Lab Software/Integration Help Needed

[scriptfiller]

Long story short..

Equipment; All NOP, 2G, 4T and 6E (the 6E will be replaced sometime in the next 2 years)
Software; Visual Lab 2000 running on a Win XP computer standalone LMS
Network; Arc net through hub into Gateway into LMS computer

Question #1 Is there economic software that can interface with my equipment that is Windows 8 compatible?
Question #2 Can my equipment be seen by a LMS using Serial to USB connectors?

I need the capability of storing traces and surface calculations in a database. A standalone LMS is just fine don't need interfaces for a PMS or the Internet.

Thanks!

[PRECISIONLAB]

I am using Innovations and will do what you have spec'd out. Price is affordable and is a Windows based LMS. The software can be set up to save/archive trace files to each job processed and will update new lenses into database. The Serial/USB "hub" is a windows hardware control but will set up the necessary com ports to assign to each OMA device. http://www.ocuco.com/innovations.html

[MakeOptics]

Innovations without a doubt is my preferred solution. Independent company interfaces with many man equip without much hassle. I would avoid visual lab, my reasoning is they were acquired by essilor an their equipment has been more proprietary with communication. I see future communication becoming more difficult with their equipment and software which is at odds with the intentions of the OMA protocol.

The USB to serial adapters have worked well for me. Another more experimental option that I had working was serial to Bluetooth that allowed wireless transmission, no longer necessary since newer equipment can be networked through Ethernet to wireless bridges and a router or switch.

[Jacqui]

Contact Bruce Krymow at Optivision www.optivision.com Tell him I sent you

[braheem24]

If you have a maintenance contract with National Optronics, the software upgrade to Visual Lab Pro which meets all your criteria is free.

[scriptfiller]

Thanks everybody for your replies.