Need a cheap laptop for tuning?

[chuckerants]

I know most of us don't need it as the PC Pro is so simple, but if you have anything else like a Split Second like I do, you need a laptop with a Serial port which is hard to find in a cheap laptop.

Take a look at what I found on another forum:

http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=929296

Compaq Laptop Pentium III (Trade or Sell)
Older Laptop in very good condition> Compaq presario 1200. Battery is good, has all paperwork, disks, and nice targus case. Has Windows ME, MS Office 2000 loaded. More details and pics upon request. Would be a good for student or travel ( DVD Player ). Wireless capable thru pc card slot ( not provided).

Price $100 obo ( shipping actual cost thru USPS by your prefered method)

dan1leg@hotmail.com

[Steve in VC]

Have you looked at the windows version of EEEPC. It is about $360, light, small, solid state hard drive, and reasonable battery life.

http://event.asus.com/eeepc/windows/index.html

http://www.nextag.com/Asus-EEE-PC-900-610816085/prices-html

[chuckerants]

The specs don't say what ports it has. It's GOT to have USB ports, but how many??? As for Serial ports, does it have any???

Have you looked at the windows version of EEEPC. It is about $360, light, small, solid state hard drive, and reasonable battery life.

http://event.asus.com/eeepc/windows/index.html

http://www.nextag.com/Asus-EEE-PC-900-610816085/prices-html

[Mark]

As for Serial ports, does it have any???

Highly doubtful. I've not seen a laptop with serial ports in a long long time. Our local club uses autocross timing software which requires the lights be interfaced over the serial port. So they're stuck using an aging laptop that runs for crap, dim screen, you name it.

I've been using one of these (http://www.usbgear.com/USBG-RS232-P12.html) to connect a couple of GPSr's to my newer laptop with fairly good success.

[chuckerants]

I've tried three of the USB -> Serial converters before I gave up on em. And one of them was a brand name.

These days, the only laptops that have Serial ports are older ones like the one this guy is selling or more expensive ones that are thousands of dollars.

Highly doubtful. I've not seen a laptop with serial ports in a long long time. Our local club uses autocross timing software which requires the lights be interfaced over the serial port. So they're stuck using an aging laptop that runs for crap, dim screen, you name it.

I've been using one of these (http://www.usbgear.com/USBG-RS232-P12.html) to connect a couple of GPSr's to my newer laptop with fairly good success.