"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:44:17 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:
"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:16:33 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:
"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:13:58 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:
USB to just about any sort of output..serial, parallel etc etc are
commonly available at any computer shop
LOL. Yeah right. Try running a stepper driver off of one.
I have a number of USB adapters that have an external power supply..so
the power needs are NOT taken from the computers USB port.
Want some links?
I want some links to some that will reliably control 3 or 4 axis of
steppers
for a million lines of code, and probably a several billion signals, and
will work with just about any step direction driver.
I think you totally missed (or chose to miss) that a cheap generic USB
parallel adaptor will not fill the need.
So USB 3.0 isnt fast enough?
Well, I'm not sure its strictly a matter of speed. It's a matter of
timing.
I know plenty of people have tried adaptors with poor results. With an
"adaptor" the PC is still doing all the work and then the USB port is
"translating" it. The software would really prefer to control hardware
directly. I can ask over at the Mach Support forum if anybody has better
results with USB 3.0 adaptors, but realistically I can't see how. The
fundamental problem is the same. The SS takes a whole different approach.
Let me know if the subject comes up. Ive got 3 Omniturn lathes in my
stock and was pondering about setting one up under Mach3
Now that I think about it. No I don't see it working with any generic USB
adaptor. Mach 3 wants the base address for the parallel port or ports. (It
will support 2 for upto 6 axis control with all the appropriate inputs and
outputs.) With a Smoothstepper they load a driver to intermediate or
redirect. No reason you can't use Mach 3 though even if you don't have an
LPT port. CNA has PCI parallel cards for $20. I have two of them in use.
Or of course go with the greater expense of the Smooth Stepper between the
PC and the drivers.