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154 Posts
I'm ordering the Avid Pro 4x4 machine. Reading about the control software ie: Mach 4 out on the internet, there are review sites that claim that LinuxCNC is comparable to the Mach series and better yet, free! I guess my question is whether those claims are valid. One issue that I have is Mach being tied to a particular machine. I have that scenario at work where one of my software packages are tied to the machine itself and I have had unmitigated hades when I set it up on a separate SSD drive in the same machine. Ended up having to get the software involved (God I hate trying to talk technicalities with someone in India who really doesn't have much command of the English language) and ended up uninstalling the software and reinstalling, generating a new key file and on and on.
I guess the reason I am a little gun shy is that to keep my CFO (wife) happy, I'm trying to minimize the up-front cost so I plan on using an existing PC until such time that I purchase one of those mini-PC machines and install a 40+ inch monitor. I'll have to add as I go.
Back to control software, is it worth the additional $200 up front for Mach 4 then going through the headache of changing PC machines at a later date? I know, Mach is in Maine not India but it seems that everyone is outsourcing to India or the Philippines for customer service. (Have you tried talking to AT&T? Gosh!)
I don't mind putting up an additional $200, just asking if the value is there.
M
I guess the reason I am a little gun shy is that to keep my CFO (wife) happy, I'm trying to minimize the up-front cost so I plan on using an existing PC until such time that I purchase one of those mini-PC machines and install a 40+ inch monitor. I'll have to add as I go.
Back to control software, is it worth the additional $200 up front for Mach 4 then going through the headache of changing PC machines at a later date? I know, Mach is in Maine not India but it seems that everyone is outsourcing to India or the Philippines for customer service. (Have you tried talking to AT&T? Gosh!)
I don't mind putting up an additional $200, just asking if the value is there.
M