SLC5/04 & Panelview 1000 Problem!

Hi there,
I have been working on one of our machines which has an Allen Bradley SLC504 and a Panelview 1000 touchdscreen. I have been working on an intermittent problem but the annoying thing is that i have to unplug the PV1000 from the processor each time I want to plug in my PC to fault find.
The PV and SLC are connected via RS232 cable.
My question is this:
How can I connect my PC to talk to both the PV and SLC together. in other machines which use DH485 we use Allen Bradley AIC Link Converters to do this, but this machine uses DH+/RS232 Is there a converter for DH+/RS232 that I can use. THe PV1000 has another RS232 but I think this is a printer port! Head aching a bit with this one!
Any ideas?

If your PV is connected via RS232 to the SLC, you should be able to connect to the 5/04 using the DH+ channel without disturbing the PV connection. You will need a DH+ card in your PC to do thi$. I don't know if it would do you any good to connect to the PV while in operation. Describe your problem...someone here has probably seen it before.

The DH+ cards for PC:
1784-PCMK for PMCIA slot in laptop PC
1784-PKTX for PCI slot in desktop PC

There are other choices for other platforms:
http://www.ab.com/en/epub/catalogs/12762/2181376/214372/1491278/2578666/

OkiePC, I was hoping for a quick solution but it looks like I will have to try and get hold of an interface card (DH+) though this is probably more expensive than my boss would like!

The problem with the machine is a machine setup problem I think, probably operator parameters somewhere but it's hard to monitor when you have to keep unplugging cables!

Describe your symptoms in more detail, and post the code if possible...I bet someone here can help you today...

Whats the product code of the PV1000


should be 2711- summin ?

AB is supposed to be releasing a DF1 (RS-232) port splitter (1747-DSP1) on or about 6/17/05. This would most likely be more economical than purchasing a PCMK/PKTX card.

Since you asked how to talk both to the screen and PLC at the same time, I assume you have the appropriate panelview development software (panelbuilder, I think). If so, why not build some diagnostic screens in the panelview and write some diagnostic ladder rungs in the PLC. If you do this once, you'll see the advantages and include some of it in all your code from now on.

Due to cutbacks in our company we only have 4 maint elecricians to cover three shift system. This means that I don't have time to develop any diagnostic screens, which I would like to do. Yes I do have panelbuilder software and RSLogix 6. As for posting code, the problems are machine related and not program errors. You would need the machine drawings, etc, to fault find. I have traced problem to a timer being allowed to time out but can't quite see why it's not resetting. Could be setting or parameters. Not 100% familiar with operation of machine! I would still like to be able to talk with PLC and PV together and will look into the splitter and/or card!
Thanks