Tb6600?

[Doddy]

For anyone who has, had or knows anything about it, is there any specific break out board I should be getting with this uc300eth? I don't know much about them, I think they're generally the same but I'm not sure. How does it work with the software, interface and Bob? Are you able to set up individual pins on uccnc? Or do you need a specific break out board that is set up for the uccnc software outputs?

The UC300eth has 5 discrete ports and one analogue port.

Two of the discrete ports (2&3) mimic the standard LPT/parallel port, and because of this you can easily use a standard parallel Break Out Board to interface to either of these. The signalling is pretty standard - 5V levels (outputs are driven by 74HC13s, interfacing the onboard 3.3V logic of the UC300eth with the offboard signals at 5V; inputs are coupled via a resistive divider networks to drop the 5V input to the onboard 3.3V), but the nature of this is such that a BoB of some description is highly recommended to avoid any problems with spikes/noise etc driving or damaging the UC300eth (and the UC400, for that matter). The UC300eth is supplied complete with a cable to allow one of the ports 2 or 3 to be directly wired to a standard parallel/LPT BoB, and you can buy more cables easily (26W-IDC to 25W D-Type).

Ports 1, 4, 5 are different - they each present a significant number of inputs (13) and a small number of outputs (4) with the same signalling as ports 2&3 (74HC13 driven at 5V, resistive divider on inputs). A standard BoB cannot be used on these ports. This is where the UB1 provides a significant benefit over standard BoBs - providing a configurable (24V/5V) opto-isolated interface to the inputs, and a buffered driver for the outputs. The UB1 also provides an interface for the analogue port - providing two separate isolated analogue outputs to drive e.g. a spindle speed interface.

The UB1 also provides the necessary 5VDC supply to the UC300eth.

The UB1 is, without doubt, a decent interface between the UC300eth and a machine, but it's worth checking that you need the additional support required for the non-standard LPT ports, as it clearly comes at a price.

At this time, my own build can use the ports 2&3 with standard (cheap) parallel/LPT BoBs, and I'll reserve the use of the additional capabilities for a later use (if at all).

I am tempted to throw together a rugged I/O - or BoB board specifically for these ports and publish the board design through Seeed/DirtyPCB to allow anyone to build their own.

Regarding the software etc, the UCCNC - it is configured that it understands the respective inputs and outputs on each port, and you can program these with the required functionality (i.e. designating an input as E-Stop, or an output as a motor interface, or otherwise a standard discrete output). You cannot, however, change the type of interface (e.g. change an input to an output) - that is hardwired on the UC300eth.