Connecting to a CNC machine, pros and cons of USB vs PP vs Ethernet etc.

[Robin Hewitt]

I had experience of USB a few years back and it was not good, in fact I think the whole USB thing is a scam. The idea was good, every USB device had it's own unique ID number, you plugged it in , the computer asked, "What are you", it replied. "I am a 12345B". The computer searches itself for the driver named "12345B" and runs it. If it cannot find 12345B it asks you where it should look.

The unique ID numbers are free, but, you have to join the USB club before they can be given to you and joining the club is hideously expensive.

To get around that manufacturers used a loophole, instead of coming up and saying, "I am a Model J CNC Controller from Choppit Ltd" they come up and say, "I am a Windows device, usually a serial port or a disk drive". The Choppit CNC control software then has to rummage among the available ports and drives looking for it's controller.

USB does not usually shine because for CNC it is fettered by all sorts of 3rd party software impersonating other things. There was a company called something like "Metrologie" who joined the club and sold their unique ID's at around 10 for £120. They got stomped on PDQ but cheap ID's are still out there if you look

[Jon.]

lol.. you what?? so you went on to get ethernet from the tackle shop yeah?