A control system. An apparatus having a motor; a host processor for generating a message containing motor control information; a control board for receiving the message and for transmitting a command, corresponding to the message, to the motor; and a communications medium coupling the host processor and the control board. The communications medium supports a first communications path and a second communications path. The first communications path is for transmitting messages from the host processor to the control board. The second communications path is for transmitting messages from the control board to the host processor.