I have a working machine with customised plasma screen set, the LPT port is failing.

It uses the MP3000-DTHC2 from CandCNC which has custom plugins i think.

I guess i need to do a fresh Mach3 install on the new PC first then run the port tester??

Then run the CandCNC installer?

Then copy what exactly from my working setup???

You will need to copy over teh XML file from your old PC to teh new one.

You do realize that changing PCs may NOT solve your problem. This has ALWAYS been a problem with multiplexed systems.  On the PC here it was NEVER a problem until I upgraded the DHTC. THEN the problem started.  After bypassing teh Torch signal so that it did NOT use a multilplexed signal it has been fine.  I do believe teh problem is with HIS multiplexing of the signal. THere are MORE than plenty enough LPT signals to run a plasma without multiplexing (;-).

You can draw your own conclusion from that. (;-)  I have NO idea why Tom did not step up and suggest the fix for you. It is outlined on a doc from HIS website . I will find it for you.

(;-) TP

Thanks TP,
it does seem to be some sort of 'secret', i have asked many times and still not got an answer. Another member has confirmed that it was a matter of changing a setting in the DTHC box but even then did not tel me which setting it was !!

Yes - no need to multiplex, I had plenty of pins on the old system, I have lost a bit of faith in CandCNC over this, partially because of the poor response rate - this has been ongoing for some time now

As you said, its a toss-up if changing a pc will affect a repair but I have few options without knowing exactly how to make the torch signal direct not multi.


Dave

HIYA Dave I found it. Please send me an email and I will send you what Tom sent me. It describes HOW to make the change.

(;-) TP

Done

It is on its way to you (;-)

(;-) TP

Changes made, took all of 3 minutes!

Will find out soon if it has fixed the issue, my guess is that it will.

Does it affect things like the THC as well??

You will need to copy over teh XML file from your old PC to teh new one.

(;-) TP

I thought i'd prep one of the new pc's just in case - best to have a machine that can be dropped inlace easily i thought


Hmm not quite as simple it seems, I have a customer screen too so i copied all the .set and .xml files in my Mach folder but some of the graphics on the screen are a bit messed up?

It's almost there but not quite.

Is it safe to just drop the whole Mach3 folder from the working machine on top of the new folder or will that corrupt stuff?

It will be fine.  When you get it all working as you want THEN make a backup copy of the Mach3 directory. I keep it on a thumb drive JUST in case.

AND I have needed it (;-).

(;-) TP

You're right (of course)

Just dropped a backup onto the new folder and it worked fine.

Will take a fresh backup tonight of my working setup and deploy that, then i will have two new boxes ready and waiting.