Debugging infrared connection to an Uwatec Aladin Tec?

[bluebanded goby]

I have a ~10-year-old Uwatec Aladin Tec computer that I last used about two years ago. The battery seemed iffy, so I just put in a fresh one and it appears to be operating fine.

The last time I paired it with SmartTRAK software was about two years ago, using an infrared dongle on a Windows 7 laptop. That laptop is long-gone, but I do have Windows 7 and 10 available under Parallels on a MacBook.

Today, I installed SmartTRAK under Windows 10, plugged in the infrared dongle, told Parallels to assign it to Windows 10, set the Aladin Tec next to the laptop dongle, opened SmartTRAK and tried to access the Aladin Tec. In numerous efforts, it kept coming back saying there was no connection.

I remember hearing that there are (or have been) IrDA issues with Windows 10, so I tried all of the above again under Windows 7, and unfortunately got the same results.

So now I'm trying to figure out where to go next to debug this. I can borrow a native Windows 7 machine and trying again to see if that makes a difference. Any other options come to mind?

-- Within Windows 7 or 10 (in Parallels on the Mac), for example, is there a way to test the infrared dongle (apart from using it with the Aladin Tec) to verify that the system is seeing it and it's working?

-- Or is there any Mac software (either from Uwatec or other sources) that would allow me to link to the Aladin Tec within the Mac OS without having to run a version of Windows?

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Chris H]

Dive Log Manager/DiveLogDT
They will also convert your Smart Trak data to work in the new software.

 

[gr8jab]

Watch the battery closely. I had one that consumed batteries faster and faster. Each time they were replaced it got worse. Was told it was a class problem of the Tec and Prime.

 

[bluebanded goby]

Chris, I downloaded Dive Log Manager and looked through the menus. It seems to have a lot of functionality for converting log files from one format to another. However, I'm not finding any options for using the IR link to communicate with an Uwatec dive computer. Am I missing something?

Meanwhile, I did notice that Scubapro has an app called LogTRAK for Mac that seems like something of a successor to SmartTrak, and it has a menu option for linking to the dive computer. When I tried this menu option, for what I think was the first time I saw the green light flashing on the USB IrDA dongle. Unfortunately, the link still failed in several attempts. It's making me wonder if the Aladin Tec has something wrong with its IR functionality.

 

[bluebanded goby]

gr8jab, thanks for the warning. It did seem to me that the battery ran down faster than usual after the last changeout. I'll have to keep an eye on this.

 

[fmerkel]

If possible I'd try a native Win 7 PC. Win 10 now works.....usually. I just had to do the command line fix to the most recent version of Win 10 to get the IR to work.

Try Subsurface. I just tried it on a Win 10 PC and an Aladin Tec 2G and it worked fine. Seems to be a decent program but I don' t have any real experience. There is a native Mac version.

I think the Mac could have USB driver problems with Parallels.

 

[Chris H]

Chris, I downloaded Dive Log Manager and looked through the menus. It seems to have a lot of functionality for converting log files from one format to another. However, I'm not finding any options for using the IR link to communicate with an Uwatec dive computer. Am I missing something?

Meanwhile, I did notice that Scubapro has an app called LogTRAK for Mac that seems like something of a successor to SmartTrak, and it has a menu option for linking to the dive computer. When I tried this menu option, for what I think was the first time I saw the green light flashing on the USB IrDA dongle. Unfortunately, the link still failed in several attempts. It's making me wonder if the Aladin Tec has something wrong with its IR functionality.

I had to email my Smart Trak logbook to
support@moremobilesoftware.com for it to be converted. They'd also be the place to ask about transfer.

 

[morejanus]

Chris, I downloaded Dive Log Manager and looked through the menus. It seems to have a lot of functionality for converting log files from one format to another. However, I'm not finding any options for using the IR link to communicate with an Uwatec dive computer. Am I missing something?

If you are running the free version of Dive Log Manager, either from the Mac App Store or from our website, it will not have a "Download" section in the list on the left, nor will it have an "Edit" button. The paid version of our application, DiveLogDT from the Mac App Store or if you did an In-App purchase from the version on our website, will have both of the above. Under the Download section you will see a panel for UWatec (IrDA) which you can use.

Also, as Chris H mentioned, you can send us your SmartTRAK database for a 1 time conversion to our format.

Meanwhile, I did notice that Scubapro has an app called LogTRAK for Mac that seems like something of a successor to SmartTrak, and it has a menu option for linking to the dive computer. When I tried this menu option, for what I think was the first time I saw the green light flashing on the USB IrDA dongle. Unfortunately, the link still failed in several attempts. It's making me wonder if the Aladin Tec has something wrong with its IR functionality.

Yes, LogTRAK is the follow on to SmartTRAK (which has in theory been discontinued). Flashing green lights on the dongle is good and so your "wondering" may be correct. You may have some salt build up on the face of the Aladin Tec and so try cleaning it with your preferred water/cleaning solvent. If you're using the extension cable, try it without it. If there is a protective plastic cover over the IrDA light on the unit, remove it or lift it out of the way. Make sure the two ends of the IrDA connection are around 3"-6" apart and make sure the Aladin is sitting steady and not moving around in your hand or anything.

HTH,
Janice

 

[bluebanded goby]

Since posting the above, I've made some progress. I dug out my old Windows 7 laptop that I had used successfully to pair my Aladin Tec to the SmartTrak logging software via a USB infrared dongle. Everything there still worked, which told me that the problem was not with the Aladin Tec. It then occurred to me that the problems I had with Windows 7 and Windows 10 under Parallels on my MacBook might have been caused by driver issues. I found drivers for the dongle on a website run by the company Asix, and after installing them under Windows 7 in Parallels on my Mac I got SmartTrak there talking successfully to the Aladin Tec. I then switched to Windows 10 in Parallels on the Mac, plugged in the dongle again, and found that Windows 10 this time went out, found and installed the needed driver -- and SmartTrak under Windows 10 could talk to the Aladin Tec. (Apparently there had been issues with infrared adapters not being supported under Windows 10, and Microsoft must have just fixed this in a recent update.)

So now the only thing I can't do is to get a native Mac-based dive log program to talk via infrared dongle to the Aladin Tec. I have Scubapro's LogTrak installed on my Mac. When I start it and plug in the dongle, I see lights flashing on the dongle, but the app always errors-out trying to find the Aladin Tec.

I'd be very interested in trying Dive Log Manager as an alternative dive log app on the Mac, but before spending money on the paid version would like to verify that my infrared dongle will work on the Mac (which itself has since been upgraded to macOS Sierra). As Janice notes, the free version of Dive Log Manager doesn't support the infrared link. Any suggestions on how I can test the infrared dongle under macOS Sierra before buying Dive Log Manager?

 

[Steve_C]

I have a scubapro computer, a mac, a USB doggle, and LogTrak. They work together though sometimes it takes a couple tries until everybody is happy.