Hello All. My first post here. I have read many a Newbie post and they make me laugh. I find humor in them because they claim to be newbs, yet are SO much further along than I that I believe they are newb wanna bes. I am a true Newbie.

I have purchased two stepper motors, two controllers, and a Power Supply (All Automation Direct)  I have Mach 3 installed on an old, but not bad, desktop running XP. I have run the PC test in the Mach folder and it was near straight line. Para Cable stripped back and wires indentified.

I have both controllers wired from the Power Supply and to the motors as the docs with the controller stated.

Here is my True Newbie question:
My controllers have a
Step+
Step-
Dir+
Dir-

Would I supply 5VDC (My Power Supply has one) to the Step+ and Dir+, then use two outputs from the Para Port to the Step- and Dir- for control? The Docs that came with the controllers give diagrams for an indexer with sinking ouputs, sourcing outputs, or differential.
Which would Mach 3 fall under?

I have watched the tutorial videos and looked back through posts, but none were this basic.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jeff

Can you link to the docs for the drive, will look in the morning as its 2:30am here and I need some sleep. Hopefully someone else will get you sorted before that
Hood

Thanks for the quick RE Hood.

Here is a link to the Automation Directs STP-DRV-4035 (Stepper Drive):

http://web1.automationdirect.com/static/manuals/surestepmanual/surestepdrive_datasheet.pdf

Thanks for helping a new guy out.

Hi, Jeff

Welcome, Hears a start, We'll help you as much as you need, So Ask Away.

On your printer port cable, Your Step+, Dir+, You can use these pin's, 2 - 9, 1, 14, 16, 17, There (output's).

Most use, "X", 2,3 or 3,2, "Y", 4,5 or 5,4, "Z", 6,7 or 7,6.

Your Step-, Dir-, Use common/Gnd., pin's 18-25 considered to be the same Gnd. connection.

Note: Not all printer ports or Cables use all of them, So connect 18-25 all together.

Hears a link to Getting Started Manual: http://www.machsupport.com/docs/Mach3Mill_Install_Config.pdf

Hope this Helps, Chip

Wow Chip,

Thats the kind of info I was after. I truly appreciate you spending the time to respond.

The common pins were what was really throwing me.

I DLd the Manual, but your description is what really helped.

One hurddle done....many to go.

Thanks a ton,
Jeff