Upgrading from KTX to a PKTX - Help?

We are currently running a KTX card on an ISA slot in an older NT machine. Its an old Pentium machine and handles our application fine but I am concerned about the reliablity.

We have been operating in a dusty compounding environment and this is the second computer installed for this application in 6 years. We are moving to a new facility that will be a much cleaner environment and I am looking to upgrade our system at the same time as the move.

But upgrading the computer means I have to upgrade from our current KTX card to a PKTX card due to the lack of ISA slots in the newer machines.

Any suggestions? We will purchase a PKTX card and a newer computer but I wonder if there are any limitations on the PKTX card. One of our subcontractors that works with us on some of our mixing programs said that computer speed may be a problem installing a PKTX card into todays faster computers.

We have a handful of processors all on the DH+ network and we aren't in a position to upgrade to ethernet as of yet.

Thank you,

JP

No, not true. The old ISA version KTX card would have had problems with the newer Processors, busses faster than 33Mhz. You are fine with the PKTX card. I use a SST-5136 card in my PC, 3.0GHz Athalon, no problem communicating DH+.

Hi

I just made the same move you'Re about to make a week ago... Here are some advise I can give you with what I've encountered:
1- Avoid Dell Optiplex computers they may have a conflict with the card.
2- If you're using Wonderware as a Scada program be shure to have at least version 7.5 of the I/O server and go download technote number 249 on their website.

I wish you good luck with you're change.

For the cost of a couple of PKTX cards, you could install a ControLogix bridge (P/S, 4-slot chassis, DHRIO and ENBT modules) and gain access to all of your DH+ data via the $12.00 netowrk card in you PC. And you would be insulated from future PCI bus standard changes and expensive, proprietary PC cards. You do not need RSLogix5000 software - you can configure both comms modules with RSLinx.

Did the switch for a customer a year ago without any problems. They are only using it as a programming computer to go online with PLCs, not using it for a SCADA application. I can't tell you the exact specs but it was a new computer at the time (year ago).

Actually there was a technote about too fast FSB speeds on todays PCs. That said, I have installed PKTX cards on numerous standard PCs and never seen that particular problem.

We recently did the same thing as you are inquiring about. Did it on a limited budget. I ordered 3 of Dell's cheapest home version desk top pc's (upgraded the processor to 3.2GHz, memory to 512Mb Ram & XP Pro).
Installed RSLinx, then the PKTX cards, and it went smoothly. Good luck as you should have no problems. The faster pc's sure have been a blessing as I have installed tons of software and never had any problems with the pc's.

Steve

I also made the same swap on two PCs running wonderware as well as RSLogix500. The older NT machines were full of dust and were starting to loose internal devices (floopy drives and CD roms etc.) The customer selected two Dual core optiplex 3 GHZ machines with 2 gig of ram and I saw no issues with conflicts as mentioned above. The only issue is that you can't run the wonderware i/o server and RSlinx at the same time. But you couldn't do that before either.

Marc

Thanks all! Looks like I will be shopping this week