Steve try Sherline mode... Could you tell me who got the driver box from?

Hi, Steve

Try this XML I set your port to std. port1 378 un-checked the sherline 1/2 step & mod-buss box's.

Give it a Try, Chip

Hello,
Thank you for the try chip, but that port address doesn't communicate with my parallel port. When I bought my dell 5150 in March, it came without a parallel port. When I bought the driver box, it came with parallel port connections (I didn't realise as I was new to cnc!). So I had to install one in my new computer, hence the odd port address. Could that be the problem?
Hey Brian, I've been trying to get the box working since april and the company who sold it to me has tried to be helpful, but I wouldn't want to cause them any trouble by naming and shaming. I'm based in the UK and I'm guessing that most of the guys using the forum are based in the US and are probably unlikely to buy from the same place.
I think I've already tried it in just sherline mode, as I've been looking at past posts on the forum to try and find similar problems. I'll give it a go again...
Thanks guys,
Steve

There are quite a few of us from the UK, me, John P, John S, Graham Waterworth, fdos and a few others who I cant think of right at the moment.
 Is it from Marchant Dice? seem to remember someone having problems a while back with one from them, was that you?
 As for the Port address, no it wont cause a problem as long as it is what device manager is saying it is.

Hood

Hi Hood,
I didn't realise there were lots of people from the UK, Sorry.
I did get it from them, but they have tried to be helpful. I've only recently joined the Forum, I've mainly been going to marchant dice for help since I've had it. I thought it might have been a problem at my end with my parallel port instalation but the computer recognises it and says the drivers are up and running. The port address is set to that in my device manager as it has been since I had the machine. Thought I'd try you guys as i've hit a bit of a wall and only really want to play with my machine. I think Kevin (marchant) is running an older version of mach2, as he sent me a screen shot of his pin setup and it didn't look like the latest version of mach2 that I was running. Should I try that? or should I try getting in contact with the company?
Steve

Can you post the screenshots, should be able to work out what is what. Do you have any details of your drives, power supply ratings etc. I will have a look at their site and see if there is any info there. Going back to an old version of Mach2 is not the best idea, you want to get up and running in Mach3 and if you cant with the proper settings then I would think it more likely its a harware issue, whether thats computer or control.
Hood

Steve
 You might want to contact Jacko from this thread, http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=982.0 I thought I remembered someone with the Marchant Dice stuff. I presume its all working fine for him now so if he has the same hardware you could ask if he would send his xml to you and it should put you on the right track. You will get his email if you click on his name to get to his profile.
Hood

Hello Hood,
I didn't really get anything in the way of a manual with the box, all I know is that the steppers are DCNC 57-061-01 (1Nm), The drivers and interface are 2.1amp, it has a ring core module 225VA and 45V, 12V and 5V DC (5amp module) according to the description on ebay.
Brett has been in contact and said it might be my parallel port instalation, I think I'll try the machine on a friends PC to see if that solves the problem.
Thanks for the leed, I'll drop Jacko a line to see what happened with his machine.
Thanks for the help,
Steve

Not sure if its been mentioned before but have you checked to see if your parallel port cable is a direct cable and not a crossover? You can do this with an ohm meter or even a battery and bulb.
Hood

Hey Hood,
By that are you referring to the power feed to the PCI card? If so then there isn't a power cable directly to the card, it gets its power through the connection slot in the mother board. I have noticed that there is power coming down the leed from the parallel port to the machine as some of the LED's in the machine are slightly on even when the machine is off (that probably means nothing!). Should be able to test on another person computer later this week, fingers crossed!
Steve