So I'm getting more and more stoked about datalogging and learning to tune, so I've been gathering parts for my cable. I'm using the 2nd diagram on this site http://winaldl.joby.se/aldlcable.htm as instructed by the sticky. Only problem is, my laptop only has a 15 pin serial port and USB ports. Anyone here know what the schematic would change to for a 15 pin serial connector? They do make adapters but they aren't that cheap, really want to make my own all the way through. Thanks for any help.

There's no such animal as a 15 pin serial. There is 9 and 25 pin.

The 15 pin connector on your laptop is for a monitor output.

The best thing to do would be to buy a pre-made USB datalogging cable, such as the ALDU1+CABL1 combo from moates.net or the OBD1 cable from aldlcables.com. I have the moates and know it works well.

You can use serial to USB adaptors, but they are hit and miss if they work or not and they can seem to stop working after a while.

I have been using a USB to serial adapter for 6 months with no problem. It is made by MicroConnectors.

Thanks for the advice, in hindsight that makes alot of sense for a monitor output. Guess I'll just buy the cable.

I've got the ALDLCables.com setup. USB and Molded Connector. This thing great. It was a bit spendy, but for my setup, it was the only decent option. Not to knock Moates' ALDU1+CABL1 combo, but there are just too many connections there IMO.

I built a cable from the diagram included with winALDL, it cost about $8 to make. Is it lacking features compared to one of the commercial ones? It doesn't look like much and it's actually a piece of phone line with a couple of cut up paperclips soldered to one end and a com port on the other, but it seems to work great. I'm using a usb->serial connector.

Hah, that's exactly what min is too. Doesn't look pretty but it gets the job done.

Just bought a 9 pin to USB adapter w/ driver for under 5 bucks on ebay. Should work out for me so what the heck why not.