EZ-Tap Features

Stratus Engineering’s EZ-Tap™ hardware module offers a low-cost hardware bus analyzer and protocol analyzer solution that uses a traditional dual COM port approach to RS232 interface monitoring. It is fully compatible with our free EZ-View monitoring software as well as most third-party dual COM port/serial port monitoring programs and eliminates bulky cables that are typically associated with these solutions.

EZ-Tap’s features include:

• Supports standard and non-standard baud rates as high as 921600 bits/sec.
• Includes PC-compatible device drivers, 6ft “Mini-B” USB cable and EZ-View RS232 monitor program that interfaces directly to EZ-Tap hardware for low-latency USB access.
• DLL-based Windows API with low-level time-tagging available for custom application development.
• 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Serial port monitor that is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/10 (both x32 and x 64).

Become an EZ-Tap expert in no time at all with our RS232 tutorial. With our easy-to-follow RS232 tutorial, you can discover how to use RS232 immediately.

RS232 Tutorial

Our RS232 tutorial offers comprehensive information about how to make the most of your EZ-Tap experience. It details how to use RS232 and features RS232 protocol basics, ensuring you can leverage EZ-Tap quickly and efficiently at all times.

Installing the EZ-View RS232 Monitor Application Program

Please visit https://stratusengineering.com/test/Downloads.html to download the latest copy of this Quick-Start Guide and the EZ-View application program. The EZ-View application works with our EZ-Tap Pro, EZ-Tap, and Vera-Tap Products.

EZ-View application versions 1.6.60 and later are packaged as a self contained setup executable that installs the application program and drivers. For these program versions installation is simple:

1. Run the downloaded setup executable.
2. Plug the EZ-Tap module into USB port on the PC and wait for the driver installation to complete
3. Run the EZ-View application program

For earlier EZ-View application versions:

1. Download and install latest device drivers from http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm
2. Plug the EZ-Tap module into USB port on the PC and wait for the driver installation to complete
3. Unzip the files in the EZ-View application .zip file to a directory of your choice
4. Run the EZ-View application program

Note that once the device driver has been correctly installed, EZ-Tap will appear as 2 USB COM ports under Windows Device Manager.

Other RS232 Monitor Application Options

The EZ-Tap module uses the receive channel from each of 2 USB COM ports to capture RS232 passively capture bidirectional RS232 data. In addition to the EZ-View application there are other software options you can use to acquire and display data with EZ-Tap.

Windows RS232 Terminal Program (eg. Hyperterminal)

Perhaps the simplest software option is to use a simple terminal program such as Hyperterminal to capture the RS232 data traffic. With this approach you open 2 instances of the terminal program and assign one of the 2 EZ-Tap COM ports to each. Be sure to set up the correct COM parameters (baud rate, etc.). The RS232 traffic will then be displayed in the terminal windows as it is transmitted.

Third-Party RS232 Monitor Programs

Another option is to use one of the many commercially available third party RS232 monitor programs. Most of these programs are designed to work with a custom passive tap cable and 2 com ports. EZ-Tap is fully compatible with this mode of operation – simply assign the EZ-Tap COM ports in the program’s COM port settings.

Developing Custom software for EZ-Tap

Since the EZ-Tap appears as 2 serial ports to the host PC, the user can create custom software using standard Windows serial port access functions.