I am thinking of getting a MK 2, but I don't have a computer with a parallel port. I was wondering if This Cable would Work: http://www.walmart.com/ip/MicroPac-SBT-UPPC-USB-to-Parallel-Printer-IEEE-1284-Cable/11060822?sourceid=1500000000000003142050&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11060822

Parallel to USB Cable.

Thanks for the help,

Nate

 

I doubt it, the power is different, just get a pci parallel card

 

What kind of a computer are you dealing with Nate? If it's a desktop you could buy one of those addon parallel-port cards (that plug onto the motherboard and adds a parallel-port connector out the back of the machine).
If it's a laptop, you might get one of those PCMCIA adapter cards to work.
Personally, I chose to buy a SmoothStepper card - http://www.warp9td.com/ - and connect my Dell Latitude via USB, because the built-in parallel-port was barely functional for a printer, but incapable of running the PP properly.

 

Yea, if you have a desktop one of those parallel port add on cards would be the cheapest way to go. Try
http://www.startech.com/category/parts/ ... /list.aspx

The smoothstepper is certainly a good choice but you'll have to run Mach3 to use it.
Some people have been using Linux and EMC. The smoothstepper doesn't work with those.

The simple USB to Parallel adaptors loose all the critical signal timing that needs to be there to run the machine. So I don't know of any of those that will work at all.

 

Thanks for all the replies!

I am looking at a lap top (I don't know what brand or model I am still comparing prices) and will probably run Mach3, so I will probably go for the converter Dorsal mentioned. Thanks for the help.
Does anyone use the converter and do you get good results?

Thanks,

Nate

 

I have a Smoothstepper, but not a phlatprinter. It works great for me. I also think Mark has put a smoothstepper on his phlatprinter but I cannot be sure. and of course Dorsal said he had one on his machine.