USB to Serial converter

ade · Jul 11, 2005

Hi all,

I just Lost my Compaq Presario 2100 laptop and company provides me with Compaq Presario 2500. These Laptop was normally used for programming, troubleshooting and other PLC/PanelView related work which requires a serial communication port. Unfortunatelly, the Presario 2500 has no serial port. And I search the internet thru google.com and I found a USB to serial converter (http://www.usbgear.com/U232-P9.html).

My question is, is there anyone has an experience using these converter (or the other brand converter) to connect your laptop to serial-devices (SLC 5/04 for exapmle)?

Your commentsand suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Best regards
-ade-

Craig@JRL · Jul 11, 2005

Same problem, got a convertor and it worked fine not a hicup, Touch wood, that was just a bog standard run of the mill oneRoline unit DTR 230 Kbps. Although if you used the PIC unit (DH485) to talk to a panelview then as far as I know you will need a 1747-UIC. Again I have used it recentlly had can not report any problems.

Hope this helps.

stasis · Jul 11, 2005

Belkin makes a great usb/seril converter..about $30. And for the UIC, it's well worth the $300 (device + cables).

tom_stalcup · Jul 11, 2005

Depending on how many different software packages you are working with, the usb converters may or may not work properly...... The best thing I've come up with is to pick up a "port replicator", which is a type of small docking station. This gives you a true serial port.... Do a search for usb and converter here in the site, and I believe there have been a couple of lists made up concerning which converters work with the different software packages

Stephen Luft · Jul 11, 2005

B&B electronics offers a serial to USB cable.

http://www.bb-elec.com/product.asp?sku=UC232A

They do have other types of converters...this was the least expensive and the least clumsy.

Hope this helps.

God Bless,

jimpad · Jul 11, 2005

I've used the ones from Automation Direct with AD products,SLC5/04, CLX, Panelbuilder 32 w/no problems.

MarkTTU · Jul 11, 2005

ATEN makes one that seems to work with everything I've ever thrown at it. I think the catch on the ATEN is that it is an honest serial port (not really a converter/adapter) that connects via USB instead of PCI to the CPU.

Will maintenance · Jul 11, 2005

This is a topic, I have been wondering about for some time!

Thinking of byeing a new laptop, but as I,am working in a lesser payed job to gain experience! funds are small! most of my software i own is old and ms dos based.

So my two main concerns are that the software wont run on XP and most laptops only have usb ports now.

One option is to partition the drive and run an older os! and also get a usb convertor?

obvisouly if i had the money would just buy all the latest windows based software.

So does anyone have any useful advice on what to buy? also want to use the laptop for basicly everything i do as dont get back home to my desktop much !!!!!!!!!

All recomendations welcome.

MarkTTU · Jul 11, 2005

I think you'd better find a laptop with a serial port. Several of the IBMs still have them and even some Dells. USB-RS232 converters, adapters, etc (including the ATEN I mentioned) only have Windows drivers; if you need to boot into dos you're probably going to be up a creek with out a built in serial port.

ade · Jul 11, 2005

Thanks everyone for the comments, suggestions and recommendation...
I can now ask my boss to buy me one converter... :nodi:

Best regards,
ade

Doug_Adam · Jul 11, 2005

What type of PLC do you use?
Some have USB converters specifically designed for that PLC

ade · Jul 11, 2005

I use Allen Bradley SLC 5/04, PanelView 1000, PanelView 600, OMNI Flow Computer...

Doug_Adam · Jul 12, 2005

And some don't....

BTW, Compaq (HP) has some laptops in its range with built in serial ports.
Not all, but if you specifically ask for a serial port, you will get it.
(I know it dosn't help you now, but maybe next time)

BobB · Jul 12, 2005

I have purchased a HP recently with a real serial port. It is really a re-badged Compaq. So happy I got away from the USB/serial converters and I had a good one that was sold by Omron and worked really well to any PLC I connected to. The problem was big footed electricians in plant rooms falling over your cables all the time eventually destroyed the USB ports on the laptop. I can screw the cable into the serial port. Not to say that the serial port will survive either.

The laptop was a HP XE3. The thing I really loved about the laptop was HP placed a button in front of the touch pad. You could turn the touchpad on and off. Really marvellous. No more typing rubbish in the middle of nowhere. I am sure most of you know what I mean. Unfortunately that wonderfull feature has yet to migrate to the Compaq laptops.

STEVEBOT · Jul 12, 2005

try the second hand market for a reasonably old used laptop. The company I work for bought me new one two years ago.Had to then buy two new sets of software to run in the Xp environment.

USB to Serial converter

ade

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Craig@JRL

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stasis

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tom_stalcup

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Stephen Luft

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jimpad

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MarkTTU

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Will maintenance

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MarkTTU

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ade

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ade

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Doug_Adam

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STEVEBOT

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