Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: GUYHANSON on April 16, 2012, 04:46:43 PM

Title: Serial port setup question. Help
Post by: GUYHANSON on April 16, 2012, 04:46:43 PM
I'm trying to setup Mach3 on a router project. The computer didn't have a serial port so I bought a Pci card and installed it. Windows xp is happy and it's defined as LPT3 with address beginning 9C00.
The Mach install and reboot ran fine. The driver test was excellent at 25mhz. I set the port to 1 since 3 wasn't an option and address to 9C00 .

The problem is  I have no outputs on the port.  What do you do when the pci card can only be set to lpt3 or higher  and Mach only allows  1or2?

I think that's the cause of my problem but would appreciate any help please!
Title: Re: Serial port setup question. Help
Post by: Hood on April 16, 2012, 05:08:57 PM
What windows calls the port does not matter to Mach, it could be called LPT10,000,000 in device manager and Mach would not care. All Mach is looking for is the address so if you have that correct it should work.
Hood
Title: Re: Serial port setup question. Help
Post by: GUYHANSON on April 17, 2012, 11:00:29 AM
Thanks - that eliminates one variable.
I have double checked the address in Device Manager and I am using the first address location (the one on the left side) as the address in Mach3 to configure the port LPT1 . I have a RS232 tester (diode lights) and don't get a signal when using a command for motion through MDI.  The DRO's respond to the called motion.

What have I missed?

I duplicated this with another PCI Card on another PC and have the same results. I'm replacing a crashed computer on a table that (was) already running Mach with a c-10 breakout board, Gecko drivers, and setpper motors. I attached the tester to the port on the PC to eliminate a cable issue.

Help -
Title: Re: Serial port setup question. Help
Post by: Hood on April 17, 2012, 12:49:15 PM
Not sure how you are using the RS232 tester as this is the parallel port and not serial.
Easiest way to testwith a volt meter between a direction pin and a Gnd pin then jogging one way then the other, the voltage should change between 5v and 0v.
Hood