I've been looking for a new laptop, programming PLCs requires a serial port and most modern laptops don't have a built in serial port.

Does anyone have any experience using Expresscard/PCMCIA/USB serial adapters?

Or does anyone know of a new laptop which comes with a serial port?

 

I just got a Dell that has a docking station with what appears to be a real serial port. To be honest I use the USB to serial with the FTDI chipset internally (Startech ICUSB2321F) and it hasn't let me down yet, including some old 16bit win95 era applications (In a virtual XP machine hosted by Win7 64bit). Dell does sell a mini portable extension that plugs into the dock connector that provides legacy ports like serial and parallel. I didn't bother getting it because the USB to serial works and is more convenient.

As they say, your mileage may vary. If you can test your software ahead of time with a $20 USB-serial converter on the PC you already have you would be a step ahead. I think the laptop I have has some kind of PCI-ish expansion slot, but again I didn't need it (But it is probably good insurance to have such a thing).

KEJR

 

I have had good luck with several USB to RS-232/485/422 converters. An internet search will list several makes and pricing as low as $20 or $30 USA.

Thanks,
Chuck

 

I have had good success with PCMCIA and USB RS232 adapters with most communications protocols. They will NOT work with AB DH485 though at all.

There are plenty of laptops available with RS232 ports built in. we get them regularly. they do cost more than the more common ones that don't need built-in RS232. we get Dells but other companies have them as well.

--
Bob

 

Dell makes something called an E-Legacy Extender for Select Dell Studio / Precision Mobile WorkStations. Its like a mini docking station and does have a serial port.

 

Depends mainly on the software you need to run and the strict timing possibly requested by protocols. Ethernet converters may put some relatively considerable delay.

If you have to deal with Siemens Step5 programming software, check for a true COM port or a PCMCIA/PCE card providing interrupts.

If you make use of VMware or VirtualBox, I'm afraid PCMCIA/PCE cards cannot be seen by the virtual machines, in that case you may use USB/serial or Ethernet/serial converters.

There are then different flavors of USB chips (Prolific and FTDI just to name a few) and according to colleagues they seem to act differently on different PCs and different operating systems, so maybe it's not wise to rely just on one single USB converter model.

 

We recently purchased a pair of Panasonic Toughbooks with on-board serial ports. Unfortunately, they come preinstalled with Win7, so some of your PLC software may not work. We installed WinXP on one of them. It's working, but getting the correct drivers was not a trivial task. If you use virtual machines, you may be able to bypass this, but I wouldn't be too hopeful, since the VM is still using the host OS to handle hardware stuff, especially the serial port.

I don't have any experience with PCMCIA or ExpressCard adapters, so I can't say if they will work with your application. I DO have experience with the Keyspan USA-19HS USB-RS232 adapter, and it's solid with most of what I've had to do. It will NOT work with the Allen-Bradley PIC module, or the Excel Automation adapter for PLC-2.

 

The port replicator I have for my Dell does not work as a native COM port. At least, the stuff I've tried that needs a native COM port doesn't work with it. The stuff that works OK with the USB adapter also works with the replicator. YMMV.

 

Hello,

I've tested many USB/RS232/485 converters.

From my experience the important is chip used for the converter. In my opinion the best is Prolific. I had no problems with connection to 64 bits systems like Vista 64 and embedded systems with Linux. FTDI also works very well with most systems.

Regards,
Andrzej
www.modbus.pl

 

I have an old software I need to support (Keyence Ladder builder *for windows*) that I finally got working in a virtual XP machine under win7 64bit. It would not work with a prolific adapter I had, but the FTDI adapter I have works great.

My FTDI adapter does do some weird toggling of the handshake lines when it is first plugged in. One controller we have beeps like crazy for a couple seconds. It works once the adapter is recognized though.

You gotta love it.

KEJR

 

I faced exactly the same problems some months ago. Our old laptop become out of order, and some old configuration software does't work with usb converters or PCMCIA adapters.

Toshiba Tecra A11 series was the solution. In my opinion, good quality and affordable price.

 

The HP EliteBook 8560p comes with a built in serial port

 

I like the ProBook 6550b by HP. Not really new, but it does have a serial port.

 

It has been my experience in the switchgear industry, that USB to serial is undesirable. I have had limited experience with PLC programming, but work quite frequently with Schweitzer, Multilin, and various other protective relaying equipment. I have noticed issues while bench testing with several USB-serial cable brands, where the communications alone can trip or take a piece of equipment offline (specific to Schweitzer relays). I have used these cables on several laptops with different OS installs and configurations. The only thing that works 100% for me, is a serial to serial interface.

I have heard that a brainbox (http://www.brainboxes.com/) is a good alternative for PLC programming, if no other option is available. I have yet to try this method.

I hope this helps.

 

>It has been my experience in the switchgear industry, that USB to serial is undesirable. I have had limited experience with PLC programming, but...<

Cheap (and some not so cheap) brands usually have those sorts of problems, usually when the manufacturer doesn't implement RS232 correctly.

I've found FTDI based chips to be quite good and have used them extensively.

--

Regards
Eamonn Wallace
+353 86 2506350

 

+1 on the FTDI

 

Try the HP Elitebook 8750p ^_^

> I've been looking for a new laptop, programming PLCs requires a serial port and most modern laptops don't have a built in serial port.

> Does anyone have any experience using Expresscard/PCMCIA/USB serial adapters?

> Or does anyone know of a new laptop which comes with a serial port?

 

Panasonic Toughbooks still come with serial ports.

 

Hi Folks,

can you follow this link for the HP laptop with serial port: http://h30441.www3.hp.com/8845/321957-321957-64295-3929941-3955552-5045605/reviews.htm