USB will be supported long after parallel is in the dust.
As for China I have had a run of bad luck lately. Ordered a rework station
1st one never got hot. Second one let out a stream of smoke and then blew hot air. Proof this was the very first time this sucker had been turned on. The customer is quality control and the shipping and delay on each round, well that isn't a problem to the mfr in China. The distributor in the US has those headaches.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300748915324?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649the other item was a digital volt ohmmeter. no reading on 20 volt scale, low readings on 200 volt scale.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290912387701?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649I decided to get something else rather than wait for replacement so am returning it. They don't pay for returns of DOA - all on your nickel, and get this, they want tracking which is another 92 cents.
I can see making a customer pay for shipping if they changed their mind but no way should they charge for busto. I would have hated it anyway. Felt like a big fortune cookie in my hand. Scared I might crush it.
Felt way too thin.
________________________________
From: Jim <
n6otq@...>
To: "
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com" <
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 3:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Drilling machines, cheap Ebay routers
Well, it uses a parallel port for connectivity. That may pose a problem in a few years when PC makers have utterly abandoned that interface -- the machine should outlast a computer.
It takes G code, so as long as you can find software on W1nd0ze (or maybe Linux??) to support that AND a parallel interface on a replacement PC, you should be good to go.
Since I've recently had some really bad experiences with Communist Chinese-supplied USB cables, I cannot blindly recommend using a parallel-to USB interface box/cable.
I know that if I were in the market for something like this (and I kind of AM looking), I'd start with the software on my OS of choice first, and then go with a USB interface. Finally the product differentiator would be the actual hardware.
Basically if it won't support some flavor of ∗nix (I prefer a certain bundled BSD Unix) and USB, I won't use it.
73
Jim N6OTQ
>________________________________
> From: Dave <dave.g4ugm@...>
>To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 5:29 PM
>Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Drilling machines, cheap Ebay routers
>
>
>How do you compare these. I was looking at one of these:-
>
>http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-3020-CNC-UPDATE-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-ENGRAVING-DRILLING-AND-MILLING-MACHINE-c1-/290928956948
>
>any idea what the difference is?
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