Mesa 5I25 + 7I77

Hi,
I am trying to build a CNC Plasma cutting machine, based on the Linux EMC2. For this I purchased the combination 5I25+7I25 with the required connecting cable to run Analog Servos.
I have a PC which has a mother board with Parallel port (Parport) and also has a PCI Slot
My question here is, can I connect the 7I77 directly to the PC motherboard Parport and eliminate use of the 5I25.
Please let me know if the configuration can work in this fashion.

Sreedhar

No, that will not work.
There are other Mesa cards that can be connected to parallel port.
7i77 requires one of the following : 5i25 or 6i25 or 7i92.
If you plan on using a simple Torch Height Controller like the Proma elektronika THC150 or some other types that output UP/DOWN/ARCOK signals, for the time being you will also need that parallel port besides 5i25/7i77, to drive a stepper motor for the Z axis.

Thanks a lot for the answer.
I have several questions. But would go one by one

Now to install the Linux , As -
Step1) I will install the -f LinuxCNC 2.6 on Debian Wheezy as explained here-
www.wiki.eusurplus.com/index.php?title=Install_LinuxCNC .

Question for step1- Should the 5I25 be installed on the PCI slot prior to installing Linux (step 1) or can it be fixed later whilst installing the 5I25-7I77 Firmware.
Could you please clarify this

You can insert (install) the 5i25 at any time, it does not matter if it is there while installing Linuxcnc, just do not insert it while the computer is powered on, just remove the power cord.

How is the power supply for 5i25??
Does it draw power from the PCI slot.

However for the 7i77, I intend external power supply for both logic and field power, with the right jumper settings
Hope this works

CNCSREEDHAR2016 wrote: How is the power supply for 5i25??
Does it draw power from the PCI slot.

Yes it does.
It works, always.

tommylight wrote: If you plan on using a simple Torch Height Controller like the Proma elektronika THC150 or some other types that output UP/DOWN/ARCOK signals, for the time being you will also need that parallel port besides 5i25/7i77, to drive a stepper motor for the Z axis.

It is possible to drive a stepper (slowly) using the 7i77 GPIO, or to connect a stepper breakout card to the spare connector on the 5i25.

andypugh wrote:
It is possible to drive a stepper (slowly) using the 7i77 GPIO, or to connect a stepper breakout card to the spare connector on the 5i25.

That is my next point of attack, as it needs some editing of the thc.hal file, some of the pins for parallel port stepper and mesa stepper are not the same, and i have not yet had time to figure it out.

Is it possible to mate the 7i77 with any other PCI-Parport card. For example, the "StarTech PCI1P_LP "

Or there are hundreds of PCI-Parport cards available in India. Can I use any of them. Or is there anything specific in the 5i25, that is missing in the other cards.

Please let me know the possibilities

I do not think you can, but PCW knows much better than me, so he might chime in.