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Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Open Source Mach3 Usb Plugin RFC
« on: January 15, 2013, 07:26:52 PM »
Thanks,
I've been working on the hardware end for my own board. But the idea for the OSS USB driver is to supply the software and perhaps a couple hardware designs with different performance and complexity levels. I want to make the USB driver universal and as flexible as possible.
As for the hardware, I've incorporated an ENC28J60 Ethernet to SPI controller in what I expect to be my most complex design. A proof of concept design was done with the Arduino and followed with a prop version of the same circuit. Again, the Arduino lacked processing power. But I've thought about using two arduino pro minis. The first would handle nothing but receiving data from the PC and storing it in ram. The second would take the data from ram and drive the motors at a constant speed. Something like the CAT24C208 dual port ram would work nicely for this.
I haven't done a lot of hardware hacking in many years and I find myself now rekindling that passion... So I have a half dozen or so breadboarded ideas working. I've also figured out that with the use of attiny mcu to do boot config on the L6474 it is possible to use the L6474 just as you might use older simpler driver chips like the SLA7078 driving it directly from port signals. A wrote a little python app to allow me to change the config. Once I narrow down the approaches that seem to work best I'll post my eagle files for the hardware. The firmware will take a bit longer as I need to turn my hacked code into something presentable.
I've been working on the hardware end for my own board. But the idea for the OSS USB driver is to supply the software and perhaps a couple hardware designs with different performance and complexity levels. I want to make the USB driver universal and as flexible as possible.
As for the hardware, I've incorporated an ENC28J60 Ethernet to SPI controller in what I expect to be my most complex design. A proof of concept design was done with the Arduino and followed with a prop version of the same circuit. Again, the Arduino lacked processing power. But I've thought about using two arduino pro minis. The first would handle nothing but receiving data from the PC and storing it in ram. The second would take the data from ram and drive the motors at a constant speed. Something like the CAT24C208 dual port ram would work nicely for this.
I haven't done a lot of hardware hacking in many years and I find myself now rekindling that passion... So I have a half dozen or so breadboarded ideas working. I've also figured out that with the use of attiny mcu to do boot config on the L6474 it is possible to use the L6474 just as you might use older simpler driver chips like the SLA7078 driving it directly from port signals. A wrote a little python app to allow me to change the config. Once I narrow down the approaches that seem to work best I'll post my eagle files for the hardware. The firmware will take a bit longer as I need to turn my hacked code into something presentable.