Hi,
But here's a question ….
If you plug the Vital Systems Hand-Wheel into the Hicon Integra Controller, don't you then have to configure all the pin inputs in Mach4?
No, that is not my understanding. The Vital Systems pendant interfaces with the Hicon directly. You may have to configure the Hicon
somewhat but the MPG sends signals to the Hicon which enacts the movements commanded. Those movements are signaled back
to Mach so that the DROs remain in synch but the movement occurred without Machs intervention.
The operating principle is somewhat different with the P1A (or Xbox or ShuttlePro). The P1A signals Mach using a Modbus protocol
and then Mach signals the motion controller to make the moves.
I am not aware of any compelling reason to favor one over the other.
One difference between the two solutions is that the manual MPG has at most 15 wires to communicate to the Hicon. That will
limit the number of features that a manual MPG can offer WITHOUT going to a bigger (more wires) cable.
A USB connected pendant can string together long streams of data and so offer more features. In addition the pendant can receive
data as well, hence the LCD screen.
The manual MPG is simple and robust. Further I think TPS is correct, the MPG you have is a clone of the Vital Systems unit and
if you are prepared to learn how to connect it to your Hicon you may not have to spend anything.
The VistaCNC solutions work but are very much more complicated and the probability of incompatibility goes up......having said
that I've been using mine for three years without major drama.
Unless you are under time pressure I would follow TPS's advice an try to get your existing pendant working. It will almost
certainly teach you about your controller and very probably work quite satisfactorily, it is after all pretty simple.
Craig