Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Laptop connections

This is topic Laptop connections in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mike Babb (Member # 1379) on 01-10-2004, 05:11 PM:

If this has been discussed please let me know where...

I use an old Compaq Armada with W98 for Dolby 650, Dolby Reader, SDDS and Load500. I just got a new Dell 5150 with XP Home and no serial port, how much can I use it for these functions and what is the best way to hook up a serial cable?

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-10-2004, 05:19 PM:

This has indeed been discussed ad nauseam. The best way to hook up a serial cable is to plug it in the serial connector.
Get the Keyspan adapter.
Once you have it, use the configuration tool to map the adapter to one of the ports the setup software recognizes for connection.

Posted by Matthew Bailey (Member # 601) on 01-10-2004, 07:39 PM:

You may need USB to serial adapters.

Posted by Mike Babb (Member # 1379) on 01-10-2004, 07:59 PM:

Just ordered the Keyspan USB to serial adapter recommended by Michael. Also I did some further software specific searching on the site and from what I can tell, 650 Setup and Reader software will probably run on my system and Load500 will not. SDDS DFP3000 maybe? I would probably keep using my old laptop anyway for some of the stuff and prefer not to partition my hard drive if possible just for this. Thanks everyone and if you have more to add, let me know...

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-10-2004, 08:06 PM:

Load500 will almost always work. You often have to run the software in slave mode when transfering data from the CP though.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-10-2004, 09:15 PM:

The SDDS website has a version of the 3000 software for XP.

Posted by Alan Haigh (Member # 1781) on 01-12-2004, 03:41 PM:

On a similar topic. I've just ordered a pair of these little puppies -

http://www.omniinstruments.co.uk/radiotel/HPS120.pdf

wireless RS232 adaptors. They could change my life forever if they work. No more long cables - and the German "no hole through the projection room wall 70 year old fire regulations" nightmare may at last be overcome. Will report back if they work.

Alan

Posted by Michael Elam (Member # 788) on 01-13-2004, 09:57 PM:

Early next week I am going to test Microsoft's Virtual PC 2004 running inside XP Pro and Pcmcia to Serial adapter.

Posted by Jon Bartow (Member # 241) on 01-16-2004, 12:25 PM:

I have used virtual PC 2004 with XP and it works flawlessly. I have two virtual machines set up. WIN98SE and DOS6.22. It even runs the THX R2 software without any problems! Also tried VPC with the Keyspan USB adaptor, once again, no problems.

PLEASE NOTE!
To anyone with XP. Load500 does work, but only to download and save settings. If you try to upgrade the software you WILL fry the ROM chips. (this is not a maybe, it WILL fry them) However, with VPC2004 and win98 or DOS, no problems.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-17-2004, 06:42 PM:

XP likes to muck around with the hardware's output voltage levels. Putting a 100 ohm resistor on each line might prevent the sweet, sweet smell o' silicon.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-18-2004, 03:28 AM:

Why does that XP do that?

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-18-2004, 11:47 PM:

because it is winDOZe and microsquat thinks it owns the computor world [fu]

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-19-2004, 12:03 AM:

I assume it was changed so that it acts more like a USB port.

I would also assume that whoever designed the serial interface in the CP didn't actually read the standards for PC serial ports since, if I'm not mistaken, even under XP the output levels are still within limits. In all likelihood they just made sure it worked with some 486 running some version of MS-DOS.

Posted by Trevor Bailey (Member # 75) on 01-21-2004, 03:57 PM:

"Fry" might not be an acurate description. As Ken from Dolby explained it: After erasing the EEPROMs, the program will hang when trying to write the new code to the EEPROMs...so you will have two blank chips. The CP-500 will power on but you will have a blank screen and all of the softkey LEDs will be on giving you...one brain-dead CP-500!!
[thumbsup]