jessecorson42@yahoo.com

Connecting to an iPad

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Hello guys so I have a question I just bought a US Cutter for vinyl I'm trying to figure out what I'll need to purchase to be able to run it through my iPad I've been trying to do some research but there's not a lot of information that I can find or what I need to tie them together

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Personally I have never heard of anyone using an ipad - - - what cutting software have you found compatible with an ipad?  what plotter did you purchase as USCutter is a company that sells many plotters including many private labeled ones.  Many of us old timers have a very old computer hooked up to our plotters dedicated for the purpose of cutting as they don't require much processing power and with them not connected to the internet there is little chance of them getting corrupted or a virus so they are ready to cut at any time.

Have you called support on this question?

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Think of it this way ----  all cutters operate using a variation on the orginal simple command language called HPGL (Hewlett-Packard Graphic Language) that handles the vector coordinates (x, y) and the z axis/carriage action (up/down).
H-P developed this standard back in the late 50's for their first computer-controlled plotters, and it has essentially not changed since.

iPads know nothing about HPGL. Their iOS operating system is oblivious to it.

The way to operate is with an older Dell Latitude D520 or similar (with built-in legacy RS232 Serial port) and load it up with VinylMaster or SignBlazer and go to town. Sometimes, the latest & greatest connectivity gadgetry is not the right way to approach the cutting machines we use --- these robots are still old-school from the 1950's !!

 

 

 

 

 

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Which vinyl cutter did you purchase?  There should have been cutting software, which one did you receive?  You need a computer to download the cutting software onto. You need to have com ports on your computer to hook up the USB cable or serial cable.  This does not run from Apps. 

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I know when I should keep my mouth shut now and then . . .  good luck peeps

 

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I don't use a Mac.  Not too many on here do.  You can probably do a search online, for something that may work and be compatible for using devices on a Mac. Or maybe someone  using a Mac might come along. 

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That cutter is not Mac compatible.  It is stated on the UScutter ads.  I have heard of getting Bootcamp, or Parallels for a Mac.  But I have never used a Mac.  Most people on here use Windows. There is more software options for Windows.  I am still running on old Windows XP, because it is very stable.  I just pick up old cheap laptops under $100.

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42 minutes ago, jessecorson42@yahoo.com said:

I'm trying to learn that's what this shits for isn't it and why aren't u answering my question 

This is a user forum -users helping other users - the company seldom comes on - you are trying to use an ipad that is not compatible with a plotter and then ask about a chromebook that again has never been advertised as compatible.   people are willing to help each other and most of our old timers with over 10 years experience do so because they generally like helping people . .  . that are polite and respectful - 

like skeeter said the mh series in not mac compatible and is sold as only being windows compatible and is sold with appropriate software that comes in one of 2 flavors - vinylmaster and scalp.

 

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I run mac. I have the newest iPad Pro and no there is no program that will connect with a cutter. Nothing very efficient on the vector art program options either. Kind of sucks because they are so handy for other things it would be nice to be able to plink away at things when I'm out on the road. My wife as a MacBook Pro, that's a sweet machine. I don't get to play on it very often. She is possessive! 

I use Adobe Illustrator for design and cut through SignCut Pro 1. SignCut is mac and pc compatible so you can run it on either platform. The pro 1 version does not do design, only cutter interface. I think the new Pro 2 has more options. I'm so zen with AI that I tend to just stay with what works for me. 

Some of the cutters are not mac compatible. I think I saw someone get one of the MH cutters to run on a mac but in general you'll probably have glitch issues that just aren't worth the trouble to stay in a mac environment. Like mentioned here I recommend just finding a cheap windows laptop and use it as your interface. You can still do all your design work on your mac and just transfer it over via thumb drive. Most of those who run the older XP computers don't even hook up to internet so they are still nice and stable. Well, as stable as windows gets I guess. I actually have a windows 7 laptop that I do most of my cutting on. If and when it craps out I can roll my cutter over and hook it up to my iMac but I prefer not to have the cutter over in my design workspace or tied to my computer. I generally keep working on other things while it's over there cutting. 

If you own mac products then you are not averse to spending money. Get a little better cutter, you'll be glad you did once you learn the ropes. The MH cutters are like buying toys out of the vending machines in the front of the drugstore. It doesn't cost that much more to step up to an SC and have a significant better experience. 

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Hi there, again, Jesse.  Hopefully by now you've figured out that vinyl cutters (plotters) are tempermental beasts that don't take kindly to modern advancements in computer programming and coding. We are in the universe of "legacy" hardware ---  machines that originally were designed for line-command interface (again, this was in the late 1950's -- early 1960's). Back then, nobody used "windows" (the GUI), until two guys named Wozniac and Jobs opened that pathway for the world in 1984.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_128K

Ahhhhh. the memories....

Now, where are we in this thread? oh, yeah, iPads & chromebooks.  Nope, not happenin'.
Perhaps that's why there's not a lot of information that you can find.

Just out of curiosity, what are you intending to use the MH unit for anyway?

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It might be possible to compile and install inkscape on a Chromebook. Then if you can connect a serial cable to the chromebook you might be able to control the cutter. This is some very high level "hacking" though so if you don't know about coding and serial comms not really an option for you.

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