[joegtp]

I'm looking at building a Model 2006 for my first CNC. I found a BOM on another thread and one of the things I noticed was the lack of a USB based controllers. They all look to be parallel port based. My laptop doesn't have a parallel port and I've read that the converters aren't good enough to keep up with the high data rates. I would rather not add another $400 to the price for a computer with a parallel port since a have a perfectly good old laptop laying around. Any thoughts? Bonus, if it's compatible with Mach3.

I see on the Mach3 plug-in site things like SmoothStepper and PoKeys support but I'm not really sure how those fit in with the whole system and if they are any good. It looks like the Hobby CNC is the way to go but it's only parallel port. If I did go with a SmoothStepper or PoKeys what else would I need?

[ger21]

Pokeys won't work for you. It can't run motors.

The Smoothstepper basically emulates 2 parallel ports through a USB connection. It doesn't control motors, so you'd still need drives, like the HobbyCNC.

The HobbyCNC drive would plug into the Smoothstepper.

A cheaper option might be a used PC with a parallel port.

[AJ Negvesky]

Probotics has a USB interface now don't think it works with Mach 3 yet. Mac h 3 Doesn't like laptops allot be careful.

[abqjohn]

You shouldn't have to drop $400 for a PC that will work - you don't need bleeding edge brand new power for a CNC machine, right?

Still researching & procuring stuff for my build, but even a Pentium 4 2GHz will work for a controller (someone correct me if I am wrong). That kind of machine, you can find people giving away (at least, that's how I got two of the machines out in the garage).

[ger21]

but even a Pentium 4 2GHz will work for a controller (someone correct me if I am wrong).

Correct.
I run Mach3 on a 1Ghz PIII.