Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: Klaus on May 16, 2018, 09:44:43 PM

Title: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Klaus on May 16, 2018, 09:44:43 PM
Hi all

My first post here and I have tried to find an answer to my question in here without any luck.

Can I use a Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel with Mach 4 like you can with Mach3?

If yes does it have to be a specific one?

Thanks
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: joeaverage on May 16, 2018, 11:20:57 PM
Hi,
there are few pendants at this time that have a Mach4 ready plugin.

I use a VistsaCNC P1 but that is wired not wireless.
There has been some posts about XHC pendants, one of which is wireless, and some success has
been had getting them to work with Mach4. I'll try and track down the thread.

Craig
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: joeaverage on May 17, 2018, 12:04:11 AM
Hi,

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,31332.0.html (http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,31332.0.html)

Craig
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: joeaverage on May 17, 2018, 12:50:14 AM
Hi,
as you can see there is a very substantial investment in time an energy to code even something as simple
as a plugin for a pendant. To date few manufacturers have done so.

There have been a number of posts in the forum from users whom have made their own control panels
complete with buttons, switches and handwheels. Most have had good success an enjoyed the process
of both making and then programming with Lua.

Unless you are dead set on a wireless unit a control panel could be a worthy project, certainly a learning
oppurtunity.

Craig
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Klaus on May 17, 2018, 02:10:58 AM
Hi Craig

Thanks for finding thread, much appreciated.

Wow yes I can see there has been used a lot of time on this, just weird that the manufacturers don't have it to work on Mach4 (yet)
How old is Mach 4?

Klaus
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: joeaverage on May 17, 2018, 03:21:58 AM
Hi,
the code base is about five years old. I, unlike you, am not at all surprised that there is only limited market penetration by manufacturers
of Mach4 ready equipment.

Manufacturers of external motion controllers and pendants have to make a major investment in resources to produce a Mach4 compatible
plugin. Remember this investment is against a backdrop of what is still a fairly small market of potential buyers.

This situation is now changing rapidly.

Firstly the number of Mach4 users has grown to the extent that manufacturers are now actively pursuing products to satisfy demand. Three manufacturers
have released Mach4 plugins, CNCDrive, CSLabs and XHC in the last year, with mixed results in some cases but none the less they have made the investment to
participate in the growth of the Mach4 market.

NFS is to be congratulated that they have focused their efforts on development. Some of the features added in the last year alone are the probing module, PMC, the
all new Zero Brane editor/debugger. As a result of the development effort NFS has also weathered some criticism that Hobby users are confronted with the need to do
a fair amount of Lua coding with out of date documentation yet they have persevered with development of new features and increased capability.

I believe the gamble will pay off, Mach4 is now a very attractive solution for OEM and Industrial customers. The high value of such sales should go a long way to secure NFS's
future. As a hobbyist I will continue to benefit from NFS's new developments and their growing commercial strength, and I am of the opinion that the momentum is
building.

I might point out that we, that is you and I, have the opportunity to get in on the action. For instance you have already seen that there is the market for a wireless pendant.
Do you feel the inclination to roll up your sleeves and make one? Any and all genuine enquires are being met by NFS, they are as enthusiastic that manufacturers should be
producing equipment that makes best use of Mach4's strengths.

Anyway welcome aboard! You will have noted that I am a rabidly enthusiastic Mach4 user......

Craig
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Peter Knell on May 27, 2018, 02:29:42 PM
mkullman on this forum created a driver for an XHC mach3 Pendant for Mach 4. It is wireless and i have just installed it and it works good. Its around $80USD on Aliexpress.com.
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Klaus on May 27, 2018, 09:44:56 PM
Hi Peter and thanks.

Yeah, I saw that post (quite looooong) about the driver.
So it works ok for you?

Klaus
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Peter Knell on May 27, 2018, 09:47:00 PM
Literally just installed it yesterday and it runs awesome. Make sure you order older model not the new one. Can get wireless or wired both use same driver.
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Klaus on May 27, 2018, 10:04:45 PM
Arggghhh I was after the new one :( You are sure the driver is not working with the new one?

Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Peter Knell on May 27, 2018, 10:10:05 PM
New one won't work, old one just as good
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Klaus on May 27, 2018, 10:40:54 PM
Ok, do you have the model name or number of yours, please? Or a link?

Thanks
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Peter Knell on May 27, 2018, 10:51:14 PM
2.4G CNC 3 axis wireless hand wheel MPG remote controller MACH3
 http://s.aliexpress.com/2Mja2Ujm?fromSns
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Klaus on May 28, 2018, 12:00:51 AM
Ok thanks, I will just need the 4 Axis.

Wonder why the new version is not working???
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Peter Knell on May 28, 2018, 12:13:24 AM
Different hardware so different software and the driver. Read thread
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: cd_edwards on June 17, 2018, 03:04:12 AM
There have been several versions of a plugin for Mach4 and the XHC WB04 controller. I'm working on one currently as well. Mine will not require a driver at all. Just plugin the dongle and my plugin finds it and connects. Right now it's very much a work in progress though.  I have alot of functions working, some well, some not so well. mpg is not working yet as I haven't spent alot of time on it yet.  Within a couple of weeks I will have it working good enough for a release. Currently I have the plugin, with a config dialog for entering the macro's in, a diag window for viewing the data being transmitted. One issue I've found is that the device will goto sleep on you. until you move a dial or push a button it will stay sleeping.
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: cd_edwards on June 21, 2018, 04:41:14 PM
2.4G CNC 3 axis wireless hand wheel MPG remote controller MACH3
 http://s.aliexpress.com/2Mja2Ujm?fromSns
Driver I just uploaded is for this exact model of XHC HB04. I have one of these albatrosses.
Title: Re: Wireless USB MPG Pendant Handwheel
Post by: Klaus on June 21, 2018, 10:01:30 PM
Great thanks.

I haven't got my machine yet and I can't wait :)