CNCdrive UC300ETH Mach3 plugin is now available

**A_Camera** · 11-11-2016

Originally Posted by Lee Roberts

Hi Camera, thanks for the update/share.

What's the difference in the uc300eth vs the uc400eth?

Hi Lee,
The biggest differences are in the number of inputs/outputs. The UC400ETH has 2 standard parallel ports (LPT type) while the UC300ETH has 2 LPT type and 3 DB25 with mostly inputs and additionally even 2 analog inputs and 2 outputs, so it is pretty well equipped and has more in/outputs than I'll ever need. The UC400ETH does not have any analog I/O at all, which isn't really important for me at the moment since I control my spindle via Modbus and RS485ETH.

Originally Posted by Lee Roberts

Now there is officially a plugin, will you be staying with mach 3 or going back to the UCCNC control software?

Most probably I will move everything to UCCNC mecause it is in many ways better. Unfortunately, the move is not that simple because I have to rewrite my macros since Mach uses VB and UCCNC uses C#. Also, UCCNC does not have radius compensation (yet) and that is something I frequently used, so I have to regenerate everything without if I move to UCCNC.

The Mach3 plugin means that I am not in a hurry now, but with the UCCNC and the UC300ETH I get higher speeds and better results than with Mach, so there is indeed an advantage in leaving Mach3. UCCNC has also some functions which does not exist in Mach3, and in general I like it more than I like Mach.

**Lee Roberts** · 11-11-2016

Originally Posted by A_Camera

Hi Lee,
The biggest differences are in the number of inputs/outputs. The UC400ETH has 2 standard parallel ports (LPT type) while the UC300ETH has 2 LPT type and 3 DB25 with mostly inputs and additionally even 2 analog inputs and 2 outputs, so it is pretty well equipped and has more in/outputs than I'll ever need. The UC400ETH does not have any analog I/O at all, which isn't really important for me at the moment since I control my spindle via Modbus and RS485ETH.

Most probably I will move everything to UCCNC mecause it is in many ways better. Unfortunately, the move is not that simple because I have to rewrite my macros since Mach uses VB and UCCNC uses C#. Also, UCCNC does not have radius compensation (yet) and that is something I frequently used, so I have to regenerate everything without if I move to UCCNC.

The Mach3 plugin means that I am not in a hurry now, but with the UCCNC and the UC300ETH I get higher speeds and better results than with Mach, so there is indeed an advantage in leaving Mach3. UCCNC has also some functions which does not exist in Mach3, and in general I like it more than I like Mach.

Hi guys, thanks for the info.

They both look like a good buy given the price, so was the 400 designed as a cut down version or something ? ('m going off the notion that "300" comes before "400" and so the 400 is the newer product) is that right?

I like the idea of "LAN" based control for things, but I don't know, something equally doesn't feel right about the control being remote...stuff to think about it guess.

As you say the plugin gives you the best of both for now then, ok keep us posted on your/the progress, I follow you via the youtube ;-).

Originally Posted by 1Jumper10

I just built a machine using the UC400ETH and I'm very happy with its speed and reliability but the UC300ETH would have been just as fast and reliable I assume but it would have been simpler to build with.

Do you have a youtube channel Jumper?

**1Jumper10** · 11-11-2016

Lee -

Not really a channel. This is the first and only video I've posted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0biZJSnepU

It is of the router I built in one of the first test runs.

Regarding the UC400 being a cut down version of the UC300, although the product numbering would lead you to believe otherwise, I think your're right. I bought the 400 because I wanted the best UCCNC controller and I thought that the 400 was the top of the line based on its product number and thats all the further I looked into it. I think the UC300ETH is better. It wasnt that much of an inconvenience to make the 400 work, just a couple extra components. And it is very fast! My servo's can handle a 500Khz data stream and the UC400 can stream at 400KHz very nicely. The ethernet connection can give you a lot of flexibility if you want to configure your network to work that way. I did not. I bought a dedicated computer to drive the router and simply used the ethernet cable just like one would use a USB cable.

Another thing I like about the UC400ETH is that you dont need another board like a smooth stepper etc. I used a breakout board like this: https://www.winford.com/products/brkg25.php Except mine has different connector that adapted to the UC400. Less than $25.

**A_Camera** · 11-11-2016

Originally Posted by 1Jumper10

Lee -

Not really a channel. This is the first and only video I've posted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0biZJSnepU

It is of the router I built in one of the first test runs.

Nice machine.

Originally Posted by 1Jumper10

Regarding the UC400 being a cut down version of the UC300, although the product numbering would lead you to believe otherwise, I think your're right.

It is not a cut-down UC300 at all, it is a completely different model. Yes, the numbering should have been different and according to me it should be called UC200ETH, but never the less, it is totally different design.

Originally Posted by 1Jumper10

I bought the 400 because I wanted the best UCCNC controller and I thought that the 400 was the top of the line based on its product number and thats all the further I looked into it. I think the UC300ETH is better. It wasnt that much of an inconvenience to make the 400 work, just a couple extra components. And it is very fast! My servo's can handle a 500Khz data stream and the UC400 can stream at 400KHz very nicely. The ethernet connection can give you a lot of flexibility if you want to configure your network to work that way. I did not. I bought a dedicated computer to drive the router and simply used the ethernet cable just like one would use a USB cable.

I was going to buy the UC400ETH because it had the Mach3 plugin available, but was contected by Balazs and he asked me to reconsider, not only because they were working on the UC300ETH plugin already, but also because they offered a UCCNC license with the UC300ETH during that period, so I went for the UC300ETH.

Originally Posted by 1Jumper10

Another thing I like about the UC400ETH is that you dont need another board like a smooth stepper etc. I used a breakout board like this: https://www.winford.com/products/brkg25.php Except mine has different connector that adapted to the UC400. Less than $25.

That breakout board is just a bunch of screw terminals, not optically isolated. I'd not use that with any of the CNC Drive products. There is even a warning about this in their manuals.

**Ger21** · 11-11-2016

The UC300 has 12V outputs, as well as 0-10V

I don't think it has 12V outputs, because it connects to standard parallel port breakout boards.
Also, I think the analog voltage varies depending on which motherboard you use, and I don't think it does 0-10V without a breakout board, does it?

**Ger21** · 11-11-2016

You are correct about the 0-10V output. I was confusing them with the analog inputs.

The 12V outputs on the analog port are not "outputs", but just 12V.

The UC300eth also has a 400Khz kernel speed.

**A_Camera** · 12-11-2016

Originally Posted by Ger21

You are correct about the 0-10V output. I was confusing them with the analog inputs.

The 12V outputs on the analog port are not "outputs", but just 12V.

The UC300eth also has a 400Khz kernel speed.

Yes.... well, it is an output, but yes it is just 12V. On when the card is powered up off after power off and in between it outputs 12V on those pins.

**Lee Roberts** · 11-11-2016

Originally Posted by A_Camera

That breakout board is just a bunch of screw terminals, not optically isolated. I'd not use that with any of the CNC Drive products. There is even a warning about this in their manuals.

I've got something similar but I've also got one of these: http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/252307419456

...as well. There is so many options these days, i think moving away from LTP and/or USB is a good move though.

**A_Camera** · 12-11-2016

Originally Posted by Lee Roberts

I've got something similar but I've also got one of these: http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/252307419456

...as well. There is so many options these days, i think moving away from LTP and/or USB is a good move though.

Yes, definitely agree that LPT and USB are not exactly optimal year 2016.
BTW, I have two identical BOBs. They also have 0-10V and are very goodand in my opinion. That BOB has six optically isolated inputs which are driven separately from the 5V logic if connected properly, outputs are through buffer driver and the relay is useful.

**John S** · 12-11-2016

Well had a look at the 300ETH manual and it's not exactly helpful is it ?
22 Pages, 20 of which tell you how to connect the ethernet and then a scant 2 pages giving the wiring of the pins.

aHowever they are all marked output 1, output2, etc, Analog 1, analog 2

Would it really hurt these peole is they supplied a diagram for a working 3 or 4 axis machine with VFD ?
You know it just might, note I said might, improve sales because at the moment anyone who isn't an EE is totally fazed by what has been released.

BTW can it do multiline encoder for lathe ?