No parallel port on my dell notebook

[cyrkle]

Just purchased a new dell notebook to run my cnc. Unbeknownst to be, dummy that I can be, there is no parallel port. Everything is usb. I purchased goldx usbtocentronics converter and matched that with the db25 going into the hobbycnc board. First of all, I don't know if the usb drivers that came with the adapter properly loaded, but more important, does anyone know how to make lpt1, which is what KCam is looking for, default to usb?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
frankc

[kdoney]

Most usb to parallel cables or converters don't use the same pins that are expected in the db25 parallel port but are just pinned for the centronics printer pins. There is an article in circuit cellar that shows how to make a usb to a fully pinned db25 parallel port. I believe there are one or two commercially available products that will work but they involve a pcmcia card to db25 and are fairly expensive. If you find a cheap solution, let me know because I am still waiting for the parts to arrive for my pcb.

[d2gdesign]

You didn't mention it, but buying a docking station for your laptop should also solve your problem. They typically have a printer port on them.

Check the Dell web site. The only problem is they are usually more money to buy separately.

[unterhaus]

The USB to parallel port probably isn't going to work well anyway. A parallel port has very little latency. The USB converter messes all of that up. You may end up having to go with the GRex from Gecko or getting a docking station. I think there are pcmcia parallel port cards that may work.

[drk]

a docking station should be your best alternative as of now

[ger21]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ice=&maxPrice=

[kdoney]

Future Technology Devices Int. produces a FT8U245AM usb to parallel converter chip which contains all of the logic required to identify itself as a usb device to windows and handle all of it's communications. They also supply free Windows drivers for the chip. With large enough buffers, speeds of 190,000 changes per second to the outputs and inputs have been maintained. More than 1 may be connected to the usb port but they must then share the buffers. No microprocessors or programming is required unless you want to add more than 1 to the usb. Then an eeprom must be used to identify it serial number. Jan van de Kamer wrote a step by step article with the pc board layout in circuit cellar.

[abasir]

I've used one (PCMCIA) from http://www.transdigital.net/
Works well will ALL parallel port devices (including my digital storage oscilloscope, JTAG device programmmer, etc).

[kdoney]

Great. That one looks like it should actually work.
Thanks