Hi Lewin,

>In theory, the USB devices COULD come with a VDD that would fully
>virtualize the parallel port to the I/O level. In practice, they don't.
>It may be that a few such devices do come with fully-implemented
>drivers, but they certainly don't advertise the feature.
>  
>

If they do I wonder why they don't advertise. Besides not being able to 
run a JTAG programmer like the MSP430 FET on a USB to parallel converter 
there are going to be lots of folks in much more dire straits: Those 
with the dreaded dongles, especially on legacy software that for 
whatever reason needs to be kept going. Those folks might some day be 
frantically looking for used laptops that still have a real parallel port.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

> I don't use one, but I think it's VERY unlikely. The parallel port
JTAG
> programmers work by direct bit- poking; you'll usually find they come

> with an access- protection- defeating driver such as giveio, Port95
etc.

In theory, the USB devices COULD come with a VDD that would fully
virtualize the parallel port to the I/O level. In practice, they don't.
It may be that a few such devices do come with fully-implemented
drivers, but they certainly don't advertise the feature.

> I don't use one, but I think it's VERY unlikely. The parallel port
JTAG
> programmers work by direct bit- poking; you'll usually find they come

> with an access- protection- defeating driver such as giveio, Port95
etc.

In theory, the USB devices COULD come with a VDD that would fully
virtualize the parallel port to the I/O level. In practice, they don't.
It may be that a few such devices do come with fully-implemented
drivers, but they certainly don't advertise the feature.

> I don't use one, but I think it's VERY unlikely. The parallel port
JTAG
> programmers work by direct bit- poking; you'll usually find they come

> with an access- protection- defeating driver such as giveio, Port95
etc.

In theory, the USB devices COULD come with a VDD that would fully
virtualize the parallel port to the I/O level. In practice, they don't.
It may be that a few such devices do come with fully-implemented
drivers, but they certainly don't advertise the feature.

Hi Rob,

>The Dell group that handles leased laptops has an eBay store where they sell 
>factory reconditioned Dell laptops.  I have bought a couple and they seem 
>quite nice.  Not as cheap as you might get a laptop elsewhere but I was 
>comforted by the fact they have been reworked by Dell technicians.
>
>Perhaps you can find a year or two old model that still has parallel and 
>serial ports.
>  
>

Thanks. I didn't know that they sell lease returns on EBay. I looked 
around a bit. Seems like they are mostly close to or past warranty 
expiration. But it is a bit tedious to find out whether they have a 
parallel port. When I keyed in the respective service tags it only shows 
a brief configuration list. With test equipment that's different since I 
always keep some old HP catalogs ;-)

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Hi Lewin,

>I've tried some USB-parallel solutions and none of them worked with the
>FET.
>  
>

That's sad. It probably is not working for the reasons Paul gave. What 
puzzles me is that TI still sells their MSP430 trial kits with a 
parallel-only connection with the far end soldered to the proto board. 
This means a lot of people with laptops can't use them.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Joerg wrote:

> 
> So now I am wondering if an MSP430 tool works via a bidirectional 
> USB-parallel adapter such as the Micro Innovations USB545C. Else we'd 
> have to buy the more expensive USB programming pods. I posted a question 
> on the MSP430 Yahoo forum and to TI support. Let's see.
> 

I don't use one, but I think it's VERY unlikely. The parallel port JTAG 
programmers work by direct bit- poking; you'll usually find they come 
with an access- protection- defeating driver such as giveio, Port95 etc.

You can program the MSP430s using the serial port, but tyhe debugger 
doesn't work that way, you have to revert to old-fashioned LED blinking, 
strategically-places printf()s etc.

Paul Burke

> So now I am wondering if an MSP430 tool works via a bidirectional 
> USB-parallel adapter such as the Micro Innovations USB545C. Else we'd 
> have to buy the more expensive USB programming pods. I posted a question 

I've tried some USB-parallel solutions and none of them worked with the
FET.

"Joerg" <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote in message 
news:m75td.29578$zx1.21889@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...
> Hi Ian,
>
>>Whichever one you choose, be sure to check it has a serial interface. 
>>Many
>>laptops these days no longer have one.
>>
>
> Actually I was just about to settle for a little Dell this morning. Then, 
> just before ordering, I found that it doesn't even have a parallel port. 
> Ouch.
>
> So now I am wondering if an MSP430 tool works via a bidirectional 
> USB-parallel adapter such as the Micro Innovations USB545C. Else we'd have 
> to buy the more expensive USB programming pods. I posted a question on the 
> MSP430 Yahoo forum and to TI support. Let's see.
>
> Regards, Joerg
>
> http://www.analogconsultants.com

The Dell group that handles leased laptops has an eBay store where they sell 
factory reconditioned Dell laptops.  I have bought a couple and they seem 
quite nice.  Not as cheap as you might get a laptop elsewhere but I was 
comforted by the fact they have been reworked by Dell technicians.

Perhaps you can find a year or two old model that still has parallel and 
serial ports.

http://stores.ebay.com/Dell-Financial-Services_W0QQsspagenameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm

If this link doesn't work just go to eBay and search for 
"Dell-Financial-Services" and you should eventually end up at their eBay 
store.

Rob Young
(no affiliation with Dell, just satisfied with their products) 

Hi Ian,

>Whichever one you choose, be sure to check it has a serial interface.  Many
>laptops these days no longer have one.
>  
>

Actually I was just about to settle for a little Dell this morning. 
Then, just before ordering, I found that it doesn't even have a parallel 
port. Ouch.

So now I am wondering if an MSP430 tool works via a bidirectional 
USB-parallel adapter such as the Micro Innovations USB545C. Else we'd 
have to buy the more expensive USB programming pods. I posted a question 
on the MSP430 Yahoo forum and to TI support. Let's see.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com