Newbie: connect servo drive to computer cheap

If you want to us LinuxCNC then you can not use USB. There us absolutely no support.

The simplest and best-supported option is PCI, if you have a PCI slot or PCI-express.

Ethernet is another option, but hasn't _quite_ settled down to the same level of support and understanding as PCI at the moment.

andypugh wrote: If you want to us LinuxCNC then you can not use USB. There us absolutely no support.

The simplest and best-supported option is PCI, if you have a PCI slot or PCI-express.

Ethernet is another option, but hasn't _quite_ settled down to the same level of support and understanding as PCI at the moment.

I have both. Do you mean pci breaker board or pci parallel port connected to breaker board? Sorry fo being pest, just want to get it right.

Do you have aPCI slot on the board? If yes, you can use a PCI to parallel card for under 10$, or a Mesa card, your choice. If no, the only option is ethernet cards from Mesa. All of the Mesa cards work perfectly well with Linuxcnc and some may require a bit of fidling with software.
You may also have a PCI express slot, that is also usable in both examples.

This is what I would do, since you do not have a PP port.
If you want to go as inexpensively as possible and have options down the road if you decide to move forward with this project.
I recommend Going with the Mesa 7i92 line of cards which is Ethernet and a inexpensive Break out card, Like a (5 axis CNC Breakout Board with optical coupler for Stepper Motor Driver ) which is 6 dollars.
You can ask around ,about an inexpensive BOB that will match a bit file for the Mesa card,Or one of these good people here may help you get sorted with a bit file.

Or just spring for the 7i76E and be done with it. This card has some good support and getting better.

Ethernet is the way to go , and the way it is going, It has a lot of advantages.

I was /am in the same boat as you, I went with a 7i92H and a 7i76 card because I was thinking of going to servos later on and I could swap out the 7i76 card to do it,
But I will tell you that the teknic motors appear to work so well for what I want to do, I should of just went with a 7i76E, and skip the complex servo drives way of thinking.

Thank you thank you thank you.
I was looking at this for hours and it seemd that linuxcnc does not support those ethernet cards..
Since it does I'll bite the bulled and spend those $200 for ethernet card.I see one huge advantage. I can make ehernet cable of pretty much any length a pull it to any corner of my house.

You could use one of these.
chinaplccenter.com/DDCSV1.1-offline-CNC-Controller.html
I have one but have not put it to use as of yet, It is slick, although they are not main stream and support is slim it looks like.
I believe it runs on linux and would not be surprised if it is some form of linuxcnc.

That one is the second generation, the thing about it is, if it was open and it may be, where some developers could tweak it , that would be great.
Also it is metric only from looking through the menus and if they put a VGA port for a monitor all the better. the little screen on it , is not bad.
When this goes main stream and you what something to just work and cut parts with not much fuss, this will be hard to beat.
You can see it in action here.