USB to Printer port compatability

[CbrViking]

Has anyone tried one of those USB to Printer Port adapters with Mach3 Mill? It's getting harder and harder to get PCs with a printer port, so I was just wondering...

[ger21]

They don't work. But it's easy to get a PCI parallel port card that will work.

[CbrViking]

OK, but that won't work for a notebook PC. I see a PCMCIA card printer port. Do those work?

[civilseal]

The reason they dont work is that they simulate a printer instead of a printer-port.

I bought one and tried, and I dont get a Printerport, but a new printer that is named usb-converter or something like that.
So I have to print to that, and then it communicates with the printer.

It seems totaly stupid to make it like that, like this the printer must be compatible with the adapter, and not all printers work.

Why not make it simulate a printerport, and there should be no problems?

The usb to serial adapters works like they should, i wonder why they had to make these different

[CbrViking]

So then, in order to use a newer notebook PC, you have to invest in a newer motor controller, right?

[joecnc2006]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...light=usb+port

[CbrViking]

WOW, now that's COOL!

[ger21]

You could also use an ncPOD. http://ncpod.oemtech.com/ A mach3 plugin will be available shortly. I believe that a beta plugin is available now.