Messages

61

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Parallel port not recommended???

« on: February 05, 2017, 09:00:45 AM »

So, I have the g540 and probobly need bite the bullet (or drink the koolaid) and get the ESS, but I can not quit figure out how the two devices connect to each other.  The g540 only has only a parrellel port and the ESS does not.  Are there some example diagrams out there somewhere that show the physical connections between the power supply, ESS, and g540. 

A couple good diagrams might slow the steady flow of questions coming from me as well.

62

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Parallel port not recommended???

« on: February 04, 2017, 06:56:12 PM »

Thank you joeaverage.  That was a very useful explanation of the process (and also a good illistration of why I will probably end up getting the ESS.

63

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Parallel port not recommended???

« on: February 04, 2017, 06:52:36 PM »

yeah, the terms are what get me in trouble.   I will probably end up getting the ESS, but I want to buy it when I have a particular problem to solve (fortunately, I am not doing this for a living).  I have a long history of jumping the gun because I just knew I had to have this thing that is now sitting amoung a lot of other things in my think closet.

So in that case I would be connecting the computer to the ESS via a cat5 cable and then the Ess would use a a pp cable to go  to the g540, right?

64

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Parallel port not recommended???

« on: February 04, 2017, 11:42:48 AM »

You still need a motion controller (or the PP plugin) to operate your G540. 

The g540 IS the motion controller, right?  I was thinking I just need to connect the g540 to the computer running Mach4 and the legacy parrellel port plug in via a pp cable.   Is that a correct plan or am I still not getting it?  Is there a disadvantage doing it that way?

65

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Parallel port not recommended???

« on: February 04, 2017, 11:08:46 AM »

So, you have Mach4 on the computer (os??).  A parallel cable that connects the computer to the ESS.  You don't use the Ethernet cable from the computer to the ESS?

Not really trying to pepper you with questions, but I have found it difficult to get my head wrapped around this.  I have been using chilipepr and tinyg and am not entirely happy with that arrangement, thus the purchase of the g540.

Have you used the gecko g540 to give you a point of comparison between the ESS and the g540?  (obviously, now that I have plunked down the money for the g540, I wan't to find a very good reason not to use it if I don't)

66

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Parallel port not recommended???

« on: February 04, 2017, 09:36:49 AM »

Well, I am now on the gecko g540 path after buying it.  I had looked at the ESS, but the coin was tossed and I ended up going form g540 instead.  You say you have pp and ess, but I thought the ess didn't need the pp plug in.  What am I missing?
 

67

Mach4 General Discussion / Parallel port not recommended???

« on: February 04, 2017, 08:27:48 AM »

I ordered and recieved my g540 motion controller and was ready to purchase a mach4 hobby and legacy port plug-in when I stumbled across the following blurb....

"We do not recommend using the parallel port with Mach4 as performance is reduced by both this data connection and the processing and memory power of older computers."

The machine I would use would be either a win xp or win 7 refurbished with 4gb of memory and integrated video.  Is this even going to work in light of the statement above???

68

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Pc requirements

« on: February 04, 2017, 08:15:51 AM »

I have two pc's that I could use with mach4.  Win xp on one and win 7 on the other.  Both have parallel ports and I know I need the plug in for legacy p ports.  Both machines use half height slots and integrated video.  The requirements listed above say "non-integrated video card". Is that an absolute requirement, or can I use the integrated video to begin with.

69

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Switching to Mach4 hobby from chilipeppr

« on: January 20, 2017, 07:51:50 AM »

So, here's the plan....
I have the g540 coming today.  I will ...

convert all the motor connections to 9 pin connectors.
figure out which limiting resistors to use
purchase a mach4 hobbyist license
install the Darwin driver
hook up the parallel cable between my computer and the g540
plug in the motors
learn how to setup and use the software.

Is there anything else I need to get started?  I plan to get a pendent, better spindle and spindle controller at some point, but right now I just need to get this project working.

70

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Switching to Mach4 hobby from chilipeppr

« on: January 18, 2017, 06:56:30 AM »

Thank you.