Laptop needs a non-USB solution for Parallel Port

mendler

Honorable
Oct 22, 2013
5
0
10,510
Hi all,

I use a MSI GE60 0ND, made last year. I need to connect the notebook to a CNC Router (Romaxx WD-1), which requires a parallel port connection. One would think that a USB-Parallel Adapter Cable would work but unfortunately those are not a bi-directional connection and thus won't handle the real-time talking that will need to happen between the two machines. So where do I go? My machine has an SD Card reader, and a SATA-based optical DVD/CD bay, and I would gladly switch out either to create a parallel port. If MSI made THIS for my notebook my solution would be there but my current situation may become more of a hackjob, which is fine. If that's the case, form factor would not be an issue and the adapter that I use could exist externally of the laptop. A PCMCIA Card Adapter seems like a good option but my notebook does not host a slot for that either. I would need to turn my DVD bay into a PCMCIA Slot. Any thoughts or brains I can pick on this? I appreciate any help or references, thanks!

Matthew
 

mendler

Honorable
Oct 22, 2013
5
0
10,510
@Harry: The thing is, most or all routers use parallel ports. It's a part of its functionality of having a two-way conversation with the computer. So despite the fact that the parallel port is a legacy I/O, it is the protocol for the job.

@Phys: Talked to the manufacturer and they suggested to purchase a cheap desktop to run the GCode, or to buy a smoothstepper (http://warp9td.com/) which is especially made for the machining software I'll be using.

It's a viable option but it is also expensive and not a sure shot like a straight parallel port is, so I'm still hunting with open ears for suggestions and thoughts :)