First of all I would like to say hello to everyone in this group. I appreciate the opportunity to ask you for help. I have a Plasma Cam purchased in 2004. Original computer just died so went to connect a modern one and needed to update my cable with one
that had a USB port. This is what I found. "Parallel IEEE 1284 Printer Cable Adapter" I now get this error code:

"Unable to conecto machine. Check power, ports and cables. Turn off controller for 5 seconds (and/or disconnect cable) then try again."
Any suggestions.......
Thanks again,
Russell E. Libby REL

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If nothing else is found, you might look on the internet for a used old computer with a parallel port (non modern).
I've done that with adequet success.

Hul

Russell E. Libby <[email protected]> wrote:

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone in this group. I appreciate the opportunity to ask you for help. I have a Plasma Cam purchased in 2004. Original computer just died so went to connect a modern one and needed to update my cable with

one that had a USB port. This is what I found. "Parallel IEEE 1284 Printer Cable Adapter" I now get this error code:

"Unable to conecto machine. Check power, ports and cables. Turn off controller for 5 seconds (and/or disconnect cable) then try again."
Any suggestions.......
Thanks again,
Russell E. Libby REL

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On 27/07/2022 20:06, Russell E. Libby wrote:

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone in this group. I appreciate the opportunity to ask you for help. I have a Plasma Cam purchased in 2004. Original computer just died so went to connect a modern one and needed to update my cable with

one that had a USB port. This is what I found. "Parallel IEEE 1284 Printer Cable Adapter" I now get this error code:

"Unable to conecto machine. Check power, ports and cables. Turn off controller for 5 seconds (and/or disconnect cable) then try again."
Any suggestions.......
Thanks again,
Russell E. Libby REL

Have you looked at the device configuration in Control Panel and checked
the configuration and status, I presume this is in MS Windows.

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On Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:06:50 -0700 (PDT), "Russell E. Libby" <[email protected]> wrote:

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone in this group. I appreciate the opportunity to ask you for help. I have a Plasma Cam purchased in 2004. Original computer just died so went to connect a modern one and needed to update my cable with one

that had a USB port. This is what I found. "Parallel IEEE 1284 Printer Cable Adapter" I now get this error code:

"Unable to conecto machine. Check power, ports and cables. Turn off controller for 5 seconds (and/or disconnect cable) then try again."
Any suggestions.......
Thanks again,
Russell E. Libby REL

usb TO PARALLEL ADAPTERS ARE NOTORIOUSLY FLAKEY. Get e REAL parallel
port card - likely your best bet is a StarTech parallel port -PCI
Express most likrly.

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On 7/27/2022 12:06 PM, Russell E. Libby wrote:

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone in this group. I appreciate the opportunity to ask you for help. I have a Plasma Cam purchased in 2004. Original computer just died so went to connect a modern one and needed to update my cable with

one that had a USB port. This is what I found. "Parallel IEEE 1284 Printer Cable Adapter" I now get this error code:

"Unable to conecto machine. Check power, ports and cables. Turn off controller for 5 seconds (and/or disconnect cable) then try again."
Any suggestions.......
Thanks again,
Russell E. Libby REL

A Mesa Card might be an option. Its a true I/O board often used for CNC controllers. I know its often the interface of choice for LinuxCNC and PathPilot users. I have a basic 5i25 plugged into a slot on my Tormach
control machine. I haven't really looked into using it with Mach3/4.

For Mach3/4 I believe the Smoothstepper is the interface of choice
still. They make a USB interface board and an Ethernet interface board.
I have run both of them and found the ethernet interface to be work
much more smoothly, although I did run an industrial CNC knee mill for a
few years using a USB Smoothstepper between the computer and my breakout
board.

Your biggest issue may be if you do not know the pin assignments of your machine.

UCCNC also has USB and Ethernet interfaces, but I have heard they can be
a bit finicky.

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
https://www.avg.com

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Clare Snyder <[email protected]> wrote:

On Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:06:50 -0700 (PDT), "Russell E. Libby" <[email protected]> wrote:

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone in this group. I appreciate the opportunity to ask you for help. I have a Plasma Cam purchased in 2004. Original computer just died so went to connect a modern one and needed to update my cable with

one that had a USB port. This is what I found. "Parallel IEEE 1284 Printer Cable Adapter" I now get this error code:

"Unable to conecto machine. Check power, ports and cables. Turn off controller for 5 seconds (and/or disconnect cable) then try again."
Any suggestions.......
Thanks again,
Russell E. Libby REL

usb TO PARALLEL ADAPTERS ARE NOTORIOUSLY FLAKEY. Get e REAL parallel
port card - likely your best bet is a StarTech parallel port -PCI
Express most likrly.

I second this. USB to (anthing else) adapters are flakey garbage, unless
you can find a super expensive one from a completely legitimate company. A standalone card will be cheaper either way. Startech stuff is good.

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On Fri, 29 Jul 2022 23:03:33 -0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader <[email protected]> wrote:

Clare Snyder <[email protected]> wrote:

On Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:06:50 -0700 (PDT), "Russell E. Libby"
<[email protected]> wrote:

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone in this group. I appreciate the opportunity to ask you for help. I have a Plasma Cam purchased in 2004. Original computer just died so went to connect a modern one and needed to update my cable with

one that had a USB port. This is what I found. "Parallel IEEE 1284 Printer Cable Adapter" I now get this error code:

"Unable to conecto machine. Check power, ports and cables. Turn off controller for 5 seconds (and/or disconnect cable) then try again."
Any suggestions.......
Thanks again,
Russell E. Libby REL

usb TO PARALLEL ADAPTERS ARE NOTORIOUSLY FLAKEY. Get e REAL parallel
port card - likely your best bet is a StarTech parallel port -PCI
Express most likrly.

I second this. USB to (anthing else) adapters are flakey garbage, unless
you can find a super expensive one from a completely legitimate company. A >standalone card will be cheaper either way. Startech stuff is good.

The problem with usb adapters is the drivers and how they have to
interface to the OS through the API. There really isn't a solid
standard that everyone follows - the old "the beauty of computer
standards is there are so many to choose from" - since Windows 98 or
XP there is no way to directly address hardware devices like the old
DOS days and USB adds an extra layer of uncertainty/complication

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