i actually got the idea for trying the port monitor from using hexcomm. i'd get back something like:
123400123400
1234
00123400
123400123400123400
so i thought it was just a formatting issue. then, while running something in the foreground, i saw a good pure:
12340012340012340012340012340012340012340012340012 3400123400
12340012340012340012340012340012340012340012340012 3400123400
coming out, leading me to thinking it was a CPU or buffering issue. that's when i tried portmon (a GREAT free tool btw:
http://sysinternals.com) and saw the improvement.
i never saw corruption in the actual 123400 being returned, so thought the comparator might not be the issue....