-did you disable the handshaking?
<font color="red">Yes</font>
- What about if you use MicroCode Studio Serial Communicator instead?
<font color="red">MicroCode Studio Serial Communicator works!!!</font>
<font color="red">But with visual basic or hyperterminal it does not work?
Any idea what is the difference between the 2?
</font>
-Is your MCLR pin is tied to VCC via resistor?
<font color="red">Yes</font>