs to be "belled out" due to miss/cross matched pairs. The idea is to save time by allowing a single operator to ID as many pairs at one time as possible when working single handed. I could make a series of ID tags that each contained a pic sending a unique code, I know there are commercial units of this type. Each ID tag would have to have its own battery source but could be made very small fitted with two leads to connect to the pairs, either with a croc clip fitted or a Krone Plug. The reader would connect to a single pair and read the ID being sent. The only problem with this I see is if the pairs are not matched (but this problem is there with all solutions) i.e.=20 Near End White/Blue White/Orange White/Green White/Black White/Grey You have 5 potential White combinations for each colour (10x10 data cable). The way this is rung out is to attach a tone gen at the FAR end to the selected White/Blue pair and to test for tone at the near end with a static connection on the Blue wire and testing each White in turn until a match is found. The same procedure would be required for the PIC based unit unless a device that would allow random attachment of say 5 pairs that would scan across the pairs and ID the correct pairing giving a display something like this Far Pair Number 1 2 3 4 5 Matching Pair 3 1 4 2 5 Indicating that to match in the connection block, near end, pair one - far end, you would need to move scanned pair 3 off that connection block and replace with scanned pair 1. -- George Shaw MI3GTO =93 Any Sufficiently Advanced Technology is Indistinguishable from Magic=94 ---Arthur C. Clarke Mobile: +44 (0) 7740 361 163 Email: george.shaw@ukf.net Fax & Voicemail: +44 (0) 871 242 9183 -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Tim Webb Sent: 25 June 2003 19:05 To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [PIC]: Cable Tagger Project Possibly and easier way then ever... I was just thinking about a different approach: On one end, you have a pic that repeats a series of 010 (010 010 010 010) for cable 1, 0110 (0110 0110 0110)for cable 2 01110 (01110 01110 01110) for cable 3, etc on the other end, your pic will monitor one line at a time and determine the length of time each cable spent in the HI State by timing the time between 0's and 1's. Just make sure you use the same pic freq length for sending and receiving a Hi or Lo. This seems like a very easy way to do it without any fancy extra components other than maybe an LCD to display to show the id of each wire. Just out of curiosity, what kind of cable are you testing ? Is this for CAT-5e Network cables? Tim --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.491 / Virus Database: 290 - Release Date: 18/06/03 =20 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads