Does Tamron TAP-In console work with GNU/Linux (using virtual Windows)?

Question

Does anyone have experience with this combo? Do you calibrate the lens on GNU/Linux? Maybe using Wine or Virtual Box? Does it work?

I already have 3 Tamron SP lenses and I think that one of them requires calibration: the 90mm Macro needs more testing. I'm selling my last Nikon lenses and will have only Tamron all SP versions that work with TAP-In Console. I will need to check all the lenses.

I use Fedora GNU/Linux as main main OS on my private laptop and I want to buy TAP-In console. Will I be able to use it? Does it work with Wine or VirtualBox?

Anyone have experience?

You can find information about sigma dock on Linux, but one one even asked the question about Tamron tap in console.

Answer 1

I don't own the device in question, but here are some general points to consider:

• Wine likely won't work because it doesn't have ability to access low-level hardware, afaik.

• To use it with VM, would require USB passthrough, which is usually not very reliable (will be hit or miss). Attempting to update firmware via USB passthrough is a great way to brick devices.

The easiest option is to load Windows onto an old cheap laptop. The sole purpose of the laptop would be to use the Tap console and other devices that don't work with Linux.

If you're an open source purist and there does not exist software to natively access the device from within Linux (internet search didn't show one), you can:

• program it yourself
• wait for someone to program it
• fund someone to program it
• write or call Tamron to ask (nicely?) for Linux support
• use the lenses as is
• use different lenses

Answer 2

According to TAMRON TAP-in Console (Model TAP-01) at the bottom of the page, the software is supported on Windows 7 through 10, and Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) and 10.11 (El Capitan). (Note that the latest OS X is 10.15, Catalina, so the last Mac version being 10.11 is suspicious)

It may work under Wine, but I have no direct experience with Wine or this product. I just know that somethings do work under Wine and other things don't. But given that running Wine won't cost you extra $, it would be a good place to start.

It should work under VirtualBox because in that case you would be running a full version of Windows (that is legally licensed, right?!??!? If you need a license just for this, I would buy one from eBay. I have bought W7 licenses from there that MS is happy with) I have run various versions of Windows under VirtualBox and accessed external hardware with no issue.

At the top of the page, Tamron says

By attaching a TAMRON TAP-in Console and running the dedicated software on your personal computer by USB connection, you can update firmware in selected Tamron lenses and customize various lens functions to meet your needs simply.

And from the image it looks like this is a piece of hardware that connects via USB to your computer. I can't guarantee that this hardware will work with VirtualBox, but I would guess that it's just a simple serial comms connection - in which case you should be OK.

Note that at the bottom of the same page is this:

Initial firmware update by Tamron service facility is required to enable compatibility with the TAP-in Console.

I have no idea what this means, but it does sound ominous. The statement links to another page that basically tells you to go talk to your local Tamron distributor.

The Online Help has a lot of information, but I did see this important bit of information:

[CAUTION] Please note that you cannot use the TAP-in Console with any lens other than those specified in the list of compatible lenses.

Which is found at List of Compatible Lenses (2019.6), which also says:

For Users of SP 35mm (Model F012) and SP 45mm (Model F013) Initial firmware update by Tamron service facility is required to enable compatibility with the TAP-in Console.

Finally, from what I just saw online you can buy this device for about $60. But what surprised me is that you can also rent it from LensRentals for $18/7days.