The only thing "special" about the laptops for running the Xentry software is a requirement for a serial port, something that hasn't been on a laptop for some years. There are a couple of Compaq and IBM models that are ideal. Also, the age of these means they probably have PATA hard drives, which means their capacity is at best 100 GB. The Xentry virtual machine is closer to 200 GB, meaning it's got to be on an external drive.
That's the only thing that's unique about the laptop. Kaleb can confirm, but I believe there's a later version of Xentry that runs on wifi, negating the need for a serial port. You still need the multiplexer and cables, which will set you back around $300, plus the laptop. -D > On Jul 12, 2017, at 2:37 PM, Floyd Thursby via Mercedes > <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > If I understand correctly those computers you hook to Benzes have to be some > special sort of laptop, you can't just get a laptop and the software and load > it and run it. You have to buy the whole package for $500 or so. I don't > understand that. > > The other thing I was thinking about is dealing with all the electronics can > be a total PITA, I get that. I'm not sure I would have the tolerance for it. > But then I was thinking that if you are kinda into electronics and computers > and diagnosing things and fixing them, like a TV or computer or something, > dealing with a computerized car is sorta the same. Would have to be a labor > of interest, kinda like doing that sort of thing with other devices. A hobby, > not something to do because you need to get it fixed right now if it is your > daily driver. So there's that. > > I got to thinking about this yesterday when my laser cutter just quit. It > had power but nothing was going. i thought maybe the power supply gakked, > and was going to check that when the Greenlee voltage detector also wouldn't > work... So I just sat and looked and it and decided to start at the > beginning. I discovered pretty quickly the problem was with the on/off > switch, which is one of these. > > http://www.ebay.com/itm/Uxcell-LA38-203-22-mm-Panel-Mount-NO-NC-DPST-2-Position-Rotary-Selector-Switch-/192240018031?epid=1239211828&hash=item2cc265e26f:g:y64AAOSwIjJZXn1l > > which I am thinking every cheepchinee laser cutter uses. So since I didn't > have a spare and needed to keep working, I tried to fix the switch. I > managed to do that with some super glue and small piece of plastic (that > rotary knob has a cam sort of thing under it that presses on the two pole > switches to make contact, one was not being pressed far enough for some > reason). It worked for awhile then quit again. This is like the second or > third thing I have had to track down on the machine, cheep switches or bad > connections. It seems like with about another $20 worth of parts it would be > a decent machine, so I guess I will be working on that. Anyway, this is not > quite the same problem as I needed to get some stuff done, but it sorta > illustrates the same approach. > > -- > --FT > Winston Churchill: > “Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large > or petty, > never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. > Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the > enemy.” > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
