PLC Programmable Logic Controller,DC 24V PLC Regulator Controller for Interface Switching,FX1N-14MR Industrial Control Board

I was hoping to get a PLC for some basic I/O and testing, but after a few days fighting with it, my conclusion is that these aren't worth the hassle/cost if you don't already have the software. In a home setting, a DIY solution will be better in the long run. The biggest issue isn't even the hardware - indeed, I haven't even been able to do a proper hardware test yet. I did get as far as seeing some data being sent over the Serial port, so I'm assuming the hardware works on at least the most basic level. Ultimately, the big sticking point is the software. Mitsubushi not only requires you to create a corporate account with them to access their "freeware" downloads, it seems to completely lack even trial downloads of GX Developer or GX Works 2. The 30-day trial version of GX Works 3 apparently doesn't include GX Works 2 despite some forum posts implying otherwise, and GW3 won't work with this hardware. So if there's a sanctioned method of getting software that supports this hardware (even on a trial basis), it's extremely obtuse at best. That leaves either buying a license or particularly shady methods of procuring a copy, and I can't really suggest either for this hardware. If you're willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for a license, you are likely planning on putting this PLC somewhere important enough to justify also paying the extra money to get one from an actual reputable brand. And as for the shadier alternatives, they're especially shady in this case. At least what I could find seemed likely to include some "extras" that you probably wouldn't want on your computer. You would expect somebody would have created an open-source alternative for interfacing hardware that's basically unchanged for 25+ years (GX Developer is ooooold software), but alas, I couldn't find anything. To end on a somewhat more positive note, I will say that these commodity-grade PLCs are probably good for people who just happen to have a copy of the software on a work laptop they can borrow, or students who are learning to use the software to later use in a professional setting (they're cheap enough that even destroying a few while testing isn't the end of the world). But for a general home or industrial setting, I'd stay away.