Mach3 on Laptop

[Lovre]

Hi guys ...

Need some help ...

I wanted to use my old laptop, Thinkpad T61 and docking station(has parallel port) to control my machine and was trying to set it up almost whole afternoon to find out then(after reading some stuff on Airsoft website) that you cannot use laptops with Mach3.

Is this really true ?

Can something be done ?

[blackburn mark]

its been done plenty by all accounts, I think most issued are related to voltage
laptops generally use 3.3v on their ports.... ish i think? ?
5.5v for a desktop
some fail to work and some get by so don't despair just yet :)

if you cant find any reference to your model of laptop running mach its a suck it and see

[m_c]

It depends on the parallel port.
Mach has got to be able to control the parallel port directly through windows, and you may very well find the port on the docking station goes through an extra controller in a similar way a usb to parallel adapter does.

There is also the thing that the port may only output 3.3V signals, however a good quality BOB will solve that problem.

If you do want to use the laptop, then look at some of the external motion controllers.
There are quite a few available depending on budget, but Warp9td Smoothstepper and PureLogic boards spring to mind (Zapp sell the PL stuff).

[Lovre]

its been done plenty by all accounts, I think most issued are related to voltage
laptops generally use 3.3v on their ports.... ish i think? ?
5.5v for a desktop
some fail to work and some get by so don't despair just yet :)

if you cant find any reference to your model of laptop running mach its a suck it and see

I think it is not voltage problem.. I was measuring and it has some 4,2 V on parallel port... It is something else...

I just want to know if there is some workaround?

[John S]

What part of

"IT WILL NOT WORK ON A LAPTOP "

Do you not understand.

Why not ring Fanuc who's system only costs £10,000 and ask they why they need a dedicated controller.
For Christs sake i can buy suitable desktops for far less money than a decent laptop.

[Lovre]

What part of

"IT WILL NOT WORK ON A LAPTOP "

Do you not understand.

Why not ring Fanuc who's system only costs £10,000 and ask they why they need a dedicated controller.
For Christs sake i can buy suitable desktops for far less money than a decent laptop.

Thanks... When I get reply like this I feel sorry for asking... Even for joining this forum... For Christs sake...

[blackburn mark]

What part of

"IT WILL NOT WORK ON A LAPTOP "

Do you not understand.

no harm in having a bash is there

i'm sure fanuc,s ten grands worth is all well n good.... I opted for a £60 atom :)

[blackburn mark]

Thanks... When I get reply like this I feel sorry for asking... Even for joining this forum... For Christs sake...

don't let the bullshit get you down man :)

[Swarfing]

A laptop has a lot more power saving functions which interrupt parallel and serial ports. The way APIC/ LAPIC works on a laptop is different too causing things to close down. Head John's advice is what i would say.

[WandrinAndy]

Thanks... When I get reply like this I feel sorry for asking... Even for joining this forum... For Christs sake...

Take it with a pinch of salt... It's just a manner of speaking....

Btw, I'm a grumpy old man who recently became a non-smoker..... And I'm p£$%ed off that it was such a lousy and lonely Festive Season... but it's back to normal tomorrow and 2013 will be far better :-)