Windows VISTA USB setup for Refine plotters

[New kid on the block]

I can't get my plotter to communicate with my vista laptop. I will try again following the information below. How do I stop the vinyl from bunching when the machine is initialized? It wil attempt to roll but bunches on the last roll direction and jams. Please help

Torita

[DBernard]

I received my Refine cutter today and I'm hooked! I had trouble getting the cutter going though, I have Vista and was getting a Blue Screen Of Death when I tried to install the USB drivers. It would happen right after I plugged the cutter in. I ended up having to go to the FTDI website (http://www.ftdichip.com) and getting the latest VCP drivers. I booted Vista in safe mode and the printer worked fine when I plugged the cutter in. I updated the drivers once it was recognized with the new drivers and rebooted and everything was fine. Figured I would post this incase someone else has this problem.

EDIT*

I just found the drivers in the downloads section of the USCutter site, wish I seen it earlier LOL. The CD supplied with the cutter must not of been up to date.

[kenimes]

I received my Refine cutter today and I'm hooked! I had trouble getting the cutter going though, I have Vista and was getting a Blue Screen Of Death when I tried to install the USB drivers. It would happen right after I plugged the cutter in. I ended up having to go to the FTDI website (http://www.ftdichip.com) and getting the latest VCP drivers. I booted Vista in safe mode and the printer worked fine when I plugged the cutter in. I updated the drivers once it was recognized with the new drivers and rebooted and everything was fine. Figured I would post this incase someone else has this problem.

EDIT*

I just found the drivers in the downloads section of the USCutter site, wish I seen it earlier LOL. The CD supplied with the cutter must not of been up to date.

Correct, the drivers on the driver CD are older then the latest ones available on our support site. Glad to hear you got it figured out. Isn't Vista and USB fun?

 

[ford74]

I looked on US Cutter and could not find the download section to get the new USB drives for my MH721 and Vista operating software.  Can you please direct me in locating this?  Thank you for your help.  I bought this 14 months ago, so from what I understand the small CD that came with it wont work with Vista.  Is this correct?

[fivestar]

http://support.uscutter.com/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=2&nav=0,1
I believe that's what you're looking for.

[busydeb]

Vinyl cutter model: Refine 721
Date purchased (Date is best, otherwise month and year) June 2007
Connection method (USB, serial, Parallel): Currently USB, serial
Software (Signcut, Artcut, Flexi, etc): SignCut X2 PE, v2.21
Operating system: Vista Business
Material: Spectra Eco-Film (t-shirt vinyl)

  Hi all. I'm back again with the same issue with Vista and USB. Ken, I know you are busy and I really appreciate your knowledge. I ordered USB to serial converter, USB to parallel converter today and hope to get them tomorrow to see if that will fix my problem - which is that my cutter won't communicate with the computer.

When I hooked up the serial cable (very short 17") that came with the cutter, I verified the COM port to (COM5). there is no COM1 for some reason on my computer - I looked in the device drivers and it doesn't exist.

STEPS TAKEN THUS FAR: Verified current version of SignCut (2.21), hooked up serial port, re-booted computer, shut off cutter, reset cutter, changed baud rate from USB setting of 4800 to 9600 on both cutter and software. I tried to do things in the correct order to clear any "buffer".

My cutter works great sometimes, then when I try again, we're back to problems. I needed 7 pieces of text (10.5" wide), I cut 3 just fine, then we went to onesies to cajole the cutter to work. Each time I have to shut down both cutter and computer and it is very time-consuming. I cannot use the Application Launcher from CorelDraw X4 anymore, so I start SignCut and imported an .ai version. That worked for a few designs, but no more. I need three more to get the job out, plus a single t-shirt design for another customer.

I hooked up the serial cable that came with cutter, I thought I was home free. No such luck as now it doesn't even recognize anything! Please help, people are coming tomorrow at lunchtime to pick up their garments!

Debbie in MN

[kenimes]

Give me a ring: 425-481-3555 Ext 113

[MonkeyMeMe]

debbie design in what every program you want,, but then download the free sign blazer,, export the eps file in there and cut from sign blazer,,
I have a refine mh-871   this is what i do,, i also design in xara extreme, as long as we save as a eps file, we dont need to draw in sign blazer just use it as our tool to get to where we can cut.
I hope this helps, from a fellow minnesotian,,

[screenprintr]

You can download the drivers for the USB connection and the software, without charge. SignCut will still use the same license number as before.

I realize this post is several months old, but I'm hoping your still monitoring it.

We bought a MH-871, and were having problems getting it to cut via a PC we use for work. The signblazer software is a memory hog, and the other printers on the PC seem to conflict with the cutter. I'm using the USB connection, as is two other printers. One of the printers, HP6210 office jet is the one that is conflicting it. I unloaded the other drivers for the other printers, and turned off the two other printers so they wouldn't try to load as I was trying to load the MH-871 which by the way, SignBlazer doesn't list on their selections, I used MH-721.

Anyways, I did get the MH-871 to cut after uninstalling the both drivers from the HP Officejet 6210, and the Epson Color Stylus 1280, oh I also had to uninstall the driver for the Ultrapro USB hub.

For whatever it's worth, I also had to select Cutter/Plotter on COM 4 (USB001, didn't show up under settings in Signblazer), once I had the MH-871's driver that I downloaded from support.uscutter.com because the one on the CD didn't work. It did cut the test file.

My question, and sorry it took so long to get it out is, Can I now run the other printers or do you find that these cutters have to be run on their own, or by themselves on a PC?

I can't seem to get the HP Officejet 6210 to load now, but the EPson loads fine.

Paul

[DaveS]

Are you plugging the cutter into the hub with the printers? If you are this may
be where the conflic is.

Just my thoughts,
Dave

[mobby]

See my other post    same port speed problem

Cheers  Mobby

[Kittycut]

Hello all again!
I bought last year a Refine MH1351 and instaled it successfully in my Vista laptop.  I did a couple of good jobs with the plotter and never use it agan. Today, I have a new Vista 64bits (maybe this is the trouble) computer and I need to install through USB here the plotter to start to work now.
I've been trying to install it from 6 hous ago using every combinations I have read in the forum and all the istrucctions that comes with the plotter and, no way.

Vista do not recognice the driver in anyway. It is unable to install the USB adaptor, etc etc etc.
I'm just desperate and don't know what else to try.

Any help would be wonderful..

Thank you!
Kittycut

[kenimes]

So, you went here and downloaded the latest USB driver: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

You would need 2.04.16 - the top slection.

Could also be that your MH1351 was one of the odd MH units that had a different USB chipset, and I am not sure if there are Vista 64bit drivers available for its chipset.

Maybe try another USB cable, or even another USB port on the computer itself.

Worst case: give USCutter a ring, and one of their techs. can login to your computer and give it a go.

[Kittycut]

Thanks Kenimes for be always there helping quickly

I have try changing usb ports, redonwloading drivers, shutting donw the computer.. Driver specs say that it works with Vista 64.

What I can't understand is, if it worked once with Vista, why it dont works now? My brain is very saturated right now.

Now is 23:49 here. What time is there and what hours are good to find a tech by phone?

Thank you! Kitty

[Kittycut]

Well, no way to install it through UBS. I borrowed a computer with com port and it works but the trouble is not solved. I gues I will try to sell it and forget it forever (what I really want to do is burn it on fire). How many time losted...

One more thing, SignBlazer is unable to run with the cutter, always errors of any type. No problem with SignCut X2 trial.