Laptop docking station with serial port

asia548

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #1

As we know in industrial application there are still lots of equipment still

use serial port. today's laptop only come with usb, no real serial port h/w.

using a usb to serial port converter, sometimes work but mostly don't. my

question is does anybody have experience with docking station for laptop that

have a serial port? is it as good as serial port that comes with the laptop?

 

tragically1969

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #2

asia548 said:

As we know in industrial application there are still lots of equipment still

use serial port. today's laptop only come with usb, no real serial port h/w.

using a usb to serial port converter, sometimes work but mostly don't. my

question is does anybody have experience with docking station for laptop that

have a serial port? is it as good as serial port that comes with the laptop?

Click to expand...

Just buy a PCMCIA serial port, have a look at the Brainboxes range: http://www.brainboxes.com/category/pcmcia.aspx

 

asia548

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #3

Thanks for the info, will this card works under DOS (not windows)?

 

tragically1969

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #4

asia548 said:

Thanks for the info, will this card works under DOS (not windows)?

Click to expand...

I dont know about native DOS driver, you would have to check that.

I used to use it in a DOS window from Windows XP with Mitsubishi's Melsec Medoc DOS program and it worked perfectly.

 

Derek

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #5

I have a IBM X60 w/docking station/serial port.
Works fine.
My newer laptop has an express slot rather than the PCMCIA,
not sure how long much longer PCMCIA will be available.

 

cjd1965

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #6

Hi
I have a brainbox express card for RS232 works fine for me

 

STL???

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #7

Hi Guys,
Just being nosey! What have you successfully connected to using the brainbox converters?

Cheers Steve

 

HJTRBO

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• Jan 19, 2009

• #8

I used a dontronics USB to serial converter successfully for 6 months before the new laptop. I never not once had any dramas connecting to AB CLX / SLC / MLX, Mitsi, Hakko HMI, T/E VSD, Sick safety, and some Microcontroller stuff.
Awesome product, well priced, I carried two so I could work online and carry out HMI editing at the same time. Brilliant. (I don't work for them by the way)
And yes, serial port laptops are still available.

 

cjd1965

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• Jan 20, 2009

• #9

Hi
I have used it on GE Fanuc 90/30 and 90/70, Mitsi A series, various servo drives and motion controllers, SSD Drives (CE Lite)

Agree fixed rs232 port is best but rare as rocking horse ****
Cheers

 

Fred_Loveless

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• Jan 20, 2009

• #10

I have a dell lattitude 640 with docking station and I have no problems running applications that use the serial port. both windows and dos apps.

For PCMIA and USB to serial converters I have found that if you go with the name brands they tend to work and the bigger companies will have drivers that are supported in a dos environment. They may cost more but they tend to save more in the end.