Linux EMC step rates & Compaq EN SFF

I'm giving serious consideration to using EMC to upgrade a Denford Triac CNC
training vertical mill. Can anyone give me a guide as to what are the
limitations on step rate output via parallel port. I'm planning to use Gecko
stepper drivers with step /direction input - probably micro stepping.

Am I limited by the data rate via the parallel port itself, or the processor
speed - can anyone put some numbers around this so I know what the limits
are.

As a secondary question, has anyone got EMC running from the BDI on a Compaq
EN small form factor (so I know it likes it before I buy one!), as this
machine just nicely slips into the original housing of the mill electronics.

Thanks,

Andrew Mawson


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