Anyone here use a GOOD pda for a datalogger? Sick of serial port BS!

[Rice Over Wheat]

By good I mean modern, and by modern I mean not a piece of shit antique like Palm IIIxe (that I have) or M100 or M500 or any other turd with a goddamn serial port! Seriously, I'm about to put a hammer to this bi*** after spending 7 hours trying every piece of advice from every dsmtuners post and Palm support forums posts on this topic. The piece of shit won't sync with my two top of the line PCs and PalmConnect USB kit!

I need a recommendation on a pda, preferably a Pocket PC with native USB support that works with logging software like PalmStein and doesn't deal with this serial bullshit! My Aeromotive FPR gets here monday and I was hoping to tune, but noooo...I should have just went with DSMlink!! I had a Dell Axim once that worked perfect with my PCs...new pda's are just as effective right? **** these fossils, I rather pay for quality!

 

[spyderturbo007]

Can you explain what problems you are having? I have no problem interfacing my m130 with my PC via USB.

 

[Hal]

Too bad the "modern" PDA's don't have the simple features needed to log, especially in regards to the 1g ECU.

All DSM ECU's use serial protocol.

No serial support on the PDA = useless for logging.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

Well I was thinking more along the lines off USB off pda, but a DB9-to-serial adapter to get to the OBDII adapter and to the car.

Spyder, I didn't want to create another "how to hotsync" thread as these issues are usually the problem with PCs' million different hardware/software configurations that makes compatibility an issue with so many things.

Here's what I did:

- Installed latest Palm Desktop and Hotsync software/drivers from Palm's website
- Installed PalmConnect USB software
- WinXP recognized device and installed, ready to use
- PalmDesktop running / Hotsync setup correctly USB / port / speed
- Followed all the troubleshooting FAQs and instructions on Palm's website / forums (apparently others with new PCs and no serial are having same problem: cannot hotsync)
- Checked Device Manager on both PCs, no hardware conflicts, PCs see the Palm usb cable connected - Tried switching to different USB ports

I read EVERY datalogging post on dsmtuners and tried every solution here as well as all the ones at Palm's support forums. No luck.

I got an email back from obdloggers.com and he says that I should be able to view my logs on the logger...well if that's the case, then there's no problem here. I just can't export my files. I just want to be able to see each variable at each rpm point so I can tune my car. I'm going to ask him how to view the log files on the pda itself after I save them....I thought you had to export to PC to view them?

 

[CanadianTSi]

Right click on the hotsync icon in the taskbar and go to setup then local and change around the COM port untill you get the right one.

 

[firebirdvert305]

Im having a problem with the plug that goes into palm pilot staying in while im logging. Does anyone else have this same problem? I cant do a pull and log at the sametime which is starting to get on my nerves lately....anyone have any solutions or remedies to the situation?

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

^^^

Tape it together if it keep popping out. And use a windshield palm holder.

Right click on the hotsync icon in the taskbar and go to setup then local and change around the COM port untill you get the right one.

I've tried this...but I am using PalmConnect USB cable and on my desktop only 1 COM is in the drop down list. Device manager only shows 1 COM and 2 COM. On my vaio laptop there are no COMs in device manager at all.

One of my degrees is in IT and I am fairly competent at these issues. I think it's hardware incompatibility.

Can you guys with loggers view you log files on your pda without syncing to PC?

 

[CanadianTSi]

Yes you can view it on the Palm.

After you do a pull just to go Save and View.

 

[spyderturbo007]

Can you guys with loggers view you log files on your pda without syncing to PC?

Going with what Tyler suggested, is "Local USB" checked?

I am able to view the logs on my PDA, just not the individual data points. The pocketlogger software brings up a graph and you can place your stlyus on a point and it will give you the data for that moment in time. But you are unable to bring up a spreadsheet on the palm showing every data point.

I have to transfer them to the PC to view the logs.

Do you have a buddy with a palm that will sync. You could always beam the logs to his palm.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

Going with what Tyler suggested, is "Local USB" checked?

I am able to view the logs on my PDA, just not the individual data points. The pocketlogger software brings up a graph and you can place your stlyus on a point and it will give you the data for that moment in time. But you are unable to bring up a spreadsheet on the palm showing every data point.

I have to transfer them to the PC to view the logs.

Do you have a buddy with a palm that will sync. You could always beam the logs to his palm.

Yes Local USB is checked...I've been through all those suggestions already. I tried every suggestion in every post before bringing my problem up.

Well OBD Gauge software doesnt allow viewing of recorded data without sync. That software is garbage anyway -- can't even wipe DTC codes. So I use PalmNStein, the other software that came preloaded. It saves to a file and can be viewed as a replay or frame by frame. I think I will have no choice but to use frame by frame viewing as the only way to see timing at each rpm point.

I cant use any diff logging programs since I cant sync to PC to install them. I don't know anyone locally who has a datalogger.

What I can't understand is how someone could code software to dump a log to a file, yet not add the feature to allow the file to be opened in a notepad-like viewer. I don't know about palms, but in C++ and Visual Basic it is simple enough.

 

[Hal]

What I can't understand is how someone could code software to dump a log to a file, yet not add the feature to allow the file to be opened in a notepad-like viewer. I don't know about palms, but in C++ and Visual Basic it is simple enough.

Because I stopped development on it to focus on doing DSMLink related development.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

Can't say I blame you. But I was speaking in general, not regarding any particular logging program.

Btw, I'm going to try a different solution that I haven't seen anywhere yet. I'm going to add a PCI card with DB9 serial port to add an extra COM port to my PC. It's about $18. I'll update regarding how that turns out.

http://www.usbgear.com/1x-Serial-PCI.html

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

FIXED!

While shopping for a PCI serial port card, I read through Amazon.com product reviews about the PalmConnect USB kit and I found the solution!! Only one version of Palm Desktop works with new PCs running Windows XP and lacking serial ports: Version 4.0.1. Otherwise, under Device Manager, the PC cannot recognize the USB cable as simulating a COM port.

There are so many people having this problem I'm going to write a quick FAQ for it.

 

[spyderturbo007]

Excellent!!

I must have gotten lucky, since I didn't have a problem when I got my new PC.

This should come in handy in the future.