Old PC`s and Mach3

[m_c]

Once confirmed if it is the pc's onboard LPT connection causing the missed steps then for a beginner would the UC100 be enough for me?
Or would the UC400 still be advised (I only be using 3 motors for a while as being a beginner) so the UC300 would be wasted on me to my understanding.

The UC100 is essentially a direct replacement for a single parallel port.
The other similar option is a PMDX-411, but that's limited to Mach4.

The comments about USB are valid, but bear in mind, the percentage of people who actually have problems is very slim. From what I remember, one of the original USB Smoothstepper sellers estimated it was under 2% of people who had problems. Newer USB devices do seem more reliable.

[Palletlad]

You all convinced me I am going to purchase the UC400 as like doddy said earlier its only a few pints in difference :D
I got my PCI card in though in the meantime I was going to test the LPT port issue but I cant get the PCI port to link with Mach3 :/ my I/O is DC00 - DC07 so I am putting in 0xDC00 in the port settings under LPT1 (which I have named the PCI port as well. Is this right as there was no instructions that came with the card?

[Doddy]

You all convinced me I am going to purchase the UC400 as like doddy said earlier its only a few pints in difference :D
I got my PCI card in though in the meantime I was going to test the LPT port issue but I cant get the PCI port to link with Mach3 :/ my I/O is DC00 - DC07 so I am putting in 0xDC00 in the port settings under LPT1 (which I have named the PCI port as well. Is this right as there was no instructions that came with the card?

It's the 300 that's a few quid more than the 400. But, I'm sure the 400 is suited to your needs. Not that I'm condoning your fix-by-replacement-until-it-works approach, but you know that already.

[Palletlad]

ah this wasn't part of the replace to fix it, its simply an upgrade I was looking at from the get go. I brought a cheap pci card to see if its the lpt port causing issues, just need to configure it properly and then I should be able to use the machine.
UC300 wont suit my requirements as it offers too much than what I will use it for but from £20 more from the UC100 I might as well get the UC400.

[Ger21]

The UC400ETH is a little more than a UC100, and a UC300ETH is a little more than a UC400ETH.