MACH3 on a laptop

[shred]

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

 

[Chazz]

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

 

[cfellows]

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

 

[Tumbletown]

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