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demondecals

PCUT, SignBlazer and USB problem....

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Hi again.  Trying to keep a cool head here, but it's getting tough.  We've been using our PCUT Ct630 for about 3 years now, finally decided 2 months ago that it was time to upgrade to a new computer.  Got a Compaq Presario C700 running Vista.  We WERE using WinPCSign for our software, and had no problems at all the whole time.  But, with the new laptop, WinPCSign wouldnt communicate through the USB port, so we figured we'd just get the basic version of SignBlazer since it's a newer design software, and most likely more compatible with USB port communication.  We ran for a week or so on the SignBlazer trial version, and thought it worked pretty well.  Since we bought the full version, we've had nothing but problems.  The part that really burns me is that we've got about $2k worth of vinyl jobs to do, and cant get anything to work.  No matter how we set up the cutter, we are getting a "cant initialize cutter" window.  We did a few small jobs here and there, but every time we start to cut something, we have to reset all the configurations in the device manager and the cutter setup window.  We've tried all 3 USB ports, (this computer has no serial ports) and sometimes if we just change ports, it will work for a while.  But the last 3 days...nothing.  We even drug our old computer out, installed the signBlazer trial version, and it wont communicate with the cutter either, even with the serial port.  Is our cutter just going to crap on us?  I've tried updating the drivers for the USB ports, and it says we're up to date.  I've been going through the forums trying to find similar problems to what ours is doing, and there seems to be a common thread with the USB communicating with almost all brands of cutters.  It used to be easy...just hit the cut button and make money....no all we do is waste time and vinyl.  We also discovered on our own that this whole system cant handle anything too large, so we started tiling intricate jobs so the cutter wouldnt get overloaded and stop.  Sorry to rant for so long, but we're getting really discouraged.  We're not afraid to spend some $$$ if it will help, but we just want to be sure that what we spend WILL help.  Do we just need a better cutter to run through the USB, or do we need a different computer with serial ports? 

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

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cutter runs fine for 3 years...new computer,cutter won't cut.....sounds like a computer problem to me. There are issues with Vista...there is a post on it somewhere.

Have you tried,when digging out the old computer,cutting with WinPc sign,like you did before?

When you said you upgraded Signblazer,do you mean you paid for elements or got the pro version?

When you upgraded,did you uninstall the trail version?

You can get an adapter for your new computer that allows you to use serial. It is called a keyspan adapter.

Both myself and my brother ( and many others) are running the cutter on USB with no problems...but we both have XP,not Vista. I don't think this is a problem that can't be solved. Maybe Ken will jump in here and offer to help. Often, a walk-through solves the problem.

As I recall,US Cutter just started selling the pcut a little over a year ago...did you buy it elsewhere?

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Many modern desktops do have a serial port but you may have to look on your motherboard and see if one is there.  If it is than you could get a simple 3.00 serial port cable with a header for the back of your computer.

I can only guess, but my guess is that the mobo of the plotter is pure serial with a USB device over the top and this is the cause of most of the issue (an inability to communicate)  Serial is a solid interface.

Since your computer is new I would for the moment rule out the plotter, and USB and run it directly with serial if possible.  Troubleshoot from there. 

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BannerJohn:  well, yes and no...the main reason for the upgrade to the new computer was that WinPCSign was acting up occasionally, but it was kind of like having an overloaded (memory-wise) older computer...we'd just save everything, restart it and it would be fine.  We have not tried using winpcsign again on the old computer...that is a last ditch effort for us since we both like SignBlazer a lot better, and all the files for the jobs we have to do are in SignBlazer.  Yes, we ran on the trial version for a week or so, then bought Elements, and no, we did not uninstall the trial version.  The PCUT cutter is actually our second of the same thing.  Our first fried the motor that runs the cutting head, and we couldnt find parts (now we see that USCutter has them....), so we bought another and it took off and worked just fine.  Got them both from Ebay, but were allegedly brand new. 

How does this keyspan adapter work, and is it something that I can install?

Any ideas on why the old computer wont work with the cutter through the serial port with SignBlazer, though?  I thought that would be a surefire to at least get back to work for a while. 

Thanks for your suggestions!!

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I gave up on the the USB port, and now use serial port and it seems to work.  You can add a serial port to

many computers via a PCI card, I got one at Frys for $20.  :lol:

Tom

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They're using a laptop. I haven't had any luck either getting Signblazer to work under Vista, but I'm running Vista x64. I'd suggest even when you get your new machine working right, I'd get someone to clean and upgrade your old one if possible and fix your first cutter as a backup/second station. My 2cts

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When i first started with my machine i got this error and my solution was to correctly select USB port from the printer setup before i cut. 

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