The best thing to do is to hook up a level shifter (3v3 <> RS232) to the debug port. The pinout is:

1 - 3v3
2 - TXD (OUT from board)
3 - RXD (IN to board)
4 - blank
5 - GND

It's 115200bps, 8n1, no flow control (like the Rio receiver & empeg-car). You will probably see something illuminating on this console. If at powerup you hit ctrl-T very quickly it should go into a HW test mode which ISTR will do a RAM test and also some very limited IDE tests (ID'ing the HDD).

The RLC-1 from Dontronics (google them) is fine. They don't list it as being 3v3 but I believe all the ones they ship are nowadays. Their plug wiring isn't right for this, but that's easily sorted out.

As for support in Europe - the European ones never got any training on this product as though it was designed in Germany (hw) and the UK (sw), it was never sold here. The US support people definitely *did* provide support for the product, though I've no idea if they do now given that Rio doesn't exist anymore.

Hugo