Re: Smart box / Dumb box was: Re: Signal gen Interface

> Message: 25
> Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 22:20:48 EST
> From: JanRwl@...
> Subject: Re: Smart box / Dumb box was: Re: Signal gen Interface
>
> In a message dated 09-Dec-00 20:44:12 Central Standard Time,
> geckohall@... writes:
>
>
>> I come down on the dumb box side. You already have a smart box; it's
>> the PC. It can calculate moves in 14 different dimensions a million
>> times a second; why replicate it? You have paid for it, make it do
>> the smart stuff.

The "smart box" vs. dumb box debate for me breaks down to $'s.

If I can get a "smart box" for a small price differential to the "dumb box"
bring on the "smarts". Why would you not want more "smarts" and today, with
the number of easily programmable devices available out there this doesn't
seem like an unrealistic possibility. However, I would like the option to
tell my "smart box" -- "Ok, I know you're smart but in this application just
pretend you're dumb -- you're smart enougn to do that right?" Like using
your PC to emulate a "dumb terminal". This would give you the flexibility to
use existing step and direction DOS programs if you wanted, while still
providing great signal quality and speed and the ability to use much
"dumber" applications under Windows by having a DLL to interface to the
"smarts-in-the-box" (much like IndexerLPT).

On the other hand, if the cost differential between a smart box and a dumb
box is high, I gotta say "cheap & dumb" wins because all you're really
concerned about is solving the timing and signal issues raised by Windows.

The problem with "smarts-in-the-box" is it's harder to change the "smarts"
when you want to get "smarter" (that is for those of use without chip
"burning" hardware) so you're frozen to something that guaranteed you're
gonna want to change in 6 months. This is the best argument for only make it
smart when it comes to timing and signals, these aren't likely to need
changing once you establish the operating envelop desired.

I'm interested in this because I'd really like to have both the capability
to use existing CNC software and write VB stuff that can talk to a smart box
like a printer to handle motion control. I nearly bought IndexerLPT but
"proprietary anxiety" got the best of me. I'm getting to the point where I
just can't bother with hardware or software which doesn't make a huge effort
to be as open as possible.