how to setup a Mesa 7i80HD?

Hello,

I'd like to go for a mesa 7i80HD controller for a 5axis milling with gantry y-axis.
I read a lot, but I don't have the picture yet.
As I understand, hal is the glue to bind the mesa-card to pc-application.
But how do I configure the card itself?
I downloaded manual and software for the 7i80HD, but I don't really understand it.
I see a lot of bit-files, but no description on how to build my own?

Manual from mesa says, that hostmot2 is easily extendable and open source ...
Is there any tool that aids on configuration, or do I have to understand the vhd-files?
by the way: I have no idea about the vhd-content

... and finally: whats the difference between 7i80HD-16 and 7i80HD-25
I don't see any difference in the descriptions or any hint in the manual?

Normally there no need to mess with VHDL files for normal applications
There are usually pre-compiled bitfiles for most common sets of daughtercards/external hardware

If you have a analog servo system and you want to use Ethernet, I would recommend a 7I92M/7I77
combo. If you have a step/dir setup, and wish to use Ethernet, I would recommend a 7I76E

The difference between a -16 card and a -25 card is FPGA capacity (-25 is overkill for almost all LinuxCNC applications)

tommylight wrote:

First figure out roughly what you want to achieve and how and then decide on the cards, as there are several possibility to achieve the same things.

Ok, that's easy

I want 6 step/dir channels. Currenty I have closed loop stepper drivers, but I'd like to attach the encoders to linuxcnc and use the stepper drivers as open loop. I guess it would be better, let linuxcnc handle the closed loop.
So I have 6 encoder channels.
Additionally I'd like to have 3 extra encoders: one for manual movement and one each to adjust traveling and working speed.
Then I need a PWM/dir unit for the spindle and at least 5 digital outs for relais and 6 digital inputs for the endstops.

I guess, its too much for a 7i92, therefore I was thinking about the 7i80HD.
_

PCW wrote:

If you have a step/dir setup, and wish to use Ethernet, I would recommend a 7I76E

Yes, I want step/dir and Ethernet
_

PCW wrote:

The difference between a -16 card and a -25 card is FPGA capacity (-25 is overkill for almost all LinuxCNC applications)

Ah - I see. Thank you! Then I'll take the -16 card.
As I didn't find a daughter card matching my needs, I was thinking about building one on my own.
Therefore it would be nice to figure out (and possibly configure) the pin settings of each port.

If you use a 7I80HD, a 7I52S daughtercard will give you 6 step/dir outputs + 6 encoder inputs
and the for a small amount of I/O, a couple 7I37TAs could be added or for a large amount of I/O
a 7I44 and whatever serial expansion cards are needed.

Note that if you have closed loop stepper drives, the loop is still closed at the drive
(the encoder must connect to the drives to run the torque loop, LinuxCNC cannot do this)
This often causes an issue since these drives do not typically have an auxiliary encoder
output for the controller and connecting the encoder to both the drive and the controller often leads
to noise issues

tommylight wrote:

In that case you can get a 7i76E so you get ethernet, 5 step/dir, 1 spindle, 1 or 2 encoder inputs for MPG

Sorry, but that recommendation does not fit my requirements!
_

PCW wrote:

Note that if you have closed loop stepper drives, the loop is still closed at the drive
(the encoder must connect to the drives to run the torque loop, LinuxCNC cannot do this)

Thank you very much for that hint! Didn't know that.
So it does not make sense, connect the encoders of CL-Steppers to linuxcnc?

Hm, as far as I can see, there's no card-combination for 6 step/dir channels. Buying two daughterboards with 5 step/dir channels each is a big wastage. So I'm back on my initial question: how can I setup the pins of a mesa card?
Did I get it right, that the FPGA generates the step pulses, so it should know, which pins are related to stepper channel?

It looks to me, the more I read, the less I understand

Thanks a lot for the link! Didn't check the small letters of the RS-422 boards.
What about the 7i47S - looks like it has a spindle channel additionally?
Am I right, that the 7i80HD is the only Ethernetcard with 50pin header matching the 7i47 input?

So I have to buy a 7i80HD and a 7i47S and I'm done (for the controller side)?

I took a quick scan of the 7i80HD bit-files. Is the file "7i80hd_16_av4_7i47s.bit" the right one?
Or should I use the "7i80hd_16_svst1_4_7i47s.bit"?
What's the difference and where could I find a description of the pin-setup?

The 7I52S is a better daughteboard interface for 6 steo/dir + 6 encoders