Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: pilotarix on December 15, 2015, 09:07:31 AM
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Hello all!
I almost finished my first CNC router, currently I still run the test version of Mach3 on a Lenovo Think Pad Yoga with touch screen.
The router is a Xzero Raptor and the controller is a Leadshine MX4660 with a USB motion controller from CNC drive, UC 100 CNC. So far I have only done some simple test runs for a couple of seconds and the system does fine, but no idea if that will be the same with some serious stuff that runs over much longer time.
Finally I would like to get a dedicated computer to run Mach3 but I am not sure what to buy. Meanwhile it is really kind of difficult to get a computer with a parallel port and my question would be if that is really necessary. If not, I could pick from a much broader range of computers. My favorite would be something like an all in one touch screen computer, which seems to be convenient in terms of used space and ease of use. But is that really smart, buy a computer without a parallel port?
Otherwise if I search for an inexpensive used slim size desktop computer they almost all have no parallel port. However there might be a way to upgrade them, which is likely not possible with the “all in one” computers. In addition, under Mach3 requirements is mentioned that the video card should be “non integrated”, I think this is really difficult to figure out, and especially in the “all in one” computers as well as in the slim desktops, that could certainly be the case due to the limited space.
Any thoughts experiences or recommendations, what works for you?
Thanks,
Chris
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You don't need a parallel port if you're using a UC100.
And with that UC100, just about any PC should work fine, as the UC100 handles the timing critical operations.
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thank you for your answer!
OK, good to know. I was a little bit under the impression that it might be better to have one... but if everything works just as well with the UC100 USB controller then OK I don't need a parallel port.
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Going back a few years the ‘on board’ graphics were not that good, they were slow, lacked memory and took away much needed processor time so ‘non-integrated’ was the way to go. Also it was common to turn off the Toolpath Display when running long Gcode programs to avoid the graphics issues.
Technology has changed a lot (as it always does) with much increased graphics speed and memory (required for us big kid’s gaming activities). This, together with multi-core processors, has made the latest ‘all-in-one’ a very serious contender for dedicated machine control (using an external motion controller of course).
Tweakie
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Hell all,
............
Technology has changed a lot .......
I thought so... however, I wasn't quite sure. It was kinda hard to imagine that some G Code can bring modern computer to its limit that is able to run a flight sim or other graphics power demanding computer games, some of them even with on board graphics.
Some of the information out there should probably be updated ;)
Thanks
Chris
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Hi there,
Mach3 requires very modest computing power, a single core 1GHz CPU will do the trick. In the days when everyone used parallel ports what was more
important was that the 'pulse engine' that handles timing runs undisturbed by other processes/threads running on the computer including graphics.
More recently with the advent of external motion controllers the ability of any given computer sucsessfully running Mach3 has increased dramatically.
As for the 32/64 bit question I have yet to see anyone claim that Mach3 benefits from 64 bit, aside of course not being able to run PP. It maybe that
graphics are improved with 64 bit and therefore not steal resources off Mach3 for a more reliable run but have not seen any evidence of it.
More recent versions of Windows have increasing levels of security code, internet, anti-virus, firewall and Ethernet checking. All have application in
a 'connected' PC which is our norm these days but a machine controller is best/ most reliable when not connected at all. All that extra security code
becomes an impediment rather than a help. My suggestion is that you don't 'connect' and do away with all the security junk.
Craig
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Okay guys, I bought a UC 100 because I have a windows 7 64 bit computer. I bought the UC 100 and could not get it to work. No matter how I installed it. It was always the same answer. No controller found. check connections. This was a $135 controller from Amazon and suppose to be Mach3 workable.
http://www.cncdrive.com/UC100.html . I sent this driver back. Now can any one give me a address for one that works or is it best to convert this computer to XP or windows 32 bit
thank you Johnny
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Hi,
I am surprised that the UC100 didn't work, they have a good reputation and following.
I would recommend either the Ethernet SmoothStepper or one of the PMDX boards. They have been in the business of external
motion controllers forever. They both run Mach3 with a plugin but also have Mach4 plugins available, so if you update to Mach4
at some later date no need to buy new hardware just download the plugin and go for it. Both are pretty good value.
Another maker producing good value products is PoKeys . CSlabs and VitalSystems make good stuff and 'industrial' grade but somewhat
more expensive.
Craig
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Craig, I think I see the problem. I needed a longer cable and with out even thinking, I go to Best Buy and buy a extension. Thinking about it after reading about Model PMDX-411 SmartBOB-USB-DB25 where they advise no more than 15 feet but of a good quality cable. I am betting the cable wasn't the proper gage cable so like men, all USB cables are not created equal
thanks
johny
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Okay guys, I bought a UC 100 because I have a windows 7 64 bit computer. I bought the UC 100 and could not get it to work. No matter how I installed it. It was always the same answer. No controller found. check connections. This was a $135 controller from Amazon and suppose to be Mach3 workable.
http://www.cncdrive.com/UC100.html . I sent this driver back. Now can any one give me a address for one that works or is it best to convert this computer to XP or windows 32 bit
thank you Johnny
I wish you e-mail us with your problem, I'm sure we could help you to resolve your problem.
The only case when we could not help is if it was a fake UC100.
I mean unfortunately some chinese company flooded the internet with fake UC100 devices, they used the popularity of the UC100 and named their own chinese "garbage" motion controller UC100,
when it has nothing to do with our UC100 device. If you got a fake device then unfortunately there is nothing we could do and then really the best is if you return the device and report the problem to amazon, ebay, banggood or what the shop was where you made your purchase.
So, I want to warn customers to please only buy UC100 controllers from known sources, from one of our listed distributors: http://www.cncdrive.com/distributors.html
And if anyone has any doubts about if a UC100 they want to purchase from an untrusted/unknown source is real or fake then please take the time and e-mail us before the purchase and we will be happy to help to verify that.
We do our best to fight these counterfreight criminals, but unfortunately shops like e-bay are no help in fighting fraud,
they not doing anything to protect their buyers from fraud. When we e-mailed them several times about the counterfreights they did nothing,
and so we guess that it does not matter for them as far as selling the fakes make them some profit.
Also please note that the fake devices are all packed into metal enclosures and they have no serial numbers printed on the side of the devices.
The real devices all have a unique serial number and our packed into plastic enclosures, so in most cases (I can't say in all of them) it is easy to identify the fakes.
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I did email the company web site contact us address and got no response
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I have tried to locate your e-mail and found one unanswered, this was it:
"I downloaded this driver as close to instructions as possible. Following the instructions to page 3, it says start Mach3 and that box appears.
It don't. Instead a box pops up saying Plugin DLL Defective Reload with a box to check that says okay. Check that box and another box drops saying UC100 V2_146-Defective Plug Found.
How can I correct this. Please make it simple as I am not a computer geek."
I guess this was yours, because I could not find any more unanswered e-mails in our system.
And I'm sorry for not answering, it seems we've missed to see this e-mail somehow.
However the answer to your issue is described in the UC100 manual, in the point 5. in the manual: http://cncdrive.com/MC/UC100%20datasheet/UC100%20users%20guide.pdf
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I quite understand this. I checked cables a number of times. I went to plugins in Mach3 and deleted the driver and reinstalled this a number of times. I think if you look at the date on that email you will see how long I have been playing with this. This machine still isn't running. I am a old phart and just use this for relaxation but this hasn't been very relaxing,
However thanks for the reply
johnny
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Yes, I understand, but you should really read the product manual before installing the device.
In the manual this particular type of issue is described with a printscreen of the error message and description of what to do.
You just have to install the prerequirement (the .NET framework 2.0 available for download on the UC100 page and also on Microsoft's website), otherwise Windows and therefor Mach3 can't run the plugin.
By the way, did you also ask the distributor shop who you bought the device from? They also did not reply? I'm curious.
And yes, the e-mail was really outdated and again sorry for not sending a reply, it sometimes happen unfortunately, because we receive a large number of e-mails and it can happen that we overlook one,
if this happens anytime in the future with anybody then please resend the e-mail. We reply within 24hours always (except on holidays and weekends), so if we don't answer in one day then there is an issue with receiving or with us missing to see the email and then please resend it.
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I bought the device from amazon and they just say contact the manufacture
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Dubbie if you just read back you will find this
Re: what computer for Mach3 - is "all in one" OK - is a parallel port mandatory?
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2017, 06:50:03 PM »
Reply with quote
Craig, I think I see the problem. I needed a longer cable and with out even thinking, I go to Best Buy and buy a extension. Thinking about it after reading about Model PMDX-411 SmartBOB-USB-DB25 where they advise no more than 15 feet but of a good quality cable. I am betting the cable wasn't the proper gage cable so like men, all USB cables are not created equal
thanks
johny
As you see the blame is probably on me but support is always a good thing. It's what you build a company one. First a good product and then product support
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Yes, I see the cable might be wrong.
USB is limited to 5 meters cable lengths without amplification (non active USB cable), however the longer the cable is the higher the risk for noise problems will be,
mostly because the impedance of the ground wire will become higher and so the 2 ground points (PC and the external board) will be worse pinned together.
We recommend no more than 2meters of USB cable.
Anyways, that error message is sure not caused by a wrong USB cable, except if the cable was not working at all (cut cable) and so then the UC100 was never recognised by the computer, then the USB drivers could not be copied by Windows and that again causes a Mach3 defective plugin message.
Unfortunately Mach3 does not show details about why it can't run the plugin, it only shows this general message whatever problem there is with the plugin.
And I agree about the importance of customer support, I'm working for more then 10 years in customer support at CNCdrive.
And thank you for the info about the Amazon seller, I don't know yet who is selling at Amazon (I've never used Amazon services, because we are not in the USA and there is no Amazon in the EU), but will try to look it up and ask why they did not give support.