Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Hello everyone,

I have this M15-5 Centroid bought from/installed by "East Coast EDM/Remedy Machine" back in the mid-1990s.
So, yeah, it's around 30 years old but it's still chugging along well enough for its age.
I, on the other hand, am feeling the effects of those 3 decades especially in my vision.

Long story short: recently, I came up with the idea that it would be wonderful if I can add a VGA monitor to the M15 controller: it would make the screen brighter and the fonts bigger.
Easier said than done, apparently.

My question: has anyone attempted (successfully) to add an external monitor to a machine like mine?
Or internal monitor?
Or whatever other type of monitor.
If so, are there instructions available? Directions on how to complete this task?
If available, is this information open-source, free? or is it a pay service?

I bought a 16pin-to-VGA15pin adapter (female/female) and plugged it into the mainboard.
I got nothing once I booted.
I tried several monitors and it doesn't appear to work. Not sure if I need to set jumpers or switches.

Here is the current setup of the machine:
M15-5
CNC7
Serial: 4164
Display: EGA/VGA 9.4" TFT LCD (built in the box)
CPU: 486DX2-66Mhz
RAM: 4MB
HDD: 1.27GB
BIOS: Award 4.50G
OS: DOS 6.2xx

I have about 20 pictures, I thought relevant. Maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't, maybe I need more/less pictures.
The order of the pictures matches the bootup sequence.
However, only 10 pictures are allowed for uploading here.

Any thoughts on the matter?
Besides shipping it to the seller for them to address this, obviously.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Paul

Odd that you got "nothing". If I recall correctly, the external VGA/CRT connection is usually just plug-and-play.

Is your motherboard the PCM-4860, or the PCM-4862?

Are you positive that you plugged the ribbon cable adapter into the correct header?
That would be JP1 on a PCM-4860, or CN1 on a PCM-4862. In either case it would be in the back right corner, near the end of the first memory SIMM socket.

>>>>>"Odd that you got "nothing". If I recall correctly, the external VGA/CRT connection is usually just plug-and-play."

Exactly what I expected when I looked into the adapter method.
Expected to (worst case scenario) adjust some jumpers or a BIOS setting.
Don't see a mention of either anywhere I looked.
Maybe I am not looking in the right spots or for the right tools.
That's where this forum comes in !!!!!



>>>>>>"Is your motherboard the PCM-4860, or the PCM-4862?"

This is the million dollar question so far.
I don't know which one it is, for sure, but I am inclined to believe it's the 4862.
It has a network connector, which 4860 does not appear to have.
What is the difference between the 2 motherboards?
Short of removing the motherboard from the enclosure, I have to find a way to get some sort of hardware info utility running on DOS that can identify this type of thing.


>>>>>>>>>>"Are you positive that you plugged the ribbon cable adapter into the correct header? That would be JP1 on a PCM-4860, or CN1 on a PCM-4862. In either case it would be in the back right corner, near the end of the first memory SIMM socket."

It appears there is only 1 single spot where the adapter can plug in.
That is adjacent to the 44pin TFT connector, currently running the default/factory display.
I could be wrong, but this seems to be the ONLY spot on both PCM-4860 and PCM-4862 for VGA/CRT connection.

Thank you cncsnw for taking the time to look into this.
Much appreciated.

hello. alternative option is to install a Allin1DC on this machine and you can have a modern, cheap, as big as a display as you want.

Thanks, cnckeith.
Your alternative option looks like it's listed at $1856 as of today.
My realm of comfortable financial possibilities extends as far as $50-100 or less for this particular unit.
I'm already $25 in with no results - that's about enough for now.


Don't really think this machine is worth an additional expense.
Makes more sense to replace the entire thing with something newer, more modern, faster, etc..
Also, I have no idea about most of this stuff.
Can't say I have the time or patience to pursue it further.
Taking the whole thing apart and experimenting with it may yield some results.
However, given the limited amount of resources/information/support about this (apparently) it may only be fun as a hobby.

I have a screen here, I bought a cheap chinese VGA adapter.
I figured if I plug-n-play a bigger screen with minimum effort: GREAT!

If not, let the shop mice continue their path on it a little while longer until it's sold.


For the rest of the forum: I will post updates if they become available.
Maybe someone else needs them it in the future.