Originally Posted by CNCPlastic One thing for sure, people should test all the pins on the parallel port. My built in port (brand new Intel) was whacko, pin 13 (an input pin) had 5vdc and my Z stepper refused to work at all. Two other people I heard about had problems recently with theirs also. I installed a cheap made in china parallel port card (CompUSA) and it works perfectly. |
I agree 100% - You can save a lot of agrivation by knowing it works and the voltages are right - some drive at 3.3 volts not the 5 volts you need. I've been going to build one of these: http://www.hut.fi/Misc/Electronics/c...el_output.html
but havent got a few other projects done yet. You can find the same thing off-the-shelf, but thought it would give me bragging rights if I built something that sorta looks electronic!  Jim
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Experience is the BEST Teacher. Is that why it usually arrives in a shower of sparks, flash of light, loud bang, a cloud of smoke, AND -- a BILL to pay? You usually get it -- just after you need it. |