Hey guys. I have Tunercat and a AMK cable that hooks up to the serial port and to my '94 LT1. I am looking at getting a new laptop, but most seem to come with USB only. Can I get a USB to serial port adapter and will my tunercat/freescan still work? I need to know this, 'cause I don't want to spend big bucks on a new laptop to find out I need a new one for car stuff. I still want one, but I want it to do everything well. What about Windows XP and Tunercat? Thanks guys, any help would be great.

 

Search the topic, there was a recommended unit for use. Try to find one with serial if you can though, one in a laptop that you like anyway.

With XP you will need a boot disk, or its possible that the Windows utility will work for you, I dont trust Windows though.

 

i was in the same boat as you.i am now using tuner cat in windows with windows xp it works great so far.as for the adapter i have been using a belkin usb to serial adapter that i got at best buys for 60.00.i tried one of the 20 dollar ones from circiut city but it didnt work at all.also when you get the adapter from best buys you need to get a driver for windows xp off of belkins web site.

 

So the driver and the adapter should make any USB laptop work with tunercat? What about freescan and other diagnostic software, do you know by any chance? I am having trouble finding a new laptop that I like that has serial port. Thanks a lot.

From the search I did, I found that people mostly say "don't do it, wont work very well or at all" or "have some succsess with the adaper you mentioned and tunercat/LT1 edit". Its an expensive investment that I would like to know will work before I do it. I want a mobile computer as well, but I also want to make sure my LT1 work can be done with it. Thanks agian.

 

c5formetoo hit the nail on the head. I did the exact same thing as him and haven't had a problem using XP and the windows flash utility.
Tunercat's new version has the flash program built right into it and you shouldn't have a problem with it at all. That said, I haven't used it yet.
But I never had a problem before at all using the windows flash utility right in XP.

 

i am using freescan and pcmcomm. and tuner cat and all have worked flawlessly so far i have read and programmed about 15 times in the past 3 weeks and never even a small problem.

 

the dell 4150 laptop has a serial port it's a nice laptop

 

Like c5formetoo, I tried a $20 USB -> serial adapter (Radio Shack though) and got nowhere. I returned that, then picked up the Belkin F5U103 (something like that) adapter @ Best Buy for $60 this weekend. THAT did the trick for me too.

 

maybe that is my problem. i got the one from radio shack cuz bestbuy was out and i cant get it to work worth sh*&. i guess i will jsut try and return it and get the one from bestbuy! i've heard that before but figured i would just give radio shacks a try but yeah it must be junk!!

 

Its probably not "junk", but obviously with less R&D and/or expensive units, it may not follow spec 100%. It may very well work with things like a Palm Pilot, which are still serial not USB.

 

well i didnt mean exactly junk! i meant it really as it didnt work for me! we actually have a bunch of radio shack stuff around the house! haha lata

 

The main problem is that the cheep USB Serial adaptors do not (generally) support the required 'oddball' baud rate of 8192 that OBD1 uses. The Belkin does!

Gary