PCMCIA to USB or Serial: How to do it?

[drummo2a]

I am hoping someone can help.  I recently acquired an old laboratory instrument that can only communicate with it's software through an old PCMCIA interface.  It has a cable with a DAQCard-1200 attached.  Unfortunately we only have an old Windows XP computer that does not have a PCMCIA slot.  I was hoping this group could give me the correct way to convert the PCMCIA card to either a USB or Serial configuration so I can connect it to the computer.  The card was originally connected to a Windows 2000 computer, but we have obtained drivers from National Instruments that are supposed to work with Windows XP.  The cheaper the solution the better, as I am in an academic lab.

Thanks

James Drummond

[nyc_(is_out_of_here) · Accepted solution]

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@drummo2a wrote:

I am hoping someone can help.  I recently acquired an old laboratory instrument that can only communicate with it's software through an old PCMCIA interface.  It has a cable with a DAQCard-1200 attached.  Unfortunately we only have an old Windows XP computer that does not have a PCMCIA slot.  I was hoping this group could give me the correct way to convert the PCMCIA card to either a USB or Serial configuration so I can connect it to the computer.  The card was originally connected to a Windows 2000 computer, but we have obtained drivers from National Instruments that are supposed to work with Windows XP.  The cheaper the solution the better, as I am in an academic lab.

Thanks

James Drummond

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The easiest thing to do is to buy a refurbished laptop with a PCMCIA slot for less than $150. The Dell Latitude Dxxx series has them.

The newest would be the Dell Latitude D800. Don't get the D820 or D830. They have the ExpressCard slot.

Dell sells Dell laptops that have returned from lease http://dellrefurbished.com/laptops 

I have also had good luck buying on eBay.

[drummo2a]

Thanks,

We will see what we can find