A parallel to USB adapter will not work. You will need to use a USB interface like the ones below:

Mach3 USB interface:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

Poeys57CNC Interface:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

Additional Information:
To answer the question in more detail, the parallel port is actually an extension straight from the CPU and is also called the GPIO (General Purpose I/O) pins. These pins carry signals independently, hence the description as being a parallel port.

The stepper motor driver receives a pulse train (series of pulses). A single pin on the parallel port sends a pulse train to one stepper motor driver and stepper motor for a single axis. Another pin on the parallel port sends a pulse train to another stepper motor driver on another axis. This happens simultaneously as with the direction signals for each axis.

If a parallel port is adapted through a USB (using an adapter), the parallel port cannot have these signals happen in a simultaneous fashion and will cause the stepper motors of a CNC router or machine to be very clunky, if it works at all. To elaborate, the computer sends an instruction to the USB to send a high signal to pin 1, so it does, then another signal to pin 2, so it does. This is happening one after another. The speed at which this happens is reduced dramatically, and the position of one axis may now be out of sync to another axis.

The reason the USB interfaces (linked above) work is that the USB delivers broad instructions to the interface (to a microcontroller) and the interface parses the instructions and outputs simultaneous signals to the stepper motor drivers.

Hope this helps.

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My computer doesn't have a parallel port connection. Can I use a usb to parallel port cable to communicate with my breakout board?

The parallel breakout board has the db25 connector for data and the USB connector for power. Connect the USB from the computer to the parallel breakout board so the breakout board will have 5V of power coming from the computer. The db25 connector (connector with the 25 pins) receive data signals for each pin from 1 to 17 and have respective numbered screw terminals, some for input and some for output (18 to 25 are gnd pins).

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Should I connect both the USB and the 25 pin connector of the parallel breakout board to the computer?

If your computer does not have a parallel port, all you will need is a low cost PCI parallel adapter card (these can be found on amazon for $15-$20). If you plan on using a laptop (not recommended) you can try to find a PCMCIA parallel adapter, but many people have frequent issues with this setup. A more expensive solution would be to purchase a USB smooth stepper board. Unfortunately, we do not supply any of these adapters and cannot attest to their reliability.

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ur gay

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MY COMPUTER DOES NOT HAVE A PARALLEL PORT. HOW DO I INTERFACE WITH THE BREAKOUT BOARD?

You can add a limit switch to either the USB or the parallel board. Please refer to the product pages for these items to view wiring diagrams.

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I want to add limit switches but I have no connections on the breakout board. Can I use a usb interface board for the limit switches as well as the parallel port for the running?

You can add a limit switch to either the USB or the parallel board. Please refer to the product pages for these items to view wiring diagrams.

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I want to add limit switches but I have no connections on the breakout board. Can I use a usb interface board for the limit switches as well as the parallel port for the running?

If your computer does not have a parallel port, all you will need is a low cost PCI parallel adapter card (these can be found on amazon for $15-$20). If you plan on using a laptop (not recommended) you can try to find a PCMCIA parallel adapter, but many people have frequent issues with this setup. A more expensive solution would be to purchase a USB smooth stepper board. Unfortunately, we do not supply any of these adapters and cannot attest to their reliability.

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ur gay

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I have a parallel. breakout board. and no parallel port at the back of my computer do those parallel. cards. work with the breakout board?

The USB on the Parallel breakout board, is used for powering the board itself (5v USB), and the Parallel to communicate directly between the drivers and the computer/mach 3.
Planet-CNC cannot be used with our Parallel Breakout Board, it is only intend to be used with Mach 3/other open source programs.

To use Planet-CNC, please refer to our USB breakout board! (https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-USB-Controller-Breakout)

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can I use the usb on the parallel breakout board with planet cmc

Here is how to connect your router to the parallel breakout board through the on-board relay. You will need a spare extension cord. You will need to remove a portion of the outer jacket of the extension cord to expose the white, black and green wires (white = neutral, black = live and green = ground), understanding that the neutral and live create the completed circuit.

See this image of a similar connection. The terminal has the same connections.
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/images/vacuum-pressure-controller-relay-terminals-700.JPG

Image of the relay terminal:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/images/breakoutboardrelayNONC.PNG

The live/black wire would be cut and one end of the cut would be secured into the P terminal and the other cut end would be secured into the S terminal. The live and ground wire would be uncut and travel from the plug to the router.


Additional Information:
You can also connect other high powered devices to the breakout board using any of the output terminals. You will need to supply extra relays like the one shown here:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-breakout-Relays-relay-board-250V-12A-5V

Or you can find SSRs (Solid State Relays) that will accept 5v to drive the relay coil. Make sure the SSR will protect the 5V line from Back EMF as there is a coil in the relay. The one we sell contains a fly-back diode to protect the 5v terminal.

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I have your breakout board with relay parallel port , how can I wire up a regular router to that board so I can control the router

Most motherboard do contain parallel ports, but the port connector may not be at the back (in the section where external connectors will be connected). Instead, the motherboard may contain an LPT ribbon connector on the actual face of the motherboard (usually along one of the edges). You will need a ribbon connector to a DB25 female connector.

If your motherboard does not contain an LPT header on the motherboard, you can purchase a parallel printer adapter that plugs into one of the PCI slots. The price of the adapter is very inexpensive and sometimes is actually less costly than the actual ribbon connector.

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As I am building my 20" x 24" laser engraver cutter, I notice that there is no parallel port on the onboard computer and I have the parallel breakout board any answers?

The parallel breakout board contains a USB port to power the board. Through the USB port, the computer delivers 5v of stable power to the parallel breakout board, but doe not provide any communication as would normally be associated with USB connectivity.

The reason we elected to use the USB port to provide power is to remove the need for an external 5v wall adapter.

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Does the Blue Brew breakout board require 5v to be supplied from a USB cable, to pass parallel port outputs to its terminals?

The breakout board receives 5v power from the USB. There is no need for an external 5v power adapter.

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4t5y

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The breakout board receives 5v power from the USB port and from my computer's USB or does it need to come from a 5v adapter?

The USB port on the Parallel Interface board is necessary to supply 5V power. Connect with a USB cable to a USB source.

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I purchased a parallel port breakout board. I have checked all the info and found nothing on the usb port. What is it used for?

You can go here to find the diagrams and instruction on connecting the parallel breakout board:

https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

Also, please make sure to watch all of the electronics tutorial videos here:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/CNCElectronicsandWiring.aspx

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how do I connect the parallel breakout board?

Our electronics kits with the parallel breakout board will work with Mach 4, however you will need to purchase the Legacy Driver for Mach 4 to work with our breakout board.

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I have a 3 axis combo w/ parallel breakout board. Will this work with Mach 4?

Please email customerservice@buildyourcnc.com so we can assist you.

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Why didn't I receive a ribbon cable so that I could connect the parallel breakout to the motherboard?

Sure. If you had your own computer to start with and now need a replacement for it, consider our redSprout and redLeaf systems. You can find information about them here: https://buildyourcnc.com/AssembledElectronics.aspx If you started with one of our assembled systems, and only need to replace certain components, contact our sales department at sales@buildyourcnc.com for a quote.

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Can I get a replacement computer only ? I have a blacktoe with parallel port and it seems to have stopped working.

Yes, here is the URL for the parallel breakout board that we sell:

https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

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can I purchase just the parallel controller board? I purchased the usb option 4 axis combo and would like to also try the system with my parallel port computer. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated; my goal is to implement mach4.

The 5V power required for the breakout board can be a simple USB male to male cable, that will connect from your computer to the board itself.
Now adding a external power supply make sure that it does not exceed a total of 5V and the standard 500 MilliAMP - 1 A.

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I have a YDH-18-5 Power Supply AC Input:100-240v 47-63Hz, Ouput: 5v - 2A and need to know if its safe to use with the Parallel Breakout Board.

Mach4 is designed to run in both 64 and 32-bit computers and operating systems, however, the parallel port interface will not work with 64-bit windows. The easiest solution would be to use a more modern CNC controller, like the:

pokeys57cnc that I sell
https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

Or other options like the Smoothstepper board that I do not sell.

Both are great options.

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[468] I wanted to know if I could use a computer with 64 bits windows installed (with Parallel port in the mainboard) or not. Thanks