Mach3 on a netbook...

[LongRat]

I'd like to run my large 'outdoor' mill on a netbook, as I would like to avoid leaving the PC with the mill. The Acer Aspire One series of netbooks have caught my eye.
Before I go ahead and get one, does anyone have any experiences (good or bad) trying this. How well does Mach3 run on these machines? I will have to use a SmoothStepper as there won't be a parallel port of course. I also have doubts about interfacing a pendant with this netbook/smoothstepper set up. I won't have a serial port either. Really like the look of the Homann pendants but do they require a serial connection?

Thanks!

[ger21]

You can always make your own pendant and connect it to the Smoothstepper.

I know people run Mach3 on Atom desktop PC's with Smoothsteppers, so it should run OK on the Netbook. The Smoothstepper takes most of the load off the PC.

[LongRat]

That was what I was assuming and hoping.
I guess any pendant that uses Modbus would not work? I don't have a problem making my own, but I would be interested in any SmoothStepper-compatible pendants out there that may be available.

[ger21]

Any pendant that plugs into a parallel port should work with the Smoothstepper.

Here's a USB pendant, but not cheap.
http://campbelldesigns.net/CNC%20min...dant%20MP1.php

[LongRat]

Yes, that's costly.
What about using a converter cable for USB to serial, such as this one on the CNC4PC site: http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/prod...1fb0c8a4b3ef52

That says it is suitable for connecting a Modbus server. Maybe a Modbus based pendant would work with it? Or I could just get one of his LPT port pendants and plug that into the SS.

[ger21]

I don't really know anything about how Modbus works.

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by LongRat Yes, that's costly. What about using a converter cable for USB to serial, such as this one on the CNC4PC site: http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/prod...1fb0c8a4b3ef52 That says it is suitable for connecting a Modbus server. Maybe a Modbus based pendant would work with it? Or I could just get one of his LPT port pendants and plug that into the SS.

It should work with the usb to serial converter.

[LongRat]

Good info, thanks TRC.