Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Where are Mach3 settimgs held?

« on: May 31, 2015, 03:22:48 PM »

Gerry and all, I am running into a problem with two inputs not saving in a way that they do not reload after i shut down Mach 3 and restart the program, with or without a computer restart. My native units is in MM and I operate in inches, set through the Settings tab (Lock DRO to setup units in General Configuration screen is off). I have set my Safe Z to 0.5" and saved the configuration using the last command in the Config menu. When I shut down the program, with or without saving the fixture, and restart it using the same (only) profile I use, the program comes back up with the DROs in MM and the Safe Z set at 0.1968503937007874 (5 MM divided by 25.4 mm/inch as it turns out). and I have to manually reset at least these two functions every time I restart the program. So far nothing in the manual to help; can you offer any suggestions on this problem? Thanks for your help.

Bear

2

Mach3 under Vista / Re: axis rhythmic noise (like a knocking)

« on: May 31, 2015, 03:02:33 PM »

Just a thought... Might the monitor refresh timing be stealing a pulse from the steppers if the two pulses were generated at the same time and a power drop cause the steppers to skip, especially if the parallel port output voltage is marginal?

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Parallel port for PCI bus that works with Mach3 - just passing along info

« on: May 31, 2015, 01:26:11 AM »

I also purchased a Rosewell PCI to parallel card (single design) for use in an XP Compaq tower with a damaged integrated parallel port on the motherboard. I installed the drivers and PCI board, reconfigured Mach 3 for the new port number and found that Mach 3 could not use the port. After beating my head against a wall for a couple of days, I discovered that the computer's BIOS would not allow the add on parallel to operate until I disabled the internal parallel port, even though the BIOS had no settings for and add on ports. Hope this helps somebody avoid the same headaches.
 

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: May 21, 2015, 01:43:17 AM »

Hey gang! Bear here.
Mechanical and controls tradesman by day and Mad Scientist/Maker in the moonlight, who grew up with a OLDDDDDD school dedicated CNC Bridgeport mill in my family's machine shop and just really getting started in building  my own CNCs. If it is technical, I love it! 
 

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Parallel port for PCI bus that works with Mach3 - just passing along info

« on: May 21, 2015, 01:30:25 AM »

Update...
I got the second parallel port installed and hooked up to a CNC4PC 10 BOB...Only getting 2.4v from all the inputs...

Edit: I added a 5v power supply and all is good now.

Help a brother out! How did you add a 5V power supply? Add on with an inline BOB?

6

FAQs / Re: Setting Mach 3 Port to PCI parallel port address

« on: May 21, 2015, 01:22:02 AM »

Same problem here after my thrift shop XP machine died after six months of flawless operation (failed to POST, probably due to a motherboard failure) about the time I had a rush engraving job come in (Murphy at his finest!). I picked up a Compaq XP with an integral parallel port and plugged it in, only to find the direction pin would not energize. Since I do not have an rerouting BOB to reconfigure the outputs, I ordered a PCI parallel several others here had mentioned using with good results and found that instead of partial control, I get nothing on any pin, including the e-stop! I do not have any setup functions to disable or enable the onboard or remote parallel ports that I have found and was wondering if there was some supported address limits in Mach 3? Beyond IO voltages, any other ideas to check?