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Its a very long story, but Id really like the opportunity to buy a brand spanking new computer base unit, with onboard parrelel port.
I appreciate I could use smooth stepper.
I cannot find a single option!
I take it these PCI parrelel ports are no use with mach?
I cannot see a reason why not as Mach should see it just like any other PP. and if you go down that route why not get one with two pp on it. ..CliveQuote:
Originally Posted by kingcreaky
Haven't tried it with Mach3 but a PCI parallel port adaptor works fine with LinuxCNC. It's the USB to whatever adaptors that you need to avoid. Only small issue is that the parallel port appears at a non-standard hardware address but the PCI adaptor documentation should provide. It's getting more difficult to find motherboards with built-in parallel ports...
Be warned I have travelled this road and had the scars to prove it!
I purchased a PCI and a PCI-E PP cards for my AMD based board and they would not work, strange thing was they only did not work on X axis!
In the end I purchased a Intel based board with the built in port, it has some to do with the voltage the port sends out some ports don't cut it, be warned
Modern PP these days only put out about 3.3V in the older days they put out about 5V Most decent BOBs will level shift the 3.3v to 5V . I don't think there will be any problem using a PCI card with a decent BOB. ..CliveQuote:
Originally Posted by gorbo
Did you install the drivers and config it correctly ? there is more than one driver config for Parallel Ports with PCI / PCI-E cards this may help anyone struggling to understand SPP / EPP / ECP HowStuffWorks "How Parallel Ports Work"Quote:
Originally Posted by gorbo
Mike
Check out mini-itx boards, as a fair few of them come with onboard parallel ports. I'm guessing it's because quite a lot find their way into industrial controls, or specialist equipment where there is still quite a bit of parallel stuff kicking around.
Some new computers still have PP port header on the motherboard but don't fit the DB connector.
BUT Just go with Eternet motion control card and be gone with it you won't regret trust me.!! . . . . . Which brings me onto my SS will I be seeing it again. .:joker:
Ethernet motion control card ? Do you mean an ESS ? or something else?
I use several depending on machine and Pocket depth.?Quote:
Originally Posted by rnr107
My favorite for stepper systems by a long way is the CSlabs CSMIO IP-M or IP-S for servo machines. They cost more than the others but they are so much better for several reasons.
Quality is first rate and industrial strength with DIN rail mountings and wire connectors.
Runs on industry standard 24V so no extra supply needed.
No BOB required so removes one of the biggest causes of head aches with CNC machine.
Use's 24V I/O system along with differential outputs so is very noise immune. (Suits proximity switches nicely.)
Built in Anolgue spindle speed Control that is very stabile.
Great software and plug-in's with good support and updates.
Only thing with the CSMIO IP-M model is that you can't use slaved motors with it. So I only use this for 3 + 1 axis machines IE: 3 axis and 4th axis.
The IP-S supports slaved motors but cost's double the price and really is OTT for stepper systems and is aimed at servo systems, thou it will happily run steppers.
For slaved motor stepper machines then I use either ESS and PMDX BOB or for cheaper systems with don't require spinlde speed control then the Russian PLCM E3 and PLC6X.