Startech PEX1P parallel port card problems

First a bit of HISTORY
I'm trying to create a new replacement system for an trul ancient Linuxcnc system in anticipation of its eventual self-destruction, and have installed Linuxcnc on a Dell 7010SFF computer. The installation was uneventful, BUT it appears that the Startech PEX1P parallel port cards I purchased are PnP, and according to Startech tech support cannot be made to successfully work in this environment.
I have verified using "cat /proc/ioports" that the card is consistently mapped to e010 (entered as 0xe010 in stepconf) and repeated reboots of the system (without power down) confirmed that the address was stable. The parallel port card was then attached to an L-Star breakout board. After a bit of playing around, I can see the relays respond to spindle CW and CCW commands, and the step and direction pins also respond using an o-scope.
AND setting the P10 input to Emergency Stop seems to prevent the program from running when the EStop button is toggled. I've tried allowing the pin to float, or having it tied to GND or +5V with no success. Setting another pin (P11) as a limit switches allows the program to start, but whenever the spindle command (CW or CCW) is executed, the a limit error is shown and the spindle is stopped. Again, the state of the input pin has NO effect.
HOWEVER on turning the system on again this morning, loading Linuxcnc fails when it tries to load pport_test_02.hal. Looking into the file, the parallel port address is consistent with the setup that was running yesterday. Checking the system shows, again, the same port address assignment. Creating a NEW stepconf setup with the same port address seems to restore the operation of the outputs, but the inputs still do not seem to work.

Now the QUESTIONS:
1. Does anyone know of a way around these issues?
2. Has anyone consistently had the PEX1P cards work consistently and successfully?
3. Since even Startech tech support says the cards won't work with a CNC system since the base port address cannot be set as with older legacy cards which they no longer make, are there any other cards known to work that are currently in production and available on Amazon??? Please, the name of the manufacturer, and the model of the card???

Now the QUESTIONS:
1. Does anyone know of a way around these issues?

USE A RELAY the ARDUINO ones

2. Has anyone consistently had the PEX1P cards work consistently and successfully?

SET it to EPP not ECP Bidirection

3. Since even Startech tech support says the cards won't work with a CNC system since the base port address cannot be set as with older legacy cards which they no longer make, are there any other cards known to work that are currently in production and available on Amazon??? Please, the name of the manufacturer, and the model of the card???

I only USE DELOCK with the RLT chips
never got problems and 30000steps per sec no Probelm

MANY thanks for the quick response!
I will order a couple of the delock cards...please confirm the item number as 89125 (dual) or 89219 (single) which use ASIX, Asmedia chipsets. Do you have a preferred vendor for buying them?

Next question: HOW would I set the card specifically to EPP in Linux?

Also, do you have a recommended breakout board???? I've been trying to work with the STARLINE and SainSmart boards, thinking there might be a difference, but I get the same results with either board....nice output control, but NO functional inputs for ESTOP and limits.

kborsum wrote: Also, do you have a recommended breakout board???? I've been trying to work with the STARLINE and SainSmart boards, thinking there might be a difference, but I get the same results with either board....nice output control, but NO functional inputs for ESTOP and limits.

Do the cards need a 5V supply from a USB cable?

kborsum wrote: 3. Since even Startech tech support says the cards won't work with a CNC system since the base port address cannot be set as with older legacy cards

I think that is a red-herring. LinuxCNC can be set to use any parallel port address, the card does not need to have the address set to suit LinuxCNC.
In fact, if you use "0" as the parport address then LinuxCNC should see the card even if the base address did change.

I've tried the BOB's with power from the USB cable, but they seem to work much better when supplied at least 12 VDC from an external supply. I think the extra voltage is required by the mechanical relays.

I tend to agree about Linux working with the PEX1P board generically as far as addressing is concerned. The problem is not getting an output to the board and activating the relays, or the direction and step ports to output signals...The problem is getting signals from the BOB INTO the computer.

I've actually tried jumpering INPUT pins (eg pin 10) HI and LO (ground and +5V) directly on the PEX1P board DB25 connector, and linuxCNC sees the pin as always asserted. For example, If I set LINUXCNC to look for E-STOP on pin 10, E-STOP is always asserted, and changing the actual level on the pin makes NO difference.
FYI I've returned the Startech boards to Amazon, and will purchase one of the recommended DELOCK boards to try next. I'm really open for suggestions as to paralell port cards that are KNOWN to work with linuxCNC.

Most of the cheap bobs I've played with that have a connection for both 12v and 5v from a USB plug, require both to work properly.

And it is the inputs on those cheap boards that is usually the problem. They have no pull up on the PC parallel side of the input. So if your parallel port input pins don't float high they will not work, Unless you add pull-ups (which I've had to do once.) And I'm talking about adding a pull-up on the PC side of the bob's input opto.

The better solution is to buy a better bob to start with.

The problem is getting signals from the BOB INTO the computer.

connect input 10 with gnd on the same pin stroke with tiny cable.

OK.
I have tried going directly into the connector on the parallel port card with a HI/LO signal, and it remains asserted regardless of the input.
Are you suggesting that the parallel port card needs the pullup? or the BOB?
And do you have a suggestion for a better BOB? I'm almost ready to design my own custom one .