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Offline ger21

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Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2008, 08:37:17 PM »
Is there a significant benifit of this controller say versus Xylotex for example

The ncPod is a motion control, that sends sends step and direction signals to a stepper drive. The Xylotex is a stepper drive. Comparing them is apples and oranges.


Fred, didn't you used to sell the ncPod on your site? I don't see it there now, but seem to recall I did in the past. Where else can you buy them.

It seems to me that for the $55 more fof the SmoothStepper, you get a whole lot more. More I/O, faster step rates, more features, active development.....
Gerry

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Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2008, 08:37:09 AM »
I am certainly interested if you have any info on the NCpods development or death.

The official NCpod website has not been updated since 21 Nov. 07.  That is by my calculation nearly a year.


There have been changes to the ncPOD web site, but apparently the date of last change does not update.  For example there is a fairly new stand alone control panel that was added in the last couple of months.
Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #12 on: October 08, 2008, 09:33:29 AM »
Fred, didn't you used to sell the ncPod on your site? I don't see it there now, but seem to recall I did in the past. Where else can you buy them.

The ncPOD is available from www.oemtech.com  We don't sell the board alone, but we do have an assembled servo system which incorporates it.

http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/sys-5.aspx

We plan to also offer the smoothstepper as a system option at some point in the future, but it has to work for motion control first.

Fred smith - IMService

Offline Hood

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Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2008, 02:51:54 PM »
We plan to also offer the smoothstepper as a system option at some point in the future, but it has to work for motion control first.

Fred smith - IMService
In what way?

Hood
Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2008, 06:10:17 PM »
"The current state of the plugin is beta," from the Smooth Stepper website. Some features
 also "require a development version of Mach3", not the lock down.  Either condition is difficult to
support, both taken together, the product is not ready for my catalog.

Offline Hood

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Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #15 on: October 08, 2008, 06:22:18 PM »
Similarly the pod is Beta from its site. Granted it doesnt need the latest versions of Mach but then again the SS only needs them for certain things such as lathe threading.
 Had a look at the Pod site and it seems to suggest that its only for 3 axis mill, also no spindle control etc for I/O, is that still the case?
 Oh and probably the latest Dev version of Mach  will become the lockdown very soon, I would say its much better now than any version of Mach previous to it but I can see why you would not wish to support until it is officially a lockdown.

Hood
Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #16 on: October 08, 2008, 06:51:27 PM »
This should answer most of your questions:

www.artsoftcontrols.com/plugins/NcPodUserManual.pdf

Offline Hood

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Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #17 on: October 08, 2008, 06:54:39 PM »
thanks, will go have a squint at it :)

Hood

Offline RICH

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Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #18 on: October 25, 2008, 05:51:14 PM »
HenryPel,
I do not know why there is a lack of interest in the NcPod postings. Maybe there are better choices available
now like Mach with Gecko drives and a Smooth Stepper. Nothing stands still these days as it either moves forward or withers and dies. Since you seek benefits of one verses the other I assume you haven't acquired anything yet.
There are a number of choices out there. Encourage you to seek the advice of many and repost with specifics . We don't charge a $1 for our opinions or $60 to ask a question / make a post like some others out there.
RICH

Offline John S

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Re: status of NCPod
« Reply #19 on: November 01, 2008, 10:50:27 AM »
Why do you and Chaoticone ( apparently an administrator) plug the Smooth stepper rather than answer the OP's question.  Why don't you post in the smooth stepper topic area instead of the ncPOD?  Is the use and development of the ncPOD unwelcome here?

Possibly because the Smooth Stepper is a work in progress and it quite up to date.
Greg is addressing problems and the plug in is also being worked on.
Hood can't comment on the NC Pod as he doesn't have one.

I do and it has serious problems in locking up and I'm not the only person to have this.
Do a search on the Yahoo list to see.

I have tried many things to get by this, new computers [ 5 in all ] which all work on the parallel port, upgrading firmware and plug in's.
I even borrowed a NC Pod off John Prentice who has exactly the same problems and that was the same as mine.

There is no pattern to the hang up, can be just into a program or anywhere else, all you get is the Mach screen still running and a message at the bottom saying NC Pod has stopped responding.
Problem is you don't know where as Mach is still running so the job is scrap.
You have to reboot to get out of it.

It was a good idea but the support was never there for it, mine sits abandoned on the bench with John's at the side, he never even wanted his back...

I will shortly be working with the Smooth Stepper as I want it for a high speed threading lathe.

John S.