sentinel on parallel port

I need a little guidance.
I have a software program that requires a Rainbow Sentinel that is a
parallel port.
I want to put this on a laptop that does not have a parallel port.
The company that makes the product is no longer supporting this version
so I cannot get any help from them.
What are my options?

In article , cdoc
wrote:

I need a little guidance.
I have a software program that requires a Rainbow Sentinel that is a
parallel port.
I want to put this on a laptop that does not have a parallel port.
The company that makes the product is no longer supporting this version
so I cannot get any help from them.
What are my options?

There are USB to parallel port adapter cables, but whether that
would work, would really depend on how carefully crafted the Sentinel
software happens to be. I don't know if the latency, from the issue
of a USB command, until a response comes back from the parallel
port, would be a problem or not.

There is one reference to this approach in Google:

http://groups.google.ca/group/sfnet....to+parallel%22

"QUESTION

Can I use a parallel to USB port replicator to connect my parallel
dongle to an USB port?

ANSWER

If the port replicator produces a memory address (I/O range and
has an assigned DMA range in the device manager, it can be used.
This has to be entered into the configuration utility
SetupSysDriver.exe, that can be found under:
C:\Program Files\ Rainbow Technologies\ Sentinel System Driver

Most people require a USB-to-parallel port replicator, because
they would like to connect a parallel port dongle on their laptop
which does not have a parallel port but USB. In such cases, a
possible solution would be to use a PCMCIA to parallel port adapter
which must comply to IEEE 1284 standards and is mapped to a memory
address (I/O range)."

That didn't make things any clearer for me, but does suggest the
question has been asked before. Perhaps if you find a private
forum where people discuss the Sentinel device, you'll get more
hints.

Paul

cdoc wrote:

I need a little guidance.
I have a software program that requires a Rainbow Sentinel that is a
parallel port.
I want to put this on a laptop that does not have a parallel port.
The company that makes the product is no longer supporting this version
so I cannot get any help from them.
What are my options?

Make a resolution to never buy anything that requires a dongle or
dongle like device.

--
"The power of the Executive to cast a man into prison without
formulating any charge known to the law, and particularly to
deny him the judgement of his peers, is in the highest degree
odious and is the foundation of all totalitarian government
whether Nazi or Communist." -- W. Churchill, Nov 21, 1943