Need Help!- Why no connection to parallel port?

[ACM92530]

Why won't my Plasmacam establish a connection to my parallel port? I have an older Dell, but it's not super old. I have even installed two different ports into the expansion slots and enabled them each separately to try them. I understand that their addresses are found in the devic manager and not BIOS. I have made sure the hex addresses are correct, and followed the correct sequence for turning on the computer and control module. Does the plasma cutter need to be hooked up for the computer to connect to the Plasmacam? Thanks in advance if anyone can help.

[AnotherDano]

This question is almost a year old - is it answered elsewhere?

I'm having the same problem. A call to Tech services got me going but it seems every morning it's the same old thing. Sometimes it works but usually not. I re-check the port assignment (B000-B004) and try and re-try to connect.

The machine is grounded from the grate to the building's ground rod with a #8 insulated wire. The computer, controller and the Plasma cutter all all on seperate circuits. I've disconnected the parallel cable, powered down/up, rebooted and just about everything else I can think of.

Frustrating. It worked yesterday!

[jimcolt]

Best bet to solve your connectivity issue with the computer and PlasmaCam....join the Plasmapig user group on Yahoo. There are over 500 PlasmaCam machine owners that help each other out.....and generally solve every issue that comes up. It's a great group...and there are archives and search functions that will help you get to the bottom of your issue. To join the site you need to register with a PlasmaCam model and serial number....only owners are allowed....the site is independant...not sponsored by PlasmaCam.

Jim Colt

[AnotherDano]

Originally Posted by jimcolt Best bet to solve your connectivity issue with the computer and PlasmaCam....join the Plasmapig user group on Yahoo. There are over 500 PlasmaCam machine owners that help each other out.....and generally solve every issue that comes up. It's a great group...and there are archives and search functions that will help you get to the bottom of your issue. To join the site you need to register with a PlasmaCam model and serial number....only owners are allowed....the site is independant...not sponsored by PlasmaCam. Jim Colt

Thanks Jim. I've been advised to join that site and I just have to remember to jot down the serial # the next time I'm in the shop.

When I called PCam last week, the number wasn't registered yet. But I don't expect that to be a problem with the Pig site.

[jimcolt]

Some people have difficulty with parallel port setup for the PlasmaCam.....due in part to different mfgr's port voltage levels.....and the fact that a lot of computer guys don't work much with parallel ports as it is on the way out from a hardware perspective! You do have to get into the Bios setups in order to make this work properly......and from what I have read...the USB to Parallel converters simply do not work for this application. You need to have an integral parallel port...or you can add one to the pci slot.....still, it must be Bios configured which just takes a few secons, but requires different techniques on a lot of different computers.

I had a little struggle with my newest PlasmaCam.....but I was able to resolve it by rereading the manual.....which offered a few different methods- one of which worked! Plasmapig guys will definitely be able to help.....and there is a guy from PlasmaCam (George) that lurks on the site....he will definitely be able to help.

Jim

[AnotherDano]

It's just frustrating to have the machine working to a point where the playing can get more intense, and then have to go back and start over.

With the help of PlasmaCam tech guys, I followed this path;
Start/Control Panel [Use Classic View]/Device Manager/Printers/

(here is where memory fails me) It is on a machine running XP and I'm on a Vista machine right now, so I can't follow the same path - Damn that Bill Gates!

Anyway, I found that the port is assigned to B000-B007, so I entered Booo in the PlasmaCam setup and used the option to find the device.

It did recognize the machine over several shut-down/start-up sessions but the last start up had found it's brick wall.

I'll just go back to square one and retrace every footstep. This time I think I'll start at the ground, since that seems to be the most common problem.

One more addition I'm thinking about is a UPS to get the cleanest power possible.

Good idea or wasted $$?
Use the UPS for both the PC system and the PC, or use seperate circuits as I've been advised?

[AnotherDano]

Now I just go to
Machine/Settings/System Setup/Autodetect

Takes just a few seconds and has become a ritual.

[geo4932]

You may need to check your Startup/shut down process depending on the computer you have.

Start up
1. Boot up computer.
2. Launch Plasmacam
3. Turn controller ON. Initialize.

Shut down
1. Close the Plasmacam software.
2. Shut down the computer.
3. Turn the Plasmacam controller OFF.

George

[AnotherDano]

Thanks Goerge, I'll use that sequence.