Feature Request: Using parallel port with bit-pattern characters rather than serial port

Description

Hi.

Rather than using serial ports and dedicated custom protocol for driving X-Y steppers, it should be simpler to use parallel port with bit pattern characters for step/dir pulses. No more microcontroler board, just direct drive of widely available dir/step power drivers.

Regards, Chris.

-- HoubaHouba - 18 Mar 2008

Follow up

I think that instead of skip a current working protocol , it's better to add a new one ( 'plus' is better ) , in next version of motion track will have an asbstraction layer so any plugin that satisfy the API will work. If you want to add paralele port please do it against svn trunk.

-- AngelCarpintero - 03 May 2008

Comments

Driving directly from parallel port to stepper driver. Nice geek feature. One I could have gotten the idea to hack up.

I am not sure it is the right approach that covers the general public because few today are able to hack up such a piece of hardware - just like few are able to hack up what is already in Motion.

Maybe a better approach is to add a stepper motor control using a piece of standard hardware that most people can get their fingers on all over the world.

For example the Velleman K8000 + K8005 combo. I have a K8000 which is a great board for general IO. I have not played with K8005.

The great thing with Velleman K800X is that there they are easy to get all over the world and there is excellent Linux support for them. It is standard in the Linux kernel!!

And it is dead easy to write the C code to control the K8000. We could also use this as external Motion trigger inputs and to add a feature that activates an output when Motion is detected. For example to turn on a lamp or ring a bell.

Problem with K8000 is that it requires parallel port interface which becomes more and more rare so a USB based kit that can be purchased would also be a possibility.

-- KennethLavrsen - 03 May 2008

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