I am thinkin gof getting a new laptop for UTEC use.

currently, I am using my 4 years old sony. It is small, has a docking station, but the battery life blows!!! the screen has a green vertical line running down it, it has slow USB 1.1 ports and one of the ports (only 2 ports) has crapped out now.

the hard part is finding laptop with a serial port. I know that you can use a usb adapter, but most UTECS have a problem uplading through a USB adapter. that means problems anytime you want to upload a MAP or upgrade software.

I would like to find a thin and light widesceen laptop that is great for travel use too. The only laptop I can find with a serial port is a dell lattitude 520. it is larger, has a 4:3 screen, and doesn't look like a good travel companion. I want to be able to watch movies on planes (widescreen, preferably).

does anyone know of such a laptop??? the serial port is the killer problem here!!!

 

Your best bet is going to be a pcmcia card that adds serial port/s. Serial ports on laptops are quickly fading from existence.

 

+1

 

Dell Lattitude D620 has serial and parallel ports, sleek business type laptop. I've got the older D600 and it works great.

I'm actually going to look for a hand held/PDA device for logging. No where to put the laptop with a passenger...

 

has anyone checked to see if that works on uploading files to the UTEC?

I looked at those awhile back, but all of the cards have the serial ports attached to the pcmcia card via a cable.

 

Dude, it's normally just a 6" cable or something 'cause the D9 header is too fat for a pcmcia card so the cable just gets the connector off the card. You just connect the UTEC cable to one of the shorties and you are good to go.

 

god find on the 620.....I only saw that the 520 had the features.

 

I have problem uploading the new Version 2.8 to my Utec, My laptop can't find the port I’m using to upload the last version since I’m using USB to Serial cable. I used the software from Turboxs.com. Can anyone help me, I will be preshiated.

Thanks

 

you need to use the serial port to upload the software. apparently, it is very rare that you can get a USB-Serial adapter to work for the upload process.

 

My adapter works fine. I got it from radio shack and use it with my toshiba laptop.

 

have you tried uploading a map or updated version software yetusing your usb adapter?

 

I can upload the Maps, but i can't upload the software 2.8

 

When I read the manual, it says that i need to take the Utec off to upload the new version. I use my tuner Pro to connect me to the Utec, but it doesn’t work, do I need to connect it directly to the Utec or even take the Utec off the car?

 

My utec had v2.8 when it was installed already. But I've had no problems with the adapter. Did you install the drivers that came with the cable on your laptop? If you did maybe try reinstalling it again you never know something maybe corrupted in the file.

 

hey andrew, i have ONLY connected to all my utecs through usb cable, none of my computers have had serial ports, i have uploaded new versions about 3 times and no issues.


i just bought the top of the line inspirion from dell with the 17 widescreen. i love it, its all i needed for everyday use and tuning purposes and was about a 1000



ttyl

 

I don't have a utec but the Hydra EMS, and I just bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 off ebay. Good price, has good specs as well, and works really nicely.. Has the serial port as well as a 1.5 hour battery life which isn't too bad. They are supposedly some very tough computers and has a pretty big screen for its size. feels very light as well... much more so than the old compaq presario i used to have. You might want to look in that direction for something with a serial port.

 

You could use one of these... they make them male/female end..

 

that is what most people use. unofrtunately, many USB-serial adapters won't work for uplaoding......I know mine doesn't. downloads and normal UTEC use is fine through the adapter, but uploading map or upgrading software gives me errors.

Jermaine said to try a belkin adapter.

 

I have an HP nc6220 that has a serial port, 3 USB ports (2.0) etc. That should work for you.. WIth the extended/travel battery I get 6 hours or more of battery life...

 

that must be it, i have only used the belkin adapter. it works just fine for everything. maybe THATS why we couldnt get the utec and tuner wideband to work together the other day at the shop with the new adapter....


damn it!!!!