Need Help!- looking for right break out board

[christ371]

I have a question about break out boards. What is the actual definition of a break out board? I thought it was to isolate a pc parallel port from incorrect wiring, I’m thinking now the correct way to describe what I’m looking for is “isolated break out board for parallel port”. Am I thinking right that I should have an Isolated break out board when I hook up my limit switches thru my Xylotex control board? I’m thinking most likely what I’m looking for is an optoisolated break out board. If my thinking is correct what would best suit me is a optoisolated break out board with a db25 male on one side and a db25 female on the other side, this way it could be simply placed in line in conjunction with my driver board.

[tauntdesigns]

I don't have a Xylotex, but I was going to direct you to CNC4PC's C11 breakout board. Here's a link:
http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/prod...roducts_id=161

I also looked in the Zylotex forum and on the first page I saw this thread with a guy using this board. I didn't read , but here's the link to the thread:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38121

Hope this helps,
Jack

[Bobbyr70]

The cnc for pc breakout board works well for me, I too don't have xylotex drives but that wont matter. the board is exaclty what you need and is op ioslated. They have a few different boards, I used the best one they had and it works great with the Keling drives and Keling motors. It has a few extras, charge pump, and relays for coolant and such.

[rrdiaz30]

CANDCNC's Mini-IO has a direct connection to the Xylotex.

http://www.candcnc.com/Mini-IOProductsChart.htm

Rick

[Cartierusm]

I have the cheap CNC4PC BOB and never could understand the high end ones from CNC4PC that are like 5 times the price. The cheap one works great and I believe has all the bells and whistles one would need. And you were right on both accounts. A BOB isolates the wires from the computer so you don't short out anything and also allows connections to be made easier with optoisolation.

I think you were also looking for the way it hooks up. Yes you just take a male/male parallel cable plug one end to the computer and one end to the BOB which has the port built in. Then you wire your motors and motor power supply to the motor drivers (gecko) then wire a 5VDC power supply to the drivers and BOB. Then your limit, home and Estop switched to the BOB. Your drivers have connections that go to the BOB to control the motors. Goto Keling's website and see some of his wiring diagrams.

[High Seas]

I'm using the cnc4pc -10 BOB. The less expensive one. The owner (cnc4pc - Autrro?) thought it would be more than adequate (as I recall).
I have 2 3axis xylotex boards hooked up to it. Used some cables that I stripped down to tie the xylotexs (xylotexces?) to the BOB. Checks out fine - need to get some more than 3 axis gcode to give a good trial though.
Jim

E-stop and limits can hook up through the BOB.

[CanSir]

The $25 C-10 model doesn't do opto-isolation; the $125 C-11 does.

[christ371]

Thanks to all. I decided to purchase the Mini-10. It looks like a cool little device with all it available options. Plus it has a interface cable for my Xylotex board. By the way I managed to get this definition of a break out board. A breakout board by definition breaks out a connection point for each wire in your db25 cable.http://www.candcnc.com/Mini-IOProductsChart.htm