Computer - how fast is fast enough?

[rhfurniture]

Planning new shopbot setup.
The computer will be an AMD K6/2 550mhz 128mb via board.
I would rather run V3 in win 2K as this will network easily to my main machine.
Can run dos & V2 if this would be a better option.
Any advice most welcome.

Ralph.

[K Simmerer (Unregistered Guest)]

Ralph,
With Windows 2000 you should be able to run both if you choose. You have to reload the control program that is appropriate to V2 and V3 each time you switch, other than that, they run in different directories, no real conflict. I was running XP, 98, 98se and V3 and found V3 can have a miriad of quirks, and problems that are hard to solve, behaves differently on different computers and operating systems, but is getting better with each revision. I really like the latest released a few weeks ago, but I have gone back to Win98 to enable a DOS boot and V2 if needed, although with new version I can use my probe and have not had need to go back to V2 since update. Have not tried Tiff conversion yet which was not working properly with previous V3 release on my system, had to run under V2. Through 3 different computers and 4 operating systems I have seen persistant problems with Visual Basic Runtime errors, some I found fixes for, some I could not. No such problems with DOS version. Only problem with newest release with my current system has been running shopbot edit program was causing Runtime error/program shutdown. I assigned WordPad as default editor and moved on with life. Newest release seems more stable, faster, smoother and has more toys errr...tools than previous. If you didn't know about it, released a few weeks ago, download it and check it out.

Hey Shopbot, how about spotlighting operating system updates when you release them on the home page? I stumbled on it by accident. Toot your own horn, couldn't hurt. Announce newest version # and update date.

Keith

[K Simmerer (Unregistered Guest)]

Ok, I'm a dope.. they do post it, but who knows the version number, post the update date.


Keith

[ron brown]

Gee Keith,

I looked in my download directory and had 4 copies of the ShopBot Version 3 files dating back over a year. I'm wondering where the other two or more versons I had used are.

All seem to have a date on them. Just guessing but, I'd bet the ones with the newer dates are later versions.

HTH,
Ron

[rhfurniture]

Thanks. I will set it up with dos and nt4 and have both available. I guess future development will focus on the windows one, so I guess that is the one to concentrate on - it also keeps file transfer easy with the network

Ralph

[K Simmerer (Unregistered Guest)]

That's my point Ron,

If they posted the DATE on the HOME PAGE ANNOUNCEMENT, then reading 2/19/04 would be more effective than V3.1.8. If next week brings a new release with it, few people will catch V3.1.9 as not the current version they are running, but most will catch 3/12/04 as a fairly recent release date...
or are you running 3.1.7 ?? ... no peeking, which version was posted this morning ?? ..

The date is an IMPORTANT reference, that is why it is listed in download directories AND with Ver.#'s.

WITH A RELEASE DATE AGE BECOMES APPRARENT WITH NO FURTHER RESEARCH!!!!!

THINK MAN,THINK!!!!...

AAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHH!!!!*&%$#!!@$&%@!..................

sorry,

Keith

[K Simmerer (Unregistered Guest)]

Are we off topic? sorry Ralph..

Also more elegant for large file transfers using goodies like external drives and thumb drives in case you are not networked.

Good luck
Keith

[rhfurniture]

I've discovered V3 will not run on NT4 - needs activeX - so its back to W2K. I think I've been away from dos for too long to go back - and I love the drill tool. Trouble with most of those drives is they need usb - win2K yet again.
Does anyone use Autocad to work out toolpaths etc? I am quite handy with alisp, and can imagine using it to write part files - would welcome a nod from anyone who might have a few routines.

Thanks,

Ralph

[ron brown]

I'm running 3.1.7 - locks my "design" machine up good. Runs on the other machines.

Don't know what was posted... Don't run V3 on any machine - yet.

Ron

[gerald_d]

As a casual reader who wonders when it's the time to make the move from DOS to Windows, I thought that V3 is an acronym for the Version 3 series that includes 3.1.7? Therefore Ron's last post confuses me, and I am too lazy to go and find the SB website to check this out - why don't we have a link to the SB website on the Forum anymore?

[ron brown]

Gerald,

For some reason, the WinDoze software locks my design machine, an AMD with 512 RAM and dual monitors, up. My other computers have no problem with the V3 software. I still run the CNC part under DOS. I like the ability to "prove" files in the new viewer.

On some of the beta versions, which didn't lock up the same machine, I would run the viewer on one screen and watch the line number on the other. This made editing the files easy.

I guess one of these daze I'll convert to the WinDoze software. For some strange reason, I have trouble trusting anything by the same folks that brought out Internet Extorter and other things that give Redmond, Washington a bad name.

Ron

[bill.young]

Hey Ralph,

If you haven't downloaded v3.1.7 of the Windows software...the newest version that became available Feb 19th...there's a "new and improved" version of the Drill Press virtual tool. There are a handful of small improvements but the big change is that along with single holes and rectangular arrays it now does circular arrays of holes.


Bill

[sheldon@dingwallguitars.com]

Back to the Computer speed. I'm pretty sure I've asked this, but not sure I've ever seen an answer.

What are the minimum and optimum system requirements to run V3?

We're using a P200 and running in a DOS window now. Do I need to plan for a new computer just to try the V3?

[alano]

Sheldon,
I too have been wondering the minimum/optimum system requirements for running V3 - and I've seen you pose this question several times. I'm getting the feeling that yours (and mine) question just isn't going to get answered.
Alan

[gerald_d]

See this reply (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/1843/1848.html?1077372387#POST12826) to a P400 owner which says that a P400 will be okay, but give a slow preview . . . .

[dingwall]

Has anyone tried running the windows control software with a Celeron? Dell has a 2.6 Ghz desktop on sale right now that's cheaper than a used P4 800 Mhz (at least in my area).

[itoolfred]

Sheldon,
I am using the Dell Celeron. I think it is running at 2.1 Ghz. You can't beat some of those Dell deals. I think I paid $299 for mine w/monitor and free shipping after $100 rebate.
Fred

[dingwall]

Thanks Fred.

Is there any reason that a Celeron would not be 100% up to the task?

I don't keep up on processors.

[Brady Watson]

Sheldon,
You should be fine with just about any processor out there. A celeron processor has less processor cache than a Pentium...but I doubt that you'd notice a difference. I worked on a celeron machine when developing software and there was no difference in speed that I could tell, when it came time to compile a program.

-Brady

[joe]

All the guys above!

Our design computer is in my office and it's netowrked to an old, no power, unit beside our PRT 96, out in the shop which is still running windows 98. Not running window version.

My question is, Would it cut smoother, with less chatter, or stepping, if the shop computer was huger, bigger, meaner, etc?

I've had my unit for 4 years and have tried everything, to improve the stepping look.

j
www.normansignco.com (http://www.normansignco.com)

[Brady Watson]

Joe,
I recently switched over to the Windows software. My PRTs run on a 1.5GHz w/500M RAM. I am currently running 98SE with no issues. I found that you need to have the latest version of DirectX on the machine or the Windows control software will do unexpected things and blow up a lot. Since I upgraded to DX9.0a I haven't had any major issues.

I try to keep the software on the shop computer down to a bare minimum. My PRT went from Jogging at 3 IPS to 6 IPS just with the software upgrade. The steppers sound completely different and are a LOT smoother. I found that I could cut at 3 IPS in 2D with no problems.

You NEED a faster machine to run the new software. Think of it as the cheapest way to speed up your machine aside from gearing!

-Brady

[andrewm]

Brady,

Are you saying that upgrading your computer will allow faster jog speeds on a PRT? I thought that this was more a function of the accuracy of the stepper motors than the computer. I was under the impression that they lost accuracy the faster they went. Hence the need to upgrade to the Alpha step motors on the new system.

I too am running a pretty fast computer on my PRT. I am running Windows XP with a wireless network. You are able to jog at 6 IPS without loosing accuracy? I have been running with the defaults for Jog speed. I cut 3/4 MDF single pass at 2.5 IPS.

Andrew

[Brady Watson]

I haven't lost any steps with the new Win software as of yet. I can jog at 6 over and over again (tested this...many times just in case!) and it comes right back to my 0,0.

The Windows software basically bypasses the processing of arc interpolation and step and direction signals in the control box. You need a powerful computer with a lot of RAM for the Windows interface/software plus the load of processing info to send to the steppers.

My machine is still slow by Alpha standards...but just being able to jog at twice the speed is great. Actual cutting speed on my machine only increased marginally. I don't want to push cutting speeds because the PRT steppers' torque band falls off quickly after 3 IPS with stock gears. Ramping with the new software allows faster jogging and better performance around curves.

-Brady

[andrewm]

WOW, this was like getting a PRT+. I was able to bump my jog speeds up to the 6 ips and cut my part time by 35%. Thanks Brady! I cut all day yesterday at this speed without any problems. Bumping the jog speed really changed the personality of my machine too. Doesn't growl as much.

[Brady Watson]

It is nice isn't it?
Don't thank me...thank the ShopBot team for being kind enough to include PRTs in on the Windows software.

It took forever to jog my machine across my 16 foot X...now it really moves nicely.

-Brady

[bryan]

Yes it is!!!! Just upgraded the Shopbot computer and loaded the new window software last night, why did I wait for so looooong.

Thanks Shopbot team

Bryan