uln2003

[e1ioan]

Hi,
I'm working on a project with my son, and I need some help on the hardware side. I want to control 2 stepper motors using the parallel port. The questions are:
Can I control 2 steppers with only one uln2003 ic or I need 2 of them?

Now, a second question, I see in this picture, how to connect one uln2003 to the parallel port to control one stepper.
Parallel's port pins 2,3,4,5 are used. To control a second stepper do I have to use the pins 6,7,8,9 in the same way?

Can I use a "usb to parallel" cable or a real parallel port is required?

Any better (cheap/easy) solution to control 2 steppers using parallel or USB (I would prefer USB)?

TIA,
-ioan

 

[jbeng]

The ULN2003a wouldn't be suitable to drive two unipolar stepper motors like shown in the diagram, because it only has seven outputs. You would need to use the ULN2803, which has eight outputs.

Jeff