[jangtse]

Can someone or Bruce take contact to me PM? I only have Bruce home address, but it is too long distance, yet. So, I need Bruce email or phone number.

[turmite]

Bruce and I just chatted on skype. That might be your best bet. I have had some major health issues and have not spent much time worrying about anything cnc, but did send Bruce a message on skype that I survived a trip to the ER yesterday and wanted to be able to use the Brain before it was too late for me! He said only I would contact him that way!

He did say that part of the paperwork had come through so that was good news. I don't know what it means, but it is good news!

Mike

[PoppaBear10]

Hey Bruce, good to see your still alive........

as you know, I have one of the original prototype brains......

I would be glad to do some of the C++/Phython stuff, been fooling around with that alot more in the EMC2 world, as well as applicaitons.

bing me on skype sometimes, or call me on the phone, we still live close together....

scott

[brccrb]

Hey guys,
It has been a while since I posted, sorry about that. I've been running into walls and getting bloodied up.

So the Brain is an FPGA based system. This is an amazing technology. However, anyone who deals with the stuff knows what a pain in the @#4 it can be. Especially when you put an entire system in the chip. You don't exactly have a debugger and a single compile can take over an hour.

To get around this, I built a tool that generates VHDL (the Brain chip is written in this). This tool is written in Python and let's you run/debug/test quickly in a simulator (basic language, logic based, but high level). Great idea! But this has turned into its own nightmare. :drowning:

I've been so close, just one more bug, just one more fix, which lead to one more set of problems. So I found someone who has done similar things to figure out what is happening (let's say they know three letter abbreviations and was able to say, "Yeah, that's a $#% of a problem"). Timing! There are so many things kicking on/off that the basic model used to syncronize the components is failing. But when and how is the problem.

So I'm having to revamp the tool and figure out this problem. I don't know how long it will take. I only have evenings and weekends to work on this. At least I have a roadmap instead of a drinking problem.

I would say I'm depressed, but my "I'm pissed" reaction is keeping me going.

On another note, I went ahead and closed the Safeguard website. I think I was the only one checking it. So I'll use this forum instead.

So that is where it is at. I've put years and a fortune into this and have bonk to show for it {I know emotions showing through but $&^*^ ... ok, feeling better}. But, we trudge onward.

When I solve this problem, it solves a lot of problems at once. I might even, someday, way, way, way .... way off in the future break even. All I can say is I have a great wife and kids who are very, very understanding and supportive.

If anyone wants to talk to me directly, here is my cell: 865-603-5943.

s/Bruce

[turmite]

Hi Bruce,

When we were doing our two hr long skype session the other night, I almost ask you to come here and tell the folks what you told me. I didn't and am glad I didn't. I am glad you came though.

You know where I stand, my patience, etc, but I would not be honest if I did not tell you that I am so very dissappointed. Not in you, because I have kept in good contact with you and knew to some degree the difficulitites you were having. I am dissappointed because I am going to have to use something other than my brain...wait..."the Brain" on my new machine.

As for me, I am going to hold on to the version I have, and wait. Hopefully, it won't be tooooooo long.

Mike

[brccrb]

Well, persistence is either a blessing or a curse. After more than two hours sleep I've gotten my fight back.

The rest of the software is ready (Apache mod, server components, etc.), so this is the problem at hand. One tool isn't everything, just at the core.

This is very cool stuff. It is a problem that can be solved. Just have to turn it upside down and see the problem.

Ok, so here is an opportunity! I thought about the core this tool generates. Maybe time to rethink what a processor really is.

I avoided an idea because of time. If I have to change the timing model, why not loose the idea of a processor and move forward with the state machine using n-port c-ram.

That would let me keep the high-level core code intact. Also this would be a completely new mechanism. OK. Back to work.

[turmite]

:idea: you had one of these and now I am

I've told you before you have to speak redneck for me to understand!

Blessings on you!

Mike

[studleylee]

Any update. I still have one sitting here not doing jack for $500

[turmite]

865-603-5943

This is his cell # he posted a few posts up. Try calling. Last word I had was that progress was being made.

Mike

[Larken]

Any update. I still have one sitting here not doing jack for $500

I cleaned some junk out of my basement the other day, and threw out a page scanner that i paid $500 for 10 years ago. At the time, it was state of the art. 2 years later it was obsolete, now printers have scanners in them.

In 2001 i bought a new 32" flatscreen (tube) Sony TV, $2400. The day after the 4 year warantee was over (2005) something on the PCB went POP! It wasn't worth fixing since plasma TV's were everywhere. Kept it in my basement for 2 years before finally tossing it.

Its been years since Cnc brain was started. Its too bad, but Its over, you have to take you losses. Sounds like the poor guy has been thru hell over this. Give him a break, he tried, but its no different than any other electronic gadget we buy and eventually throw away.

LK

[Al_The_Man]

I was almost tempted to buy in on the Brain, but since then I have come across Dynomotion products which appears to offer the same, if not more features.
It seems like it also features a semi-open architecture platform to.
I know this is not much consolation to those that did buy in.
Once I have collected enough info I intend making a decision on it very soon.
Al.

[samco]

Hi Al

Can I ask why you don't seem to consider emc2? It is very powerful and flexible. The interface hardware is inexpensive also.. And it is open source..

sam

I was almost tempted to buy in on the Brain, but since then I have come across Dynomotion products which appears to offer the same, if not more features.
It seems like it also features a semi-open architecture platform to.
I know this is not much consolation to those that did buy in.
Once I have collected enough info I intend making a decision on it very soon.
Al.

[ad_bfl]

Open source it like Arduino and see what happens.

Hey guys,
It has been a while since I posted, sorry about that. I've been running into walls and getting bloodied up.

So the Brain is an FPGA based system. This is an amazing technology. However, anyone who deals with the stuff knows what a pain in the @#4 it can be. Especially when you put an entire system in the chip. You don't exactly have a debugger and a single compile can take over an hour.

To get around this, I built a tool that generates VHDL (the Brain chip is written in this). This tool is written in Python and let's you run/debug/test quickly in a simulator (basic language, logic based, but high level). Great idea! But this has turned into its own nightmare. :drowning:

I've been so close, just one more bug, just one more fix, which lead to one more set of problems. So I found someone who has done similar things to figure out what is happening (let's say they know three letter abbreviations and was able to say, "Yeah, that's a $#% of a problem"). Timing! There are so many things kicking on/off that the basic model used to syncronize the components is failing. But when and how is the problem.

So I'm having to revamp the tool and figure out this problem. I don't know how long it will take. I only have evenings and weekends to work on this. At least I have a roadmap instead of a drinking problem.

I would say I'm depressed, but my "I'm pissed" reaction is keeping me going.

On another note, I went ahead and closed the Safeguard website. I think I was the only one checking it. So I'll use this forum instead.

So that is where it is at. I've put years and a fortune into this and have bonk to show for it {I know emotions showing through but $&^*^ ... ok, feeling better}. But, we trudge onward.

When I solve this problem, it solves a lot of problems at once. I might even, someday, way, way, way .... way off in the future break even. All I can say is I have a great wife and kids who are very, very understanding and supportive.

If anyone wants to talk to me directly, here is my cell: 865-603-5943.

s/Bruce

[Larken]

Open source it like Arduino and see what happens.

Its a (big) chip on a board, with bad code. Whats to opensource ?

He's said he's trying to develop a debugging system so he can debug the FPGA. He's back to square one !

I say, toss the FPGA and use a DSP. The only one that seems to get a FPGA system working good is the guy who wrote smooth stepper.

[ad_bfl]

The VHDL and board design.

Only offering up this random thought because it seems that the level of emotion and frustration is pretty high, and if the author has any thoughts of just walking away, then put it out there.

Get some more eyeballs on it and see what floats to the surface in the way of good usable ideas. Maybe somebody who has a passion for this stuff will help.

Look at the number of hits on the thread Mariss has for his PLD tutorial, 56,841 views and 267 replies, maybe some of the folks in that thread will pick this up and contribute.

[Dougal]

Hey guys.
Want to explain some of these ancronyms a little for the rest of us?:wave:

[Al_The_Man]

I,ll try, Basically DSP & FPGA are terms for dedicated processors/process's, in this context it usually refers to say a stand-alone dedicated system.
For e.g. software based systems such as Mach uses the resources of a PC to load and run a software operated CNC system which must share resources with other programs etc..
Systems such as Motion control cards and external dedicated hardware use a dedicated LSI IC in the form of a DSP or Digital Signal Processor made by the likes of Texas Instruments that can operate a dedicated closed loop servo system regardless of what the operator interface is doing.
FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), this is an extension of the older PLA (programmable logic array) which was a meant for a single IC to replace several discrete logic gates.
This performs real time logic in a LSI (large scale integration) IC.
The bottom line is, if the Processor has nothing else to do but look after, say a motion control loop, then this increases the efficiency of the system.
Al.

[PEU]

RTFM LMAO

[Al_The_Man]

Hi Al

Can I ask why you don't seem to consider emc2? It is very powerful and flexible. The interface hardware is inexpensive also.. And it is open source..
sam

What is the best motion card that EMC accepts and can control Analogue drives, A-M-C etc??
No parallel port. No step/dir.
Al.

[samco]

The one I used is mesa. Mesa Electronics

I have experience with the 5i20 that is a 72 i/o board. (these i/o can be configured pretty much to whatever you want)

for analog drives - (I am using amc drives also) There are atleast 2 daughter boards you can use - 7i33 (4 axis analog - 4 +/-10v and 4 encoder interfaces (diff or ttl selectable). there is also a 7i48 with is the 6 axis. I am using both for my project and they both work great. mesa has a lot of daughter boards - you just have to make sure that emc2 supports them.

so - for me I am using 2 5i20 boards and one 7i33 and one 7i48. for i/o I am just using opto22 pannels plugged into the 5i20's. So total I have 96i/o and 10 axis worth of analog/encoder interface.

Take a look at what they have - there is also a 5i22 with is 96i/o.. There is also an pcie solution (internal and external) - again - this is not an external motion controller - emc2 is the motion control.

sam

What is the best motion card that EMC accepts and can control Analogue drives, A-M-C etc??
No parallel port. No step/dir.
Al.