ISA/PCI Adapters

Hi guys,

I have 34 computers, each of which has an ISA Modbus card for communications with 34 Modicon PLCs. The PCs are well passed there sell-by date so I have been asked to spec a new Dell PC.

Now, the dell PC end of things is fine (It must be a dell, I don't have a choice here). However, if I purchase new PCs I won't have any ISA slots for the old Modbus cards. Therefore, I should have to spend a further €1200 on top of the €800 for the PC in order to have PCi Modbus cards for the new PCs.

Is there anyway I can purchase my PC and buy an adapter so I can re-use my old ISA cards? It is criminal to have to just throw them out...

Regards,

Colm

Is this the kind of thing that might help?

USB to ISA

This would take care of the hardware layer, all your need to check out is how the card driver works.

Yeah, the PC99 spec (by Intel?) says that no ISA slots will be put in.

For converters see:

http://www.eurekatech.com/products/pci/ec150.htm

http://www.cyberresearch.com/store/product/3228.2.htm

http://www.costronic.com/Ev71p.htm

There are many computers still for sale that have ISA slots, mainly Industrial ones. They don't worry about PC99 certification, me thinks.

Or, if you must stick with Dell, look for refurbished ones, like the Optimux (Optimate ?) series as they could be had with an optional ISA Riser Card that had one ISA slot.

If you do have to trash the Modbus cards and buy new ones, be sure to "recover" the cards to sell to other people.

PhilipW, that USB converter is cool! I was looking for exactly something like that to research if old 1784-KT cards could be salvaged for use with modern PC's at the local community college.

Do you have any direct experience with those ?

Colm

Let me get this right.. Your just taking about replacing the seral cards ISA - RS 232 or 485?? then they talk to a modbus device? right?

Yea it's a sin, but times change, and sooner or later your old ISA Modbus cards are going to give you problems with other upgrades and compatability issues etc.. I vote for new PCI cards. Your gonna spend more on all the extra hardware and time space and spegettii etc..

Ken Roach said:

PhilipW, that USB converter is cool! I was looking for exactly something like that to research if old 1784-KT cards could be salvaged for use with modern PC's at the local community college.

Do you have any direct experience with those ?

Click to expand...

Oh, yeah - sounds dead easy...NOT

Do you provide a driver to re-direct ISA calls to your card?

What we do is emulation of ISA on USB. We provide developers kit to help you in conversion of your software to work on USB. The process may be as simple as editing the source code, recompiling, and linking with our libraries. We also offer conversion as a service, to customers.

Click to expand...

Do you know if we can use a standard ISA driver to control our board if it is located on your card?

You need to convert your software to work on USB. We provide an SDK for this. There is no driver located on our card it is on the side of the computer with USB.

Click to expand...

Colm,

Is it possible to network together some of those 34 plcs? So that, you will not need so many computers. Please excuse if this is a stupid question I haven't worked with Modicon since the 584 models were out.

Gerry

Colm

I was faced with a similar problem recently, I needed new industrial PC's that had ISA slots, I spoke to one of our local suppliers who put me onto these people Portwell Computer Supplies , consequently, I am purchasing my new PC's from them.

I know you said you have to order Dell, but if you do manage to change somebodies mind, then give these people a ring. I can post a contact name and number if you require.

Paul