Remote on/off on CF-30 or CF-31

I'm looking at current instructions for the Panasonic PDRC (Model CF-VDL03U) and its connection to a CF-30 or CF-31. (RE: ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasonic/toughbook/OI/Toughbook-PDRCoi.pdf).

With this unit connected to a Toughbook, it is my understanding that it is possible to remotely control the ON/OFF state of the Toughbook.

Can someone with experience herein explain how this is done?

I see the 3x cables that interconnect the hardware: Analog RGB (HDDB15), USB, and Serial. The serial connection at the PDRC side is labeled "Special CN". Thinking here is the trick, but yet the pinout for the RS-232 side on the Toughbook all looks very standard per the schematic.

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

Yes, this can be done via a Serial port so that the power button on the PDRC screen turns it on/off (I have one hooked up to my CF-29 in my truck and it works GREAT) or by manually hotwiring it like I did HERE: http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/541254-okay-so-i-need-some-suggestions-my-buddy-2.html Post 12.

Basically all I did was solder the 2 leads that need to be touched together to turn the unit on to a long wire that when you touch the 2 ends of the long wire together it turns on. Now you can attach those 2 leads to a normally off, push on power button.

w00t!

 

On a side note: if you have a serial cable hooked up to the PDRC and the CF-30 and it isn't turning the unit off/on then there might be something wrong with the serial cable simply because it should just work... (Mine did at least)... no special drivers required OTHER THAN the drivers for the PDRC's touchscreen functionality.

 

Thanks for the reply. I see what you've done in photos. The CN with the short terminals (2 & 3) is the internal side of the serial port?

Maybe I should have stated my question a bit differently: When you close the switch on the PDRC, what happens to allow the Toughbook to turn on? If it's carried through the serial port, is there a serial device in the PDRC, which then communicates (wakes up) the sleeping Toughbook?

 

Negative! 2 & 3 are from the power button on the front of the unit

Correct. I have mine set so that when you hit the power button on the PDRC it puts the laptop into sleep and then it turns off the display. Then of coarse when you hit the button on the screen it will turn the screen on and the laptop on.

You obviously can control what the action of the power button is through the power options in control panel under windoze. I obviously have mine set to sleep. You can set it to sleep or hibernate or power off... Sleep seems to be the best scenario because even in sleep mode the battery on the laptop will last WELL OVER A WEEK, maybe 2 so then when you turn it back on it comes on in a jiffy (unless the HDD heater kicks in before hand then you have to wait for the system to warm up)

 

Rob, would you ping me at my e-mail: vabiker1 at yahoo.com

 

Busted link.

 

Exclude the closing bracket, ie.
ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasonic/toughbook/OI/Toughbook-PDRCoi.pdf

BTW, Rob, if you need to point to a specific post in a thread, you can 'copy link location' at top-right of your post indicating "#12 (permalink)" and paste to message box. That will bring you directly to;

Code:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/541254-okay-so-i-need-some-suggestions-my-buddy-2.html#post6993619

 

OK ; now try these:

Operating Instructions (English/French) (Revision) - CF-VDL02BM

Touchscreen driver installation procedure for CF-VDL02BM

Backlit Keyboard CF-VKBL02 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS