Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Lost Steps (Me again)

Matt, Jon, and the list

Although I'm a long way off from going to EMC software (thought I'd try
to roll my own); I'd like to know more about the "freqmod module" and
perhaps hear more about what Jon Elson is doing on the Parallel port
version.

I have also ran Stepper I.C's, Timer I.C.'s, shaft encoders and A/D's
from Parallel ports, and would like to see more development for CNC in
that area. As I understand, there was a previous project to do an
interface, with optical isolation, buffering, etc., and that may have
lead to what Jon is working on now?

Any thought to the PCI bus addressing? Has anyone used it with a
home-brew interface? Looks like PCI bus cards want to put things on new
addresses (PCI). And my new development system (the one stays stays
clean in the office) is PCI card only! :>(

Alan


Matt Shaver wrote:

> ---cut
> You're right that this problem is due to a combination of deficiencies. The
> reason I'm concerned about the software is that I was somewhat involved in
> the creation and promulgation of the EMC software (and the freqmod module for
> running stepper motors in particular),
>----cut
> Jon Elson's making really good progress on a parallel port connected machine
> control peripheral that will offer plug-in modules for quadrature decoders, D
> to A converters, general purpose digital I/O, and eventually a programmable
> step pulse generator. He's got the D to A board up and talking to the PC
> after some difficulty with the sparsely documented EPP mode of modern
> parallel ports. Using this mode allows for high rate data transfer and
> deterministic behavior (a problem with USB and Ethernet), without having to
> open the case of the PC (laptops!!). There's still a lot to do, but this is a
> major accomplishment. The stepper module will probably be the last to be
> created. I guess you could say it's in the "conceptual" phase of development
> ;)
>
> Matt