Surface plate height gauge adapter for dial indicator holding

[metric_taper]

this the only offering I have been able to find worldwide. ebay.com 252491415529



i can understand that, but there is a lot of info on the net, as someone has worked out how to read each format. many use an Arduino as the interface twix PC and instrument. I find it amazing that most manufacturers fit the data port but provide no help with using it. A lost marketing opportunity I guess.



That is so simple it is almost trivial. When I get my new encoder I intend to post something here including the Aduino code (Sketch as they call it)

The Mitutoyo, a 5 pin:


And
eBay item number: 172578890127 but no detail photo, to determine if this will fit.
And then there's bunches of cables at this site: Mitutoyo Spc Cable | Factory Brand Outlets
It's a job to figure out which will work. And then you still need to reverse engr. the pinout for data and clock, and then write a bit banger to decode the data stream.
I did that in my past life, it just is not something I want to do. If some simple PLC box with an interpreter language existed, that had 16+ I/O with quadrature decoders built in along with up/down counters, so you would not have to do interrupt driven code (did lots of that too), I could see working through to make some machine enhancement devices.

I bet Mitutoyo, does not want anyone to de-crypt their SPC port, as they want to sell the hardware and software. But your right, why wouldn't the low end of China manufactures want to do this, other then they too can sell the reader hardware, as it's useful for a DRO.

I have looked into the Arduino, but my interest in learning ANOTHER program language just does not 'titillate' me.

Just this morn, I was looking at how to get Mach3 to work on a computer that does not have a printer port. So I go down the path of GRex or ncPod (learned this was the path to USB), and this opens an enormous chasm of how ignorant I am to PC hardware. And then reading posts from a few blogs, my mind gives up. I want something super simple, download the code, plug in the interface card to a USB port, hook up the servos, and encoders, and watch the machine move the desired amount.

Then there's the CAD to learn, and how to build the G code from this. I have several dials that need to me made, so engraving with a 4th axis would be handy.
We'll see if I ever get there.