# MACH3 on a laptop



## cfellows (Jan 19, 2011)

I was reading on the MACH3 website that their software won't run on a laptop because of the interrupting problems of the power saving features. Can't the power saving features on a laptop be disabled enough to allow the software to run on a laptop?

Chuck


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## Maryak (Jan 19, 2011)

On mine they can.

Best Regards
Bob


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## Tin Falcon (Jan 19, 2011)

that is there official stand. some laptops will run Mach 3 you must have a full 25 pin parallel. port. a work around if you really want to use a laptop is to purchase a smooth stepper it is a stand alone motion controller that goes in between the laptop and the breakout board. 
Tin


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## jpeter (Jan 19, 2011)

Back in the day I tried to run mach on a dell inspiron. It didn't run well at all. I was told by my IT guy it was cuz the laptop shares video memory with ram and ram was getting interrupted by demands made by the video. I don't know much more than that. Basically it didn't work. Today's laptops are a lot more sophisticated so maybe on a modern laptop it'll run fine, then again, maybe not.


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## lee9966 (Jan 19, 2011)

I have never had a problem running it on various laptops. As mentioned above you need to find a laptop with a parallel port, so an old laptop. Or use SmoothStepper


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## cfellows (Jan 19, 2011)

I have a USB to Parallel port cable that I bought. It has a USB plug on one end that plugs into the laptop and a centronics 36 pin printer interface on the other end. Also came with a small CD which has the drivers. Anybody had any experience with one of those? 

The board I want to use is a stepper3 stepper controller which will run up to 3 steppers... up to 25v and 3a per phase. I bought it a number of years ago and have yet to try it out. It came with KCam5 demo software.

Chuck


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## RonGinger (Jan 19, 2011)

> I have a USB to Parallel port cable that I bought. It has a USB plug on one end that plugs into the laptop and a centronics 36 pin printer interface on the other end. Also came with a small CD which has the drivers. Anybody had any experience with one of those?



Sorry, these will not work. Mach requires total control over the parallel port with microsecond based pulses. Sending them through a USB (the S means serial) just cannot work.

There is a device called the smooth stepper that is connected by USB, but it has a specifically designed processor to run Mach. Its about $150.

Laptops often have built-in hardware that does power saving things, like slow down the clock. Since these are hardware based Mach has no way to know they are in effect. 

There are some laptops that will work with Mach, but if you have one consider it a lucky break. The official policy is that laptops are not supported.


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## ironman (Jan 19, 2011)

I have a 200? Compaq 900 laptop running Mach3 on my Mill. Uded Mach2 on it to. It does have the 25 pin parallel port. Hey, that is my 1 and 1/2 cents worth. ironman (Ray)


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## cfellows (Jan 19, 2011)

Well, hmmm, wonder if a PCMCIA parallel interface would work? Like this...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Add-Parallel-Printer-Port-laptop-PC-PCMCIA-Adapter-/280591016739?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4154872323

That seems like a pure hardware interface

Chuck


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## stevehuckss396 (Jan 19, 2011)

cfellows  said:
			
		

> Well, hmmm, wonder if a PCMCIA parallel interface would work?



Don't waste your time Chuck. Go for the smooth stepper with the USB port.


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## ironman (Jan 19, 2011)

Chuck there are lots of negative posts on those PCMCIA adaptors on the Mach3 Support Forum and the YAHOO Group.  I was thinking about using a more modern desktop in the shop at one time and considered using one of those until I started reading the forums. Still got my old laptop going to the shop when I need it.   ironman (Ray)


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## zeeprogrammer (Jan 19, 2011)

Just a couple of other things that were mentioned in the seminar last week at Cabin Fever...don't know if this is help or hindrance...

It's more difficult to clean the laptop keyboard or keep swarf out of it. You can pick up cheap keyboards for a desktop pretty cheap. If necessary, it's also easier to pop the keys for better cleaning. If you still go by way of laptop, you can use an external keyboard and keep the laptop covered.

You might consider getting a cheap, no frills, desktop box. Or get a used one and put a new clean hard drive in it or get someone to take all the 'junk' applications off. Just use it for controlling the machines. Nothing else. Because of the task switching between applications and the operating system, the timing to the port can be 'interrupted'. This might be less of an issue with faster processors. If you do want to use the box for other applications, I wouldn't run them while running the machines.

I would avoid the USB too. At least any kind of converter from/to USB. Keyboard/mouse is probably okay. I develop communication systems using USB. I'd like to find the fella who developed that specification and knock some sense in him.


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## doc1955 (Jan 19, 2011)

I think you can order a Desktop Vostro business computer with no software installed.
That is what I did with my lap top it is a Vostro business and I had it delivered with no software. 
I didn't want all that Microsoft junk on it. I agree keyboards are pretty cheap and that would be the way to go IMO.


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## Tin Falcon (Jan 20, 2011)

Laptops often share video memory and they have annoying power saving features. the smooth stepper puts motion control outside the computer. 
Tin


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## cfellows (Jan 20, 2011)

Yeah, I know there are probably lots of good reasons to just buy a desktop. I'm just wanting to play around some with CNC and since I have 2 laptops, wanted to make do. The smooth stepper sounds nice, but I can't justify $150 for something that I might play with a couple of times then put it on a shelf. Also, desktops take up so much room, what with the separate keyboard and monitor. My shop is mighty limited on space...

I'm just toying with different ideas right now, I don't have anything definite in mind... that's always dangerous!

Chuck


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## shred (Jan 20, 2011)

For anybody thinking about getting a desktop to run Mach, pay careful attention to the specs.. the traditional parallel port is on the way out even there. Some companies are even getting sneaky and installing an internal USB->parallel adapter if you order a parallel port model.

As for the notebooks, most all of them have a tiny little embedded secondary processor that does things like power control, battery charging, CPU speed and so on. That can poke and prod at the CPU speed or fans or whatever else it wants to and is very difficult to disable. Sometimes, if the BIOS lets you, you can turn off the CPU power control that's the biggest problem.


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## Spinnetti (Jan 20, 2011)

jpeter  said:
			
		

> Back in the day I tried to run mach on a dell inspiron. It didn't run well at all. I was told by my IT guy it was cuz the laptop shares video memory with ram and ram was getting interrupted by demands made by the video. I don't know much more than that. Basically it didn't work. Today's laptops are a lot more sophisticated so maybe on a modern laptop it'll run fine, then again, maybe not.



I've got a spare Toshiba I wanted to try too.. beats dragging a desktop between machines... Might be worth a try - I'm running servos not steppers, so not sure if that makes any difference.

PS
Small world... My wife is from Kingston.... You probably know one or more of the Cherniawskis?


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## cfellows (Jan 20, 2011)

Wonder if there are other alternatives to MACH3 for simple stepper control that are more tolerant of various parallel ports?

Chuck


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## Tin Falcon (Jan 21, 2011)

the three names that are the most comon to home shop cnc are 
mach 3 windows based. discussed.
turbo cnc dos based shareware IIRC $60 license
emc2 linix based freeware. 
all of the above can be downloaded and tested for free. 
m3 is a bit limited without the license . Turbo cnc is a full version. and of course emc2 is a full version . 
The decision is mostly based of what platform you want to run. 
More info on smooth stepper here:
http://homanndesigns.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=51
Tin


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## RonGinger (Jan 21, 2011)

If you have a laptop with a real parallel port give it a try. You cant loose much but some time. I have an old Compaq that works fine, Ive used it at shows several times to run my Sherline or a small router. 

Just keep in mind any strange slow-downs or lock ups are not likely Machs fault.

Your only other choice is Turbocnc, but that requires a real DOS machine, it will not run in a DOS window on windows. 

Trying EMC would require reloading your laptop to Linux, and when I was doing Linux work it had lots of issues with laptops, again because of the strange, nonstandard and proprietary hardware


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## shred (Jan 21, 2011)

I used a USB DeskCNC controller on my laptop-based Taig. Worked pretty well, but these days not so well supported.


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## Chazz (Jan 21, 2011)

If you are going to 'Single Purpose' the laptop to run Mach3 it should be no problem. Here are a few things you can do, or get a computer geek buddy to help.

1. RAM is cheap now, find out what the maximum is for you model (usually 2~4GB) and upgrade.
2. Remove ALL programs not necessary to run Mach3 such as Antivirus and spyware programs, internet explorer etc, etc.
3. Uninstall devices such as printers and scanners.
4. Go to your 'Control Panel' and a) In 'Display Settings' turn off your screen saver and change your background to none.
                       b) In 'Power Settings' change all your "When laptop plugged in to AC" settings (will vary with make\model of system) to never sleep, always on etc. and save.
                       c) In 'System' go to your Device Manager and disable things like your Modem and Ethernet (assuming you are using you parallel port).
5. (Not for the Faint-of-Heart ) There are several processes, services and start up exe's that can be disabled or removed with tools such as Windows Sysinternals 'autoruns.exe.' and 'process explorer.exe' as well as right-clicking on My Computer and selecting Manage then Services\Services you will get a peek under the hood as to what exactly your system is doing. Please make sure you know what you are doing! Thm:
6. I would operate the laptop with the lid closed, using an inexpensive external monitor, keyboard and wireless rodent.
7. You could keep the laptop dual purpose by creating a new user account 'Mach3' for example and apply the above to the Mach3 account, just remember to re-enable your ethernet.

Cheers,
Chazz


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## cfellows (Jan 22, 2011)

Thanks to everyone for the good information. I decided to bite the bullet and buy a desktop (I was saving up my money to buy an IPAD, but good sense prevailled!). I picked up a Gateway E series for $50 and it has a 3.1 gh processor so I can dual purpose it as a gaming computer. Most important, it has a dedicated parallel port and old style serial port and 6 USB ports. It also has a relatively small footprint.  I still have to get a monitor for it, but small LCD monitors can be bought for a song on Craigslist.

Chuck


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## Tumbletown (Jan 23, 2011)

hi Chuck

i think you did the right thing. I've used Mach 3 for a long time now and although IMHO it is time for an update or two there is no doubt it is a great programme. Everyone is different, does it their own way, swears by their own system and software, and has varying priorities but for me the great benefit of a desktop with parallel port is the backlash compensation which at present is a facility not available on Smoothstepper. I use Turbocad to generate DXF drawings then into Sheetcam and onto Mach 3 with two profiles - one in metric to run a Wabeco 1210 manual mill that I've converted myself to CNC, the other to run an imperial Engraving machine which I designed and built from scratch. I had my desktop fail a month or two back and invested in a Smoothstepper to run with a laptop - no problem but lack of backlash compensation for the Wabeco hastened my efforts to locate a new desktop with parallel port which is now up and running. Nothing wrong with the SS apart from that pesky compensation. At least I have two strings to my bow now. Finding the right computer can be tricky. One machine I tried had a PCI Express parallel port. All the step and direction pins worked a treat but I couldn't get the charge pump square wave out of it no matter what I tried. Reference to the web tells tales of woes about parallel port cards. Some work and some don't! A non-integrated video card is best for the slickest operation but not essential. I must say a CNC setup to complement manual machines is a great blessing. If you haven't experienced it you'll be bowled over and wonder how you ever managed......

Regards

Adrian


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