Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
The older 32 bit PC running WinXP and controlling my KX1 via the parallel port gave up the ghost at the end of last year. I decided to investigate upgrading to a more modern interface and purchased a Pokeys57CNCdb25 to do the job only to find that it was not suitable since it could not control the spindle which requires a step and direction pair. This was confirmed by PoLabs.
Once bitten, twice shy, I've been digging around on the web to find out what alternatives might work and that has raised some questions on other controllers. So I'm looking for advice on the best way to go from someone who has done it successfully, or who knows of a successful installation.
Jim.
Re: Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
That's a bit rubbish if you can't use a step/dir output to control a spindle.
Other options to look at that would be a direct plugin to a parallel port, would be the CNCDrive UC100, or the PMDX-411 (which is Mach 4 only).
If you're wanting to rewire and do away with the parallel port, there are a lot of other options.
Re: Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
If you have a spindle that can only be driven by step/dir, and the Pokeys57CNCdb25 can only output PWM, it's not rocket science to convert PWM to step/dir if that floats your boat. I'd start with an Arduino nano and a bit of hand cranked sw. Not for everyone and maybe a bit Heath Robinson, but it saves capital expenditure.
Re: Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
m_c
That's a bit rubbish if you can't use a step/dir output to control a spindle.
Other options to look at that would be a direct plugin to a parallel port, would be the CNCDrive UC100, or the PMDX-411 (which is Mach 4 only).
If you're wanting to rewire and do away with the parallel port, there are a lot of other options.
I'm not too keen to do a re-wire and using the existing parallel port would be my preference. When I got the KX1, the information about the machine's electronic guts was pretty well non-existant - a block diagram of the inter-component wiring being the sum total. So I'm reluctant to delve further into that in case it just raises more problems.
I've looked at the UC100 and also the Warp9 ESS. I've researched both as much as I can and I might plump for the ESS since that appears to have a lot more documentation about interfacing with Mach3. I'm quite happy with Mach3 since the majority of my work is fairly straightforward 2.5D work out of Cut2D and Mach3 has given me no problems with that, so upgrading to Mach4 is an expense I would hope to avoid. The late John Stevenson also ran a support forum for the Seig CNC mills and I think I remember the Smoothstepper being discussed as a suitable upgrade, although the forum has now gone so I can't refer back to it.
Jim
Re: Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Doddy
If you have a spindle that can only be driven by step/dir, and the Pokeys57CNCdb25 can only output PWM, it's not rocket science to convert PWM to step/dir if that floats your boat. I'd start with an Arduino nano and a bit of hand cranked sw. Not for everyone and maybe a bit Heath Robinson, but it saves capital expenditure.
If I was a good bit younger, I might be tempted - I've just had a Covid jab, so that will give you a ball park idea of my age. :-)
The Seig machines were marketed as turnkey and that's why I got one - so that I avoided the hassle of getting my hands dirty with having to delve under the hood to get things working. And up till now that has worked for me, and I was hoping for a "plug and play" product to do the conversion from parallel port to USB or Ethernet.
I'll probably give another product a go to see if I get a quick solution, but if not, I will probably have to resort to doing what you suggest to avoid this KX1 becoming a boat anchor - in excellent nick. :-)
Jim.
Re: Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
I'd go UC400ETH. Runs Mach3, Mach4 or UCCNC if you fancied a change.
Or buy a used dell with pport, load XP on it, and away you go. That's what I did for my mill. (but I already had retail discs XP from 2005 so not an issue for me).
Re: Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dazp1976
I'd go UC400ETH. Runs Mach3, Mach4 or UCCNC if you fancied a change.
Or buy a used dell with pport, load XP on it, and away you go. That's what I did for my mill. (but I already had retail discs XP from 2005 so not an issue for me).
I finally went for an ESS installation and that has worked well and it installed with pretty well no problems. I had already gone through the second hand Dell route a few years ago and it was this computer that had given up the ghost. I thought that the supply of old parallel port PCs would probably dry up and thought it was about time I moved on to something that would work with up-to-date PCs. :fat:
Jim.
Re: Recommendation for Upgrading an Original parallel port KX1 to USB or Ethernet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JimG
I finally went for an ESS installation and that has worked well and it installed with pretty well no problems. I had already gone through the second hand Dell route a few years ago and it was this computer that had given up the ghost. I thought that the supply of old parallel port PCs would probably dry up and thought it was about time I moved on to something that would work with up-to-date PCs. :fat:
Jim.
Fair enough. I've got my eye on a UC300eth, 2*UCBB boards, UCCNC, and a load of cabling now you've said that.
I don't need it but, I want it! :adoration::sneakiness::smile:
