Labview PDA Palm devices supported and I/O on those devices

[ljenski]

Hello,

Is there a list of PALM PDA devices (Zire, Zire 71, Z22 etc.) supported by Labview PDA and what hardware on each supported PDA is supported (IRDA, USB, serial, etc.)?

Trying to understand how say a Z22 could use labview to do data aquisition or control instruments or other devices when there is only a USB and IRDA port available on the device? Can Labview PDA control anything via the PDA's USB port?

I did not see this information on the data sheet or in the manuals available online.

Thanks,

[Caseyw]

I found some documents that should answer your questions:

1) What devices are supported by LabVIEW PDA?

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/7D65D66EB07111F186256EBD005A5499?OpenDocument

2) How can I communicate between my computer and PDA using LabVIEW?

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/7D98C202FEC3F39086256D1E007A7609?OpenDocument

I hope this helps.

Casey Weltzin, National Instruments

[ljenski]

Casey,

Thanks for the links. I have been there already. They do not list specific devices (looking for Palm devices) or what hardware on each specific device is supported? These docs only list the Palm OS's unless I am missing something. I am trying to understand how one detemines what I/O on a specific Palm can be used for communications when using Labview PDA?

We have a few customers that want to use PDA's to perform diagnostics on their products. We build embedded controls for their equipment and need to determine what communications method would be most cost effective. We use RS485 in the product to communicate with multiple I/O units and it would be the most cost effective to just use serial communications on the PDA to interface to the existing 485 bus.

We considered IRDA, but we have seen many issues in using IRDA successfully in the past. Always seems to be a compatiblity issue when going from one Palm PDA model to the next and when the PAlm OS changes. Their IRDA has typically been proprietary and only hacker information has been available.

So our problem is that not all these PDAs have serial capability as part of the PDAs default capability. One such PDA is the Palm Z22. It only cost $99 so it is a very cost effective device for our customer to buy (their suggestion) and use to support their product via their dealers service departments. Unfortunately the Z22 only has IRDA and a USB mini port.

I was hoping to see what I/O on which models of PDAs Labview supports? Hopes were that Labview had some I/O device and software that would allow that USB mini port to be used with an I/O cable or module to talk to RS232 or RS485? We also want to use Labview PDA to develop the application for the PDA to talk to our embedded control.

Any ideas? Are there Labview docs that list the specific devices like the Z22 or Treo that show what I/O is usable or available?

Len Jenski

Invensys Controls

[Charlie S.]

Hi Len,

Unfortunately there are far too many PDA's and PDA manufacturers for us to be able to document every model and what hardward is supported on each. Generally speaking, you can communicate with any serial port on your PDA that appears to the OS as a COM port. USB is a bit trickier. Most PDA's do not have USB hosting capabilities -- that is, the port is only there to serve as an interface to the host computer; it cannot control anything on its own. I have not seen any Palm devices with this capability, but to be honest I have not looked. You might be better off with a PocketPC device if you want to do USB.

Perhaps someone out there has a good recommendation of somethign they've used?

Thanks,

[ljenski]

Charlie,

Thanks for the reply.

Does Labview know anything about the Palm Z22? Is the USB port on that PDA a 'On the go" type that can be a device or host?

Again, hopes here were that Labview may have written a special driver for that port if it was capable of host mode so that the user could use the USB port to talk to other devices either via USB or through a USB to RS232 convertor. I say that because I am assuming using the PDA with Labview applications means it would control something or gather data from something like test equipment or the like. Most test equipment that can be controlled does not have an IRDA port, but more than likely may have a RS232 or RS485 port.

We really would prefer to communicate using RS232 for cost purposes. Our customer wants to use the Z22 because of it's low cost? Unfortunately the Z22 does not have a lot of I/O options that are listed on it's data sheet.

Len Jenski

Invensys Controls.

[GHernandez]

I looked at the palm you listed and no, you won't be able to to I/O on it. Unless you find some infra-red to serial converter. Which you could use (http://www.expansys.com.au/product.asp?code=IR220L) But for that price it might make sense to get a PDA with bluetooth or a CF card and do rs232 communication. I haven't seen any USB modules for the PDA. In my case, I've been using a CF card to serial and it works great.

[GHernandez]

I looked at the palm you listed and no, you won't be able to to I/O on it. Unless you find some infra-red to serial converter. Which you could use (http://www.expansys.com.au/product.asp?code=IR220L) But for that price it might make sense to get a PDA with bluetooth or a CF card and do rs232 communication. I haven't seen any USB modules for the PDA. In my case, I've been using a CF card to serial and it works great.

[ljenski]

GHernandez,

>>In my case, I've been using a CF card to serial and it works great.

Can you tell me the name of the manufacturer and the model number of the CF card that has a serial output?

Thanks,

Len Jenski

Invensyscontrols

[GHernandez]

http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=10&pid=580
This is what I am using.

[ljenski]

GHernandez or anyone?

Is there an SDIO RS232 card? (Palm expansion slots only except SD, SDIO or Multimedia cards)

I can find SDIO cards for GPS, Modem, Bluetooth, etc. , but I have not been able to find an SDIO to RS232 card.

Thanks in advance.

Len Jenski

Invensys Controls

Message Edited by ljenski on 06-27-2006 09:43 PM