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muddywaterpirate

MH-721 computer to cutter issue

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Hi all.  I've been busy with a new job and haven't used my MH721 since October.  I had plenty of time and got back to my basement shop this past weekend and tried to cut a design and had some issues.  Here is a complete explanation.

After getting my design in Signblazer (all ports are matched evenly, no changes and it has always worked fine), I clicked on the CUT button and nothing happened.  The printer error box came up and said there was an error sending it to the printer (cutter).  I cleared out the error in the printer box, reset the cutter, nothing.  Rebooted the computer and after boot up, the cutter finished the cut.  Tried to cut again, and it errored out again. 

I changed usb ports, changed usb cables, and get the same results.  At this point, I feel as if it is the cutter that has malfunctioned.  Can I get some input from others that might have run across something like this?

Thanks.

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I've had an issue like that but I use flexi 8. Most of the time I just close the program and reopen it and it cuts fine. Mine seems to do it if I open the cut window and cut something then go do something else and let it sit before I try to cut something else...

Good Luck

MM64

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Well, besides this issue, it also looks like the blade won't raise up when making cuts either.  Hooked up to the computer or not hooked up and just doing a test from the cutter itself. 

This has soured me on US Cutter.  Maybe because the cutter is under $300, you get what you pay for?

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Guest HowardI

You might want to open a support ticket so we can help get your machine back up and running.

We do support our machines and will help you however we can.

Let us help!

Howard Irwin

Support Specialist

US Cutter

425-481-3555

888-298-8143

  - Option 2

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Wow!  I ordered the mother board for my machine on Saturday, January 23rd and the expected date to receive it is Monday, February 3rd.  A total wait of 11 days, 6 business days, for a small package. 

It just takes forever to do anything.

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Wow!  I ordered the mother board for my machine on Saturday, January 23rd and the expected date to receive it is Monday, February 3rd.  A total wait of 11 days, 6 business days, for a small package. 

It just takes forever to do anything.

well, if you ordered it on Saturday the 23rd, then it wouldn't have shipped til Monday the 25th. I don't know whwre you are but the 3rd sounds about right for FedEx and UPS...nothing moves on weekends.

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I understand, but I'm just very frustrated.  You are right, it shipped on Monday, the 25th and I won't get it until the following Monday, which is the 1st.  Why does it take that long to get a part the size of an ipod from Washington to NC?  Good customer service would have done something to speed up the shipping.  $10 shipping for 6 business days?  It was something like an additional $35 for 2 day shipping.  That is kind of expensive.

Calling the USCutter support didn't get me anywhere and I'm worried that this might not even fix the problem.  It's supposed to, but if it doesn't, I'm just flat out another $90 on top of the cutter being useless as well.  Good companies customer service helps to fix problems, not stick you with someone that has average English speaking skills in hopes of repairing a problem.  I have worked in customer service before, and so far, it's what Clark Howard refers to as "customer no service".

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I live in Fla. and east of the Mississippi always takes longer, as for the MH-721 I have one, Must be the best one ever built from what you all say here........ I know its not but seems like you all have bad luck with the 721. use mine 4 -5 days a week and cut alot on it. and works great, with flexi I don't know but

it does take exter time to get to fla. and I know when you want something you hate to wait, so thats why I have two plotters, all shops need two, I just find it to be a fact, you might think about that....

sure saves time and gives you one to work wth while one is down. I know Cost...... but all bussiness have cost.... its just a part of the game.....I would love to think all I would need was 1 Computer and a Plotter

but thats not true........you need 2 of everything......or you have to wait......Ol' Signmaker...been there done that.

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Okay, I'm back in business!  I got the motherboard today, installed it, and it worked!  Now, back to the issue I opened this topic for...

Part 1

I opened signblazer, imported my design (11x7 in size), sent it to the cutter, and it started cutting (a test cut with the blade up, to ensure it finished the job this time).  I would guess about 75% into the cut, it stopped, and the software read in the top: Not Responding.  I hit the cancel button and it would not cancel.  I hit the X in the top right to shut down signblazer, and it wouldn't close down.  I disconnected the USB cable and the software reset itself.  I put the USB back in and nothing happened.

Part 2

I put the word "cut" into the software and sent it to the cutter.  I had it sized about 3x3, and it went to the cutter and completed.

I'm guessing there is some kind of memory problem having it sent from the computer to the printer?  I've used this same computer last summer and cut much bigger graphics with no problem.  What could be happening?

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if possible try to reduce the number of nodes in your vector - if it is a memory problem it should cut further or even finish the job with fewer nodes if that is the problem

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I am a pretty new user to signblazer, so I have never used the "node" feature to reduce the number of nodes.  Not sure of what I would do or how it would work.

Let me give you some more detail on what I've done.  I created the graphic, which is all words in the style of an old gym shirt.  You know the kind that you always see that says something like School name, Athletic Department?  I used Adobe to create the graphic, then pulled it into inkscape to create the .eps file.  I then imported the .eps file into signblazer to cut my design.  The file size is only about 85kb.

Can you give any other information about reducing the number of nodes in my vector image?  Can I do something different in Inskscape before saving it or is it strictly something to work on in signblazer?

Thanks again!

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I don't think that would have too many nodes as you describe it.  Time for usc to jump in on this one

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Are you using the USB ports in the front or back of the computer? The front ports don't have enough power to support the cutter. Also, have you plugged any additional USB devices in since the last time you cut? The ports could be a shared hub and again... running into the power issue.

I've installed a dedicated USB card in my PC just for the cutter and most of my problems have gone away since then...

Good Luck!

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Are you using the USB ports in the front or back of the computer? The front ports don't have enough power to support the cutter. Also, have you plugged any additional USB devices in since the last time you cut? The ports could be a shared hub and again... running into the power issue.

I've installed a dedicated USB card in my PC just for the cutter and most of my problems have gone away since then...

Good Luck!

Thanks for the suggestions, hockeygirl.  I was using the rear USB ports when it first stopped working, changed ports, then swapped to the front, and got the problem from each port.  I do plan to buy a usb to serial cable for the future though, as I've been told things work smoother that way from US Cutter.

However, let me share this information.  Today I was working on the graphic again, trying to reduce the nodes, and was pulling in my graphic to inkscape to vectorize it, and it hit me...I was pulling the image in by using FILE, OPEN on the toolbar rather than FILE, IMPORT.  So I imported it instead, opened it in signblazer and sent it to cut.  It cut all the way through.

More to come as I keep testing.

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Well, I hoped that it would work, but alas, it didn't.  I did 3 test runs and they all three finished, without the blade in the holder.  After being satisfied, I put the blade in the holder and it got halfway through and stopped.  Wasted vinyl.  

I am wondering why the problems NOW when I didn't have any when I was cutting last summer up through October.  I was using USB to USB then, and never had a single problem.

I replaced the motherboard to fix the blade holder problem, but still can't get it to finish a cut.  I even just entered the word hello in 6"x6" and it stopped while test cutting that too, so it's not a node problem.

It is something wrong with the MH-721, and from the sounds of things, I must be the only one that has any complaints about this machine, as everyone elses works just fine.

Before I unplug my cutter and toss it in the trash, I plan to try the USB to Serial cable to see if that helps.  My question on that is, are we talking about USB on computer to serial on cutter or USB on cutter to serial on computer?

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if you are using a desktop go to newegg and get a serial card for your computer.  I have always used the usb port but other people swear that the serial works better.

Just to make sure you are using a short usp cable also??  One thought also when you way it completed the cut with no bladeholder in the carriage - try running an extra ground wire from the plotter to any ground in the basement!

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dakota, when I installed the new motherboard, I ground the cutter to the stand.  I found that info in another thread.  I was using a long usb cable last year when I was cutting fine, and didn't make any changes this year when it started messing up.  I switched to a much shorter usb cable, and still have the same problems.

On the serial port, why wouldn't the two serial ports already on the desktop not work?

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They would work great if your computer has them - so many of the new desktops don't have serial or parallel ports on them.  On my last 2 I had to add a parallel card in them to use my laser printer that I love. 

on the other stuff I am just freely brainstorming.  on my graphtec I notice a lot of extra static building up and I added a separate ground from the stand to a ground in the basement for extra protection, even though the unit was grounded thru the plug.  I did help with the static build up when doing t-shirt vinyl!

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Here's something to try...

In Device Manager, Under the USB Serial Port Properties --> Port Settings Tab --> Advanced Options:

Make sure you have Serial Printer box checked.

See if that helps.

-P

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