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Lighthouse PLCs, Inc. : Automation Forum

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PLC and Inverter Forum
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Laptops without COM ports

Apparently, the trend is for the company I.S. department to replace aging laptops with new units which come with USB ports, but without COM ports. This causes problems for most PLC programming software, which assume the users's computer will have (at least one) COM port(s).

More and more often, we are contacted by customers who find themselves in this dilemma. Therefore, we felt it appropriate to "reprint" a posting from 2001 which addresses this problem. The responding post is from Magnus Lundström of Actron A.B., creators of ActSip and ActWin programming software for Hitachi PLCs.
==================================================

Subject: Re: USB Converter for ActWin
Name: Magnus Lundström
Date Posted: Oct 26, 01 - 11:01 AM
Email: magnus.lundstrom@actron.se
Message:
I have found a USB to serial converter that works with ActWin. (The converter has to support all functions on the serial port)


I am using a High speed Serial converter from FTDI. For more information see FTDI website.

Best regards:
Actron AB
Magnus Lundström

********************************************


Magnus Lundström
Actron AB
Importgatan 7
S-422 46 HISINGS BACKA
SWEDEN
Tel: +46-31-742 45 08
Fax: +46-31-742 21 60


********************************************

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Replying to:

I am using Toshiba note book( Windows ME operating system) with USB to DB9 serial converter. All other programmes and PLC's communication with this USB port is alright. ONly EH150 PLC does not communicate. It comes with error " data format is wrong'.The settings were checked with other PC which communicates well with EH 150 which is using windows 95 operating system and serial com.I can not work out what is wrong.The software being used is Actwin 327.

Replies:
Re: Hitachi PLC- 150EH by Magnus Lundström; Nov 20, 01 - 1:14 AM