PC hardware to run LinxCNC

[img][/img]Well, I've ordered the Terminal blocks and jumper strips from RS (Aus) in the end. Plus some other bits and pieces including some XLR connectors for the cables to the motors and other functions. I thought about getting the ebay blocks but decided that I'd probably br safer if I got the matching jumpers as the commended (by RS) units. As they say, the fool and his (or her) money are soon parted.

Here's another snap of the nascent control box, with a Gecko 203V and 8.2Kohm resistor (for the 1A/phase motor(s)) perched precariously on a corner of the frame - sort of where it might end up:


Here's its Flickr page link - Flickr make me do this *sigh*, a good reason to a. not post my snaps and b. possibly not use Flickr. I guess I could upload it to the Forum(?) but that takes up uneccesary disk space here that I am already paying Flickr for *another sigh*.

There is a bit more room than I thought if I drop the case's own rails down a notch from what it is in the photo, and bunch up the boards a bit. Hopefully the memory and SSD will arrive next week - I'm anxious to get that side of things finally sorted out.

Btw, the thing dangling from the end of the narrow ribbon cable is the board holding the four sets of step/dir LEDS that are associated with the motors (4 axes). Two per motor: green for step, red for dir (I think).

BigJohnT wrote:

It's not a problem to upload images to the forum.

John

Thanks for that, John . I was going to post a snap of the newly-completed array of bits and pieces for the computer, the last parts (memory and SSD) having turned up this morning, but things have not going as expected - or, I should say, hoped.

I'm not quite sure what's going on, but while the board seems to be powering up, there is no connection between the (VGA) screen and the D525's (VGA) display port. It isn't the display, as it works fine hooked up tot the G5 (via a VGA-DVI adapter). this suggests that there is something wrong with the board - I have tried the SSD out in the G5 and the system sees it OK, albeit as an unpartitioned, unformatted drive.

So I've been feeling a bit of a fool - and won't upload the snap that I was going to upload to the forum as a test.

The green power LED on the board is lighting up, and there is power through at least some of the circuits as the USB CD/DVDD drive hooked up to one of the board's USB ports, that has my Ubuntu 10.04/LinuxCNC 2.5(?) disc in it, powers up fine when I turn on the little Pico150 PSU.

I'll pull the memory out next but I've a feeling that something on the MB has cooked - maybe a stray touch from the fingers even, despite my care and the anti-static strap that I purposely dug out for the occasion (and clipped onto a sturdy metal object). Another answer might be the low-voltage monitor that I'm using: it runs off a 12V switch-mode wall wart (like the Mini-Box Pico) and the board isn't the LVDS version...

Hmm...

BigJohnT wrote:

Do you have another monitor to test with? I just use regular monitors on mine.

John

Yes, but I've got slightly the wrong VGA-DVI adapter, and the "spare" monitor ( actually the wife's, but she's overseas) has four extra pins that the adapter doesn't have the right sockets for. I keep thinking that I had one that worked, but I think that's just wishful thinking. A trip up to the shops ( in this case the local Apple Store) will be needed.

Thanks for the suggestion .

Alex.

Aha! Thanks. I'd given the sticker - which I do have, and a whacking great poster - a hurried look earlier but overlooked that header thinking that it was a duplicate USB header, rather than actually reading what it said . Of course. Stupid me, I should have worked that one out for myself .

The whacking great poster is even more explicit with instructive and useful icons, oh deary, deary me. *sigh*. It's all really easily sorted...

Thanks for the object-lesson!

Alex.

Since you aren't using a computer case, you need to set up the power-up button. I doubt your motherboard is turned on. A led may be on, but the motherboard is power-off so it will not show on the monitor.

andypugh wrote:

AlexN wrote:

Stupid me, I should have worked that one out for myself.

It might make you feel better to ponder why I guessed that as a possible solution so quickly

: )


gera229 wrote:

Since you aren't using a computer case, you need to set up the power-up button. I doubt your motherboard is turned on. A led may be on, but the motherboard is power-off so it will not show on the monitor.

Yes indeed!

I spent a few happy minuets gutting the old PC tower for parts, netting the ATX switch, a reset button, speaker, a couple of rectangular LEDs, and a chassis plate which I might use. In fact, I could have simply removed the PUS and used the old computer box, thereby saving $$$... Still, I've got a case in case I decide to build (yet) another PC. Now to test out this "new" component and hopefully fire up (but not set fire to) the new MB .

Cheers,
Alex.