New Laptop with serial port?

[Leon.]

Glenn,

You could try what one local company's tech did. They bought a COMPAQ
Evo1020, but discovered that the USB-Serial adaptor is still a little flaky
when used with their programs (PLC programming software to be exact). They
used the basic port replicator, which provides a standard serial port which
can then be used in the standard manner. The port replicator is small and
light enough to be taken with the laptop with no problems (its only a couple
of inches wider).

I don't know if this work around will work with other brands. Why laptop
manufacturers don't keep a serial port on the laptop is beyond me (the
COMPAQ Evo's is only accessible via the port replicator) - all I know is
very few laptops now come with inbuilt serial ports (either standard or as
an option).

I dont know about these compaq port replicators .. (these attach to the
same place as the docking station and so exist 'hard wired' on the CPU bus
? ).

But in the shops there generic port replicators that are USB based. These
will be nothing more than a whole lot of usb devices in one box.

eg USB serial port
USB parallel
USB ethernet
USB firewire.
USB PS2 * 2 .
and a USB hub , to which the previous USB devices and a few USB ports
attach.


My point is that he really needs to have a docking station or a port
replicator version of one that uses the same bus extension interface...

USB port replicators will have the same problems under dos.

 

[The Real Andy]

You have neglected to realise that siemens manufacturer industrial control
equipment.

The software he is running has to work with the equipment that is currently
installed.
eg what if they shut down a power station so that they can change the all
the equipment up to models that are configured by windows...

There you go, a perfect opportunity to start a business producing win
software for old seimens PLC's. If you speak to siemens, they may even
provide you with some source code.

 

[The Real Andy]

USB port replicators will have the same problems under dos.

May I also add that under newer versions of Windows it becomes extremely
difficult to get direct access to the hardware. There is a layaer of
abstraction that prevents this. I doubt very much these days that you will
get a laptop shipped with anything but XP. MS does not support the older
OS's anymore. You are fighting a loosing battle. You may get a laptop with a
comms port, but if you try to install win9x you will find that you cant get
drivers for all the onboard hardware. Use XP, and the OS will not let your
DOS software write directly to the comms uart. You will need to get your own
drivers or use some of the dodgey apps out there that allow NT to talk
directly to the hardware - then you will whinge and whine when you notebook
generates exceptions and crashes all the time.

 

[Ken Taylor]

There you go, a perfect opportunity to start a business producing win
software for old seimens PLC's. If you speak to siemens, they may even
provide you with some source code.

Have you ever tried to get PLC source code out of anyone? You'd think it was
gold plated, even when tarnished by time!

Ken

 

[Rod Speed]

May I also add that under newer versions of Windows it becomes
extremely difficult to get direct access to the hardware. There is a
layaer of abstraction that prevents this. I doubt very much these
days that you will get a laptop shipped with anything but XP.

Easy enough to install anything you want
on it regardless of what its shipped with.

Trivial to multiboot to real DOS if you want too.

MS does not support the older OS's anymore.

Who cares with a laptop used to interface to dinosaur hardware ?

You are fighting a loosing battle.

Not if you've got a clue.

You may get a laptop with a comms port,

Yep, still plenty of those, albeit at the higher price end.

but if you try to install win9x you will find that
you cant get drivers for all the onboard hardware.

Dont need that if you multiboot to real DOS.

Use XP, and the OS will not let your DOS
software write directly to the comms uart.

Dont need that if you multiboot to real DOS.

You will need to get your own drivers
Nope.

or use some of the dodgey apps out there
that allow NT to talk directly to the hardware
Nope.

- then you will whinge and whine when you notebook
generates exceptions and crashes all the time.

Nope.

Anyone with a clue can multiboot to real dos if they want that.

 

[Glenn Garrett]

Hi Rod:

Can you be more specific on brands, part numbers, web links etc. for
USB-Serial converters with DOS drivers?

Glenn

 

[The Real Andy]

Easy enough to install anything you want
on it regardless of what its shipped with.

Trivial to multiboot to real DOS if you want too.

Trivial, but primitive. Typical of the AU electronics industry.

 

[The Real Andy]

Have you ever tried to get PLC source code out of anyone? You'd think it was
gold plated, even when tarnished by time!

Not the PLC source, the code for the config software. Even if you cant get
it, it doesn't take much to sniff the data off the comms port.

 

[Rod Speed]

Trivial, but primitive. Typical of the AU electronics industry.

Whine to Siemens, cretin.

 

[Glenn Garrett]

Hi Rod:

Can you be more specific on brands, part numbers, web links etc. for
USB-Serial converters with DOS drivers?

Glenn

 

[MC]

Trivial, but primitive. Typical of the AU electronics industry.

If the application does all it needs to when running on DOS then
what's the point in rewriting/'upgrading' to Windows or Unix ?
Yeah.. Windows 'looks' better, but so what ?

 

[The Real Andy]

If the application does all it needs to when running on DOS then
what's the point in rewriting/'upgrading' to Windows or Unix ?
Yeah.. Windows 'looks' better, but so what ?

Because the newer OS's support the newer hardware, hence what this thread is
all about.

 

[Rod Speed]

The Real Andy wrote

If the application does all it needs to when running on DOS then
what's the point in rewriting/'upgrading' to Windows or Unix ?

Basically makes it a lot simpler to use with modern
laptops that normally come with XP now.

Yeah.. Windows 'looks' better, but so what ?

Much more convenient if its supported by XP now tho.

 

[Rod Speed]

Can you be more specific on brands, part numbers, web
links etc. for USB-Serial converters with DOS drivers?

Fraid not, I dont appear to have saved that stuff and the
fella who needed it is getting operated on for cancer and
its not reasonable to ask him what he ended up using for
that. I do know that he was very happy with the result tho.