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Red/CAM PDMX 122
« on: January 21, 2020, 09:20:44 AM »
Hello everyone,

    I recently purchased a used Red Cam CNC benchtop machine and I’m having troubles getting it going. I am using Mach 3 on my laptop as a controller. It is a PDMX 122 breakout board. I feel like my problem is in the ports and pins configuration. Pins 2 and 3 are not illuminating on the breakout board which I’m told nothing will work until they are working.

I have port 1 enabled, and the XYZ axis are configured as the PDMX manual states. Output signals I have charge pump enabled 1/17.

It could also be a communication error from the breakout board to my laptop as I can’t get the reset to flash on Mach 3 via pressing my actual E-stop button on the machine.

Can’t really figure out what else I need, any information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Re: Red/CAM PDMX 122
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2020, 03:42:37 AM »
Hi,
the PMDX 122 is a parallel port breakout board. Laptops are NOT recommended as host for a parallel port,
I'm surprised you can get it to work at all.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Red/CAM PDMX 122
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2020, 04:40:41 AM »
Mach3 Minimum Recommended Requirements...

Requirements if using the parallel port for machine control:
Desktop PC with at least one parallel port
(Laptops are not supported)
32-bit version of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
(64-bit versions will not work)
1Ghz CPU
512MB RAM
Non-integrated Video Card with 32MB RAM
(Large G-code files, especially 3D files will require a video card with 512MB RAM or higher)

Requirements if using an external motion device for machine control:
An appropriate external motion controller
(options can be found on the Plugins page)
Desktop or Laptop with Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
1Ghz CPU
512MB RAM
Video Card with 32MB RAM
(Large G-code files, especially 3D files will require a video card with 512MB RAM or higher)



An external motion controller is probably the best way forward but choose one that also supports Mach4 (you may wish to move to Mach4 in the future) and is of EU or US manufacture - avoid the cheap Chinese controllers.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: Red/CAM PDMX 122
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2020, 08:00:00 AM »
Ahh I knew it would be something simple that I've over looked. Thanks for the info. I don't have a desktop, Ill have to get one. Your average desktops are fairly cheap but if I'm having to spend a few hundred dollars anyways, maybe there's a better way to do this for the money? Any suggestions? New to owning my own CNC.

Thanks again
Re: Red/CAM PDMX 122
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2020, 01:37:14 PM »
Hi,
I would agree and support Tweakie's suggestion about getting an external motion controller.

I have had great sucess with an Ethernet SmoothStepper by Warp9 ($180) but ther are others like the PoKeys 57CNC
and CNCDrive's UC300. What I would avoid is cheap Chinese controllers. They don't work as advertised, and once they have
got your money they won't help. In fact you'd swear that China is in a galaxy far far away!


For $200 for an external motion controller and use your existing PMDX-122 breakoput board and you can use just about any PC,
including your laptop, including 64 bit OS like Windows10. Cheaper than buying a desktop?

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Red/CAM PDMX 122
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2020, 07:53:39 AM »
Ok that sounds like a good option. I'll do some further research on that and weigh out what route will be best for me.

Thanks for the help! Really appreciate it!
Re: Red/CAM PDMX 122
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2020, 08:27:59 PM »
So I ended up just buying a used desktop from a friend for $40, just wanted to get this machine moving without having to wait for online buying etc. So with some time in the ports and pins page I now have all axis moving. Great news! Next up is turning on and off spindle which I am getting no response. In my spindle setup page CW M3 is listed as output #2. In my output signals page I have output #2 enabled and output #2 port # as 2. What do I put for the pin #? Anything else I need to do to enable spindle? What about in the motor outputs page under spindle? Just enable or what step pin # and direction pin # do I use? When I'm in MDI and press the Spindle CW F5 button the bar above does flash yellow until I press that button again.

Any info is greatly appreciated,

Thanks!