My current pc has no printer port, what would you do?

[slashmaster]

Just finished wiring up my kelling 3 axis package and was about to plug it into my current pc only to find it has no printer port, only usb. I have an older pc with a printer port but it needs a eide hard drive. WHat would you do? Is there a such thing as an adapter? I also have a scanner and printer with a printer port I want to hook to this pc.

[kawazuki]

Just finished wiring up my kelling 3 axis package and was about to plug it into my current pc only to find it has no printer port, only usb. I have an older pc with a printer port but it needs a eide hard drive. WHat would you do? Is there a such thing as an adapter? I also have a scanner and printer with a printer port I want to hook to this pc.

Honest, simple solution......I'd get a 30gb ide HD and use your old machine - this should be the least $$$, or next, swop out the new pc motherboard for another with a parallel port - they are still available.......just!
Both options will allow you to hook up the scanner and printer to a parallel port switch box although you won't be able to use all at the same time. I wouldn't be tempted to add a pci card to the new pc - these seem to be very hit or miss when used for machine controls!
Using a USB smoothstepper or similar is an option but prob. more expense and still doesn't help with the printer / scanner hook up!

[kanton]

slashmaster,

I would purchase a parallel port controller card. When I built my latest PC I bought this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815124004. I have not used it to drive a CNC machine but it works fine with my printer.

The professor and teaching assistant who taught the CNC courses I took told me that a good quality add in card was often more reliable for CNC use than those on the motherboard of the PC.

[Starleper1]

OR just add a parallel port via PCI card. I used this one and it works great.

[jjobezo]

Just finished wiring up my kelling 3 axis package and was about to plug it into my current pc only to find it has no printer port, only usb. I have an older pc with a printer port but it needs a eide hard drive. WHat would you do? Is there a such thing as an adapter? I also have a scanner and printer with a printer port I want to hook to this pc.

Check out the motherboard on your new PC. Often times they have a connector on them for the printer port and just need a connector added to go to the outside.

[alex781]

Related question. If something goes wrong with my driver board (eg a fault in the psu/motors connected to it), how likely is it that my pc will be damaged through the printer cable?

Also vice verca- if the pc crashes in the middle of a cnc operation what would happen?

[kawazuki]

Related question. If something goes wrong with my driver board (eg a fault in the psu/motors connected to it), how likely is it that my pc will be damaged through the printer cable?

Also vice verca- if the pc crashes in the middle of a cnc operation what would happen?

Most good boards or drivers will incorporate optical isolation between motors and PC so there is no 'physical' connection between them