Hi All,
As you can guess from the attached image, I’m using RAMPS 1.4 with corresponding screen. That screen is awful. The menu is super-sluggish, I am simply afraid to hit the wrong file to “print” because the joystick not always moves menu item up/down and sometimes doesn’t show chosen item properly.
Well, I have seen some 3D printers with super cool user interfaces, like touchscreen menus with fast and presice options choosing.
Is there some electronics out there compatible with MPCNC?
At least for the 32-bit boards there are nice and colored touchscreens available.
I ordered that same LCD though. Maybe someone can make a new layout/change the info screen?
The menu is still basic and more for 3D printer than for MPCNC.
The RAMPs has a USB port on it. You can always plug in a computer, like a small/cheap raspberry pi, and get all the UI you could want. Jeffeb3 put together the v1pi raspberry pi image for a quick and easy setup for mpcnc. With a computer (pi) you can use a full keyboard/mouse, or a touchscreen. (I’m not actually sure if pi specifically has touchscreen support, need to look into that). You can even figure out how to attach a play station controller to control the machine.
Honestly, in my build I hadn’t even ever really considered buying the LCD to this point.
Sounds to me like your LCD refresh rate is set to low in the firmware. I saw the same problem once on my machine. It was solved with firmware. I suggest you just reflash with one of Ryan’s firmware copies. It will probably solve the problem.
Yeah at mrrf you can see the trend of people spending a lot of money on a fancy board and screen, in my opinion your phone/tablet/etc is the next best option and Jeff’s v1pi makes that simple.
To elaborate a little more on my experience. I have a Lulzbot Taz 5 at work. It runs the exact same LCD display but the control board is a Rambo 1.4 I believe. Great quality machine all around. On an early version of the firmware the LCD was great, quick and responsive. Later I re-flashed the firmware during a dual extruder upgrade. That version of the Marlin firmware was 1.1.8. They had set some of those settings wrong. I could look at a list of files to print and it would take nearly 3 seconds between each twist click of the wheel to select the next file. I accidentally printed so many of the wrong files it was stupid. A later Firmware upgrade fixed the problem.
I have seen some settings in the configuration_adv.h (It think) that have to do with LCD refresh speeds etc. It may be those settings but I am not sure.
I have used another SD and it worked faster. I guess it’s because of amount of files on SD (this one had less unnecessary crap on it).
But really, this default LCD is so bad. You have to navigate 2 levels deep just to do X home action. Then do some menu navigation to make Y home. Then 3 levels up and 1 level down to exercise custom script for Z homing. If you want to just move - you have to navigate several levels for EACH axis. It’s SO inconvenient.
I have a 3D printer (chinese OEM) with so good touchscreen. I can move axis, home, level so fast! I can even switch on and place printing task within 10 seconds really. I wish same convenience in MPCNC.
I would like to migrate to better display. But as I understand, I cannot get away from arduino or rambo?
Ryan, why not mentioning about your Sbase experience?
? I tried one 3-4 years ago, I doubt my experience is relevant now.
The Sbase boards really haven’t changed much in that time frame and I’d like
to hear how your experience was.
Especially why you aren’t using one now and what board you do like these days.
I bought a SKR 1.3 32 bit board for my MPCNC but could use it on another machine
I have if there are better choices.
I prefer Ultimachine boards, for there reliability and customer service. I can not run a trusted business when import boards have a 50% failure rate and zero support. The boards I have now have been customized for us and the company has offered superior firmware and hardware support.
Ryan, was your smoothie config optimized for dual endstops?
I’m a bit more curious about the decision of Marlin over Repetier. Repetier’s menu is a bit better imo. I know some are considering a deep dive into the Marlin menu to make it more CNC friendly. Fingers crossed.
Unfortunately, the LCD sluggishness is just as bad on both. That could be the speed of the controller board? Not sure.
I did not exist back then, that was probably 2-3 years before that came to be.
I know enough of marlin to get in and change most things, I have never honestly one time used repetier. I believe at teh time I started repetier was completely closed and you could not change anything.
As for the menus there are all sorts of things built into marlin’s basic config’s now, light menus, basic menus, prusa menus, custom menus, and even do it yourself menus. If you want speed and fancy try V1Pi, I have no issues with the LCD as is,I just hit play on my file, If I ever wanted more using V1Pi has two different controls built in (options for others) and it is wireless on a touch screen, nothing better.
But is it possible to go into smoothie and get it working?
I have one under way for trial purposes…
FWIW I have experienced the wrong file starting to go after pressing the button many times and since have started keeping my SD cards better organized to minimize the likelihood. On the Mac side I can “Get Info” on files and add in comments. I like to add notes about specific ones to remind me of any special things to watch for or other notes like which cutter to use or special zeroing needs. I’m hoping down the road once I start creating more “click to manufacture” pieces it’ll be a big time saver for me.
I’m impressed with V1Pi though. I’ve only scratched the surface on it over the past week so can’t really report but have also heard great things about using it on the MPCNC.
The new firmware has a confirm built in to the LCD to prevent this, along with stop ( used to hit pause and lose jobs).
