Hyperterminal and RS-232 not behaving properly

[Jerran]

Im using XP to transfer data to a 16F84A via hyperterminal. The problem Im running into is that A> I cant get SERIN to read properly(atleast that I can tell) and B> when I attach an LCD to the RS-232's output to the pic Im not recieving the data Im sending. Is my Pic or hyperterminal setup incorrectly?

Settings are hyperterminal settings are:

Bits per second 2400
data bits 8
parity None
Stop bits 1
flow control None
Emulation ANSI

SERIN is setup for

serin porta.2, N2400,[255], temp

or without a qualifier

serin porta.2, N2400, temp

none of which seem to function.

my lcd is set for 2400bps inverted (pretty sure its inverted, I use N2400 when communication via a PIC)
for serin Ive tried with and without qualifier and cant get it to work. I wrote a simple test program to read pin 2 on porta and output it on pin 3 of porta which doesnt seem to do anything :/ So I tried to connect the lcd to the rs-232's output to the pic, I recieve data on each key press but not the key Im pressing. Example if I click 2 I get a 3, some of the letters will display the special characters in the lcd, and other such strange inputs.

 

[StupidDum]

i'm not familiar with Basic, but perhaps you should keep polling for serial input, if you dont use interrupt.

hm? LCD with UART input? thats rare...

 

[Jerran]

I plugged the LCD in just to ensure that something was being transfered, my PC is too far from my scope to check the output of the rs-232 hehe. I tried a test application with a continious loop that checks the rs-232 output on pin 2and outputs the data to my LCD on pin 3. Using it Pin 3 never sends anything to my lcd :/

Im thinking Im using serin inproperly so Ill keep dabbling with it but from examples Ive seen on the net it should work.

My rs-232 is wired the same as the following link.
**broken link removed**
Oddly Ive seen this same chip wired several different ways,none of which have worked differently for me, on different websites. The main difference Ive seen is that the Pin 2 is connected to V+ on some and ground on others.