On 28/12/06, Dave Mucha <
dave_mucha@...> wrote:
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> > Even if all it is say a 16 (hell 32) bit IO port on the end of a USB
> > cable, that could handle most of whats being done now and be more 'up
> > to date', say a 18f4550, it has PWM, IO, memory to remember where it
> > was last etc, store options and calibrations, and the rest of the
> > hardware, IE motor drive and motors, stays the same
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> > That would be a nice simple minimal component system, would require no
> > expensive driver ICs etc, just H bridges for the motors etc
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> > Sorry if I seem to be slamming all the CNC style hardware out there,
> > but it just seems so 'old' compared to say, a $40 printer, its like
> > comparing an old Chinese sky rocket to a nasa launch system.
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> > I will get the buckets of water ready now.......
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> > Lez
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> Cold water ? for the cold wake up ?
And the flames..........
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> #1) PIC's are not free. the flip side of what you say is that for
> zero dollars, I can rip apart a printer cable, pull the ends out to my
> drivers and run a machine from DOS. free.
Are your drivers free? the printer cable had to be bought at some
stage, PICS, and it could be done on one big one, are not that
expensive, how much is a copy of DOS, I dont have that...
> #2) PIC's are not free. you have to have a programmer, or you have to
> buy one pre-programmed. Either way, it costs money.
Thats why we have these little groups, to help each other, you know
that printer cable of yours, you could program a PIC with that, or
someone in the group could do it for a small fee, I would do it.