MH-871 upgrade question

[tinaski 11]

ok I have had an mh series for about a year and haven't used it for about 6 months. the first 6 months I went thru 3 mother boards and I stopped using it when that one went out. since I stopped using it a while back I have upgraded to a Graphtec.

well im wondering everyone's opinion on upgrading the current communications and mother board to a different brand. in theory I don't see why it wouldn't work. the new boards would take hpgl code and output power to the servos. it sounds little too easy that's why im questioning myself. I have thought about taking the boards out of the Graphtec and trying it but I cant afford to take the change of doing any damage.

2 reasons I want to do it -

1 tired of buying new motherboards

2 I cant get the MH to cut in Linux and I got the Graphtec to cut in Linux

so what's your opinion on this

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

Graphtec uses Servo motors and refine uses stepper is the first thing that comes to mind. other than that I don't think it would be a good idea, what are the chances that all the power connections are the same and same voltage? controls different, etc.  what is causing the mb to go bad?  surge, static???  I could see 1 going bad but not 3

[American And Proud 2]

I think you would be Crazy to tear apart your Graphtec or any working cutter, to try experimenting and saving the MH 871 cutter.

Blow it up and your buying a Graphtec motherboard for no good reason at all.

Cut your Losses on the MH 871, if it currently is not working sell it as a parts cutter, or buy yet Another motherboard install it and Dump it on craigslist while it's still working. Adding another 80.00 motherboard isnt going to get you a whole lot more for it, only add another 80.00 in the hole for you.

The 871 isn't worth the expense of 3 motherboards unless you got them under warranty for free, but considering the cutter is less than $400.00 on usc's website, and they have the MH 871 up on ebay now with a buy it now for $319.99 with free shipping,http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-34-Vinyl-Cutter-Cutting-Plotter-USCutter-w-USB_W0QQitemZ300350920860QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45ee4f589c a motherboard is about a 1/4 or 1/3rd of the price of the whole cutter,(they are 80.00 plus 9.99 to ship it) Not worth the investment since yours keeps blowing them.

Obviously you have never recieved an actual FIX for your cutter, just a band-aid typical replace the motherboard ya that'll work.

Sell it on craigs list at least the buyer won't have as much already invested in it as you might have already depending if those 3 motherboards were warranty items.

Add in the costs of shipping and you could have bought another 871 and hoped it wasn't a Lemon from the start. (Blowin 3 motherboards in 6 months use sounds like a Lemon to me.IMO) Unless your doing something terribly wrong with the cutter to cause it to blow that many motherboards.

If thats not the case (user error) then something Else is causing those motherboards to blow and you were misdiagnosed from the start as to what is really wrong with it. If the ROOT of whats causing the motherboard to blow was not corrected they will just keep on blowing.

Heck sell the stand alone for $125.00-$150.00, theres at least a market for them from buyers who first chose not to buy one then later want it.

And sell the cutter alone for a parts cutter.

[tinaski 11]

that's kind of what I was thinking I wasn't sure if anyone has tried it

why did I go thru so many hmmmm there a piece of crap for starters

I was just thought it would be something different to do - I was thinking of turning it into an engraver - if I could get it to work.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

blowing 3 motherboards suggests one of two things:

something with the cutter (power supply,maybe)

something nothing to do with the cutter ( house power, static, user error,etc)

Piece of crap? Your particular machine might be...many hundreds (including myself) have never had any problems with our refines.

If you weren't able to diagnose the cause of the 3 motherboard failures, you certainly aren't qualified to do what you are thinking of doing. If you want an engraver, buy an engraver.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

So what was the symptom when the mb went out?  did it quit altogether, quit dropping the blade?  quit communicating.  I love a good mystery

[tinaski 11]

it really dont matter now that i got inkscape to cut in linux and with having to have a special driver for the mh - it didnt want to deal with it i just sold the cutter