Omega Owners Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Please play nicely.  No one wants to listen/read a keyboard warriors rants....

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor  (Read 4161 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Jimbob

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chester / Flintshire
  • Posts: 24582
  • I like traffic lights, but only when they're green
    • E250 Est / Golf GTI
Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« on: 29 August 2007, 10:35:42 »
Thinking about getting a new laptop, the continued ability to use the cheapo tech2 would be nice, but a cheap(ish) (£400) laptop with a serial port seems impossible to find.
Now I know the cheapo tech2 is especially binky, generally doesnt work with USB - Serial adaptors.
PC Card (PCMCIA) also seem obsolete now,

So am wondering, has anyone got a ExpressCard Serial Adaptor working with the cheapo tech2?
Seen a few for sale, mainly in the states at about $100
Dont mind buying one if it works, but an expensive mistake if it doesnt.

Cheers
Logged

TheBoy

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Brackley, Northants
  • Posts: 108062
  • I Like Lockdown
    • Whatever Starts
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #1 on: 29 August 2007, 10:45:01 »
Quote
Thinking about getting a new laptop, the continued ability to use the cheapo tech2 would be nice, but a cheap(ish) (£400) laptop with a serial port seems impossible to find.
Now I know the cheapo tech2 is especially binky, generally doesnt work with USB - Serial adaptors.
PC Card (PCMCIA) also seem obsolete now,

So am wondering, has anyone got a ExpressCard Serial Adaptor working with the cheapo tech2?
Seen a few for sale, mainly in the states at about $100
Dont mind buying one if it works, but an expensive mistake if it doesnt.

Cheers
Why not use new lappy for normal use, keeping old one for working with cheapo tech2?

Thats what I do, get an old one (or 2 ;)) for use with Tech2 (not that real one mines about USB adapters) and VAG-COM (which is as fussy as cheapo Tech2) etc.

That way, I don't get my usual laptop all oily and horrible.
Logged
Grumpy old man

Jimbob

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chester / Flintshire
  • Posts: 24582
  • I like traffic lights, but only when they're green
    • E250 Est / Golf GTI
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #2 on: 29 August 2007, 10:54:39 »
Ahh well, good plan except.....

The current tech2ing laptop, is my work one  ::)  shouldnt really be using it for this, plus its up for replacement soon, now the current work laptop's do have serial ports, but who knows when it's my turn.

My other old laptop (*cough* very old ex-work laptop *cough*) although it has a serial port, is not fast enough to run the software.

So functionality *may* not be required, but would be nice to have in case.
Logged

Kevin Wood

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Alton, Hampshire
  • Posts: 36525
    • Jaguar XE 25t, Westfield
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #3 on: 29 August 2007, 11:07:02 »
I bought a Dell D620 for work use recently and it has a serial port and works nicely with cheapo Tech2 ::)

The D5xx Dell laptops have serial ports too AFAIK.

I keep meaning to try a PCMCIA serial card with cheapo Tech2..

Kevin
Logged
Tech2 services currently available. See TheBoy's price list: http://theboy.omegaowners.com/

TheBoy

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Brackley, Northants
  • Posts: 108062
  • I Like Lockdown
    • Whatever Starts
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #4 on: 29 August 2007, 11:24:11 »
Quote
Ahh well, good plan except.....

The current tech2ing laptop, is my work one  ::)  shouldnt really be using it for this, plus its up for replacement soon, now the current work laptop's do have serial ports, but who knows when it's my turn.

My other old laptop (*cough* very old ex-work laptop *cough*) although it has a serial port, is not fast enough to run the software.

So functionality *may* not be required, but would be nice to have in case.
My new (last year) lappy had a serial port (essential for building unix servers with no screen/keyboard).  Alas, it is unreliable, and has been swapped a few times, last time with the 'upgraded' model. Yup, you guessed, no serial port  >:(
Logged
Grumpy old man

Jimbob

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chester / Flintshire
  • Posts: 24582
  • I like traffic lights, but only when they're green
    • E250 Est / Golf GTI
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #5 on: 29 August 2007, 12:03:55 »
Great fun innit!

Just having another look around dell, and £410 gets their cheapest serial ported laptop (D520), whose spec is unfortunately pretty low in comparison :(

Logged

Marks DTM Calib

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • West Bridgford
  • Posts: 34139
  • Git!
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #6 on: 29 August 2007, 15:17:21 »
I had pretty reasonable success with a USB to serial adaptor and cheap tech 2.....cant remember what make the lead was though!
Logged

TheBoy

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Brackley, Northants
  • Posts: 108062
  • I Like Lockdown
    • Whatever Starts
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #7 on: 29 August 2007, 16:04:15 »
Quote
I had pretty reasonable success with a USB to serial adaptor and cheap tech 2.....cant remember what make the lead was though!
In my experience (not much), the prolithic driver seems to be best, but still flakey. Better with fast (ie P4 or Core chip) laptop.  VAG-COM even more fussy!

An old lappy for cheapo (PIII laptops are about the price of a decent meal for 2 now) with proper serial is the best solution, as it will likely get a bit grubby.
Logged
Grumpy old man

Taxi_Driver

  • Guest
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #8 on: 29 August 2007, 18:54:26 »
How about using one of these with non serial port laptop.....

http://www.pcwb.com/catalogue/item/KEN00325

I use a port replicator.....tho not one of those.....on my dell laptop to get a serial port....cheapo tech2 works fine on it  :y

The above replicator seems to be what Dell are flogging now for port replicators.
Logged

TheBoy

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Brackley, Northants
  • Posts: 108062
  • I Like Lockdown
    • Whatever Starts
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #9 on: 29 August 2007, 22:20:30 »
Quote
How about using one of these with non serial port laptop.....

http://www.pcwb.com/catalogue/item/KEN00325

I use a port replicator.....tho not one of those.....on my dell laptop to get a serial port....cheapo tech2 works fine on it  :y

The above replicator seems to be what Dell are flogging now for port replicators.
many replicators now are usb devices, which means success may not be guaranteed....
Logged
Grumpy old man

Kevin Wood

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Alton, Hampshire
  • Posts: 36525
    • Jaguar XE 25t, Westfield
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #10 on: 29 August 2007, 23:05:02 »
Cheapo Tech2 certainly didn't work with my Toshiba port replicator. YMMV.

I suspect cheapo Tech 2 is also quite sensitive to CPU speed so that's another variable.

Kevin
Logged
Tech2 services currently available. See TheBoy's price list: http://theboy.omegaowners.com/

Jimbob

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chester / Flintshire
  • Posts: 24582
  • I like traffic lights, but only when they're green
    • E250 Est / Golf GTI
Re: Cheapo Tech2 and expresscard serial adaptor
« Reply #11 on: 30 August 2007, 07:52:55 »
Cheers, some interesting points there.

Least adaptors arn't a total no-no.

Sounds like choose a laptop and tinker for a bit while hoping for the best.  :y
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
 

Page created in 0.016 seconds with 22 queries.