Thanks for your interest Milan,

I have and spanish Windows XP. But I test in a Windows 2000 with same
results. I did the query with flamerobin 0.8.3 within windows and get
this:

Query:
select name, cast ( name as char(50) character set octets )
from person

Get:
Original data: "Terrés" ( in the php app shows "Terrés" that is right)
Cast data:
54657272c3a97300000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

I did the same query with EMS Sql Manager Lite for firebird from
windows and got same results as flamerobin, well in EMS the cast field
did not show as octets but as identical that original field. So I
think is not a Flamerobin question. Now I would compare result with
utf8 / iso tables to find which format was stored.

I've revised the php application that insert data, the php5
ibase_pconnect() function is set to ISO88559_1 charset, so all
connections is done with right charsets. Is important to remember that
data is introduced via web within a linux distro with the commented
pconnect() settings and displayed right. Only access via flamerobin or
other stuff in another platform don't transliterate ok.

If you still think that is a flamerobin related question, then I'll
move with pleasure, but I'm in a dubt. May be interoperability with
charsets in firebird 1.5 in varius platforms is improvable, I don't know.

May be converting database into version 2.0 would be the solution?!?

Again, thanks for your help.

Julian.