Un-lobotomizing a Maho MH600T

Very cool project PedPEx! It looks like we had a lot of similar ideas for our interpolator boards!

The reason for the RJ45 pinout I use is that it allows for using standard ethernet cable, where the twisted pairs in the cable will be matched to each signal pair (SIN, COS, REF, PWR/GND). But in my design, I made a small polarity mistake, and the zero/reference signal polarity is opposite to the other signal pair. It would be better if pins 4 and 5 were swapped in my pinout. Signal-wise, it makes little difference, but looking at ethernet cable wire colors, the zero signal is the wrong way around compared to the rest.

And as to why I don't use M23 instead of R45. I agree that M23 is a very nice connector. And pricey. I don't exactly recall the prices, but certainly above 20€/connector. On the other hand, shielded ethernet jacks/plugs are not given away for free either. Another reason for me is also that I use normal cable glands for my (heavily modified) electrical cabinet. Gettting RJ45 connectors through cable glands is not all that nice, but easier than M23. Or you could use RJ45 "bulkhead" connectors instead of normal glands.

If I make another version of my board, I'm pretty sure I will change the design to use transimpedance amplifiers to convert the 11 µApp current signals to 1 Vpp signals. It would make measurements extremely much more convenient, and also low pass filtering easier. At the same time, the boards could be used with 1 Vpp scales by simply leaving the transimpedance amplifiers out (my current design can also use 1 Vpp scale). And I would most likely move over to surface mount for pretty much all components.

There does seem to be quite much interest for sin/cos interpolators.

In other news, I have my machine reassembled and up and running. I will post some more info about this once I find some time.

I understand the personal choice of RJ45 over the M23 connector. That's also why my design had a RJ45 connector included as a secondary input from the very beginning. My PCB supports a standard 2.54 mm 2x5 pin header or a sensor input via RJ45. The pin header is meant to be used with the M23 connectors shown in my last post.
You can get these M23 connectors really cheap on AliExpress - i got mine here for 7 $ each: de.aliexpress.com/item/1005006649703485.html)

I'm writing one more exam next week, after that's done I'll order the first batch of PCBs. My primary goal was to be able to use any kind of encoder signal with future glas scales. At the moment i could use either a glas scale via 1V, 11µA or TTL, with the latter i wouldn't need the interpolator/converter board. I'll keep you posted

Nice work you have done on that DIY EXE, with DIN rail mounting.