My embedded system uses a serial port for configuration and logging operations. Then, software running on a notebook computer communicates with this embedded system to process configuration and logging data. The software running on notebook computer implements a DOS-based serial driver not Windows-based serial driver. This serial driver is pretty old. Most newer notebook computers no longer come with serial port. Instead, USB and PCMCIA ports are available. I have contacted many vendors that offer USB-to-serial port adapters and all of them tell me that these devices only work with Windows-based serial drivers. I also contacted vendors that make PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters and I get mixed responses. A couple have told me that their PCMCIA adapters will work with DOS-based serial drivers. Anyone have any experience with PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters?
serial port to PCMCIA converter
Started by ●January 26, 2007
Reply by ●January 27, 20072007-01-27
safetran (Perry.Mar@Safetran.com) says...> I also contacted vendors that make PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters and I get mixed > responses. A couple have told me that their PCMCIA adapters will work > with DOS-based serial drivers. > > Anyone have any experience with PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters? >I have personal experience with the Quatech SSPR-100 PCMCIA cards. At least to Windows, these cards are almost indistinguishable from a 16550 UART on the motherboard's PCI bus. The exact same SERIAL.SYS driver can be used. This is never the case with a USB-connected serial port. Although I rarely use DOS comm software anymore, my feeling is that you would have a fighting chance with a PCMCIA card, and slim odds with anything else. -- Scott
Reply by ●January 27, 20072007-01-27
On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 15:42:28 -0600, "safetran" <Perry.Mar@Safetran.com> wrote:>My embedded system uses a serial port for configuration and logging >operations. Then, software running on a notebook computer communicates >with this embedded system to process configuration and logging data. The >software running on notebook computer implements a DOS-based serial driver >not Windows-based serial driver. This serial driver is pretty old. > >Most newer notebook computers no longer come with serial port. Instead, >USB and PCMCIA ports are available. I have contacted many vendors that >offer USB-to-serial port adapters and all of them tell me that these >devices only work with Windows-based serial drivers. I also contacted >vendors that make PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters and I get mixed >responses. A couple have told me that their PCMCIA adapters will work >with DOS-based serial drivers. > >Anyone have any experience with PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters? >Pcmcia devices get mapped into real I/O space at the 'right' address, so if you can persuade the DOS PCMCIA drivers to map it correctly, and if the card hardware is compatible with standard UARTS, then it should work in principle as it will look like a real hardware serial port. DOS PCMCIA drivers can be somewhat hard to get to behave, and it is worth trying different ones if you have trouble as they have their own quirks.
Reply by ●January 29, 20072007-01-29
"safetran" <Perry.Mar@Safetran.com> wrote in news:m46dnQCpw5tZ6CfYnZ2dnUVZ_ualnZ2d@giganews.com:> My embedded system uses a serial port for configuration and logging > operations. Then, software running on a notebook computer > communicates with this embedded system to process configuration and > logging data. The software running on notebook computer implements a > DOS-based serial driver not Windows-based serial driver. This serial > driver is pretty old. > > Most newer notebook computers no longer come with serial port. > Instead, USB and PCMCIA ports are available. I have contacted many > vendors that offer USB-to-serial port adapters and all of them tell me > that these devices only work with Windows-based serial drivers. I > also contacted vendors that make PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters and I > get mixed responses. A couple have told me that their PCMCIA adapters > will work with DOS-based serial drivers. > > Anyone have any experience with PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters? > >Maybe not what you are looking for, but I have no problems with my USB to serial and PCMCIA to serial converters running a DOS serial comms program in a Windows DOS box. Sam
Reply by ●January 29, 20072007-01-29
safetran wrote:> Anyone have any experience with PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters?Look at "http://www.startech.com/Product/ItemSpecs.aspx?productid=CB2S650&c=US" I have this one. It supports Linux, though since it's a 32 bit CardBus card, DOS probably doesn't work with it. You really want to find a super-old 16 bit PCMCIA card. The Sealevel PCMCIA cards support DOS, according to the Sealevel site, "http://www.sealevel.com/seacom6112/seacom6112.asp" It's unlikely that you'd ever get a USB to Serial port adapter to work with DOS. Personally, now I'm careful to only buy laptops with a serial port. They are still available. I suspect that most 16 bit cards would work with DOS applications.
Reply by ●January 29, 20072007-01-29
safetran wrote:> My embedded system uses a serial port for configuration and logging > operations. Then, software running on a notebook computer communicates > with this embedded system to process configuration and logging data. The > software running on notebook computer implements a DOS-based serial driver > not Windows-based serial driver. This serial driver is pretty old. > > Most newer notebook computers no longer come with serial port. Instead, > USB and PCMCIA ports are available.In an increasing number of notebooks, there are no longer PCMCIA ports. While not all that common, there are still new notebooks available with serial ports. Even with parallel ports.
Reply by ●January 29, 20072007-01-29
SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote in news:45bddfe4$0$69000 $742ec2ed@news.sonic.net:> safetran wrote: > >> Anyone have any experience with PCMCIA-to-serial port adapters? > > Look at > "http://www.startech.com/Product/ItemSpecs.aspx?productid=CB2S650&c=US" > > I have this one. > > It supports Linux, though since it's a 32 bit CardBus card, DOSprobably> doesn't work with it. You really want to find a super-old 16 bit PCMCIA > card. > > The Sealevel PCMCIA cards support DOS, according to the Sealevel site, > "http://www.sealevel.com/seacom6112/seacom6112.asp" > > It's unlikely that you'd ever get a USB to Serial port adapter to work > with DOS.Check www.vinculum.com. They claim to add USB functionality to microcontrollers, so why not legacy DOS machines? Sam> > Personally, now I'm careful to only buy laptops with a serial port.They> are still available. > > I suspect that most 16 bit cards would work with DOS applications.
Reply by ●January 29, 20072007-01-29
SamSvL <samsvl@nlr.nl> wrote:>Maybe not what you are looking for, but I have no problems with my >USB to serial and PCMCIA to serial converters running a DOS serial >comms program in a Windows DOS box.Timing crtitical operations do not work at all this way, I have seen people killing two-way radios by programming them this way.
