Re: New project...PCI based servo control board

["Dave Engvall" <dengvall-at-charter.net>]

Hi all,
'Been lurking since I'm not much of a hardware person.
Indeed PC power supplies are cheap and available but not very regulated. I
would prefer something better regulated to supply a 16 bit dac! Maybe in a
servo system it doesn't really make a difference. I'll let the engineers
respond to that one. Stg seems to get away with it.

It is too bad that PC104 CPU's are so pricey. That format is built for the
app you are talking about and is ISA compatible at the regular level and PCI
compatible at the + level. So difficult to get just the right stuff without
spending lots of $$. Paddle boards to go from ISA to PC104 are not too bad
in price and would allow one to use the inexpensive PC format for power
supply and CPU and the add on the goodies.

Dave Engvall

"One well designed test is worth a thousand opinions"

----- Original Message -----
From: "D.F.S." <dfs-at-xmission.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list" <emc-at-nist.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 7:49 AM
Subject: Re: New project...PCI based servo control board


>
> > This project is physically mounted in a PC slot, allowing
> > it to use the PC power supplies to save cost.  (This applies
> > to the PCI and ISA versions.  I'd also like to have parallel
> > port and/or ethernet versions.  Those would require external
> > power supplies.)
>
> Sounds like a lot of trouble to avoid buying a power supply to me.
>
> True, the PC does contain a power supply.
>
> Yes, this Does make a VERY handy source of power.
>
> '286, '386, '486 PCs ALL have power supples.
> The older you get the MORE 5V and 12V Current they will supply.
>
> Any external project will need a case to house it.
>
> Those Old machines are as common as dirt and FREE.
> ($5 at a yard sale or Thrift Store is Still 'FREE' IMHO)
>
> They are Steel, self contained, fan cooled and have lots of
> open space inside, laid out in a fairly standard format.
>
> Gut one and you have a perfect project box Complete with Power
> supply, power switch and cord.
>
> So I do agree, the PC is perfect source or power and enclosure,
> I just don't think that means it needs to be the one you are running.
>
> Marc
>
>