FletcherSyntax 3 Posted November 11, 2020 I recently came upon a MH721 and it seems it doesn't have a USB port. I was instructed to get a keyspan USB to serial adaptor so I did. I hooked that all up and it is showing up in device manager on COM3. I tried to install device drivers and it appears to work however the cutter doesn't show up as a printer in my settings (windows 10). I tried to use SignBlazer and I can find the KEYSPAN in the settings but when I try to cut I get the typical error which I see all over this forum "cannot open the output device. Error initializing cutter". I also tried to do download the VinylMaster demo but I never receive the email to download it (not in spam filter either). I'm willing to buy the software but I just want to see this thing work before I invest any more money in it. Can anyone help? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted November 11, 2020 Install Device drivers for what? What brand of USB to serial cable did you get? A real Keyspan adapter is made by Tripp-lite. That is the brand name. The USB to serial has it's own drivers, which you download and install. (You need a null modem cable to connect to it and then to your vinyl cutter. The cutting software has the driver for the cutter. Your cutter is not a printer. Try a different email address. It may not be right away. It is overseas. https://iifuture.com/vmdemo/Ord_FreeTrial_VM_01_USC.html You find the com port number in your computer device manager that was assigned for your cutter. Go into your software cutter set up. Choose the same number as your device manager. It must be #4 or lower to work. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FletcherSyntax 3 Posted November 11, 2020 26 minutes ago, MZ SKEETER said: Install Device drivers for what? What brand of USB to serial cable did you get? A real Keyspan adapter is made by Tripp-lite. That is the brand name. The USB to serial has it's own drivers, which you download and install. (You need a null modem cable to connect to it and then to your vinyl cutter. The cutting software has the driver for the cutter. Your cutter is not a printer. Try a different email address. It may not be right away. It is overseas. https://iifuture.com/vmdemo/Ord_FreeTrial_VM_01_USC.html Well, somewhere I was told to download a driver file called CDM20828_Setup.exe which is a USB serial converter. As far as the cable goes, I used the one supplied with the Tripp-lite adaptor I bought off this site. I didn't install drivers for the adaptor though. I'll try that next. It does list in the device manager as Keyspan USB serial device (COM3) under "ports" which is why I didn't bother hunting down drivers for the adaptor but it's worth a try I guess. I suppose I could try another email address as well but I'm pretty sure that's not gonna help. I own the domain so it's not black listed or anything. I have a few others though. I'll try them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted November 11, 2020 You have to install the drivers for the Tripp-lite . Those drivers make it operate correctly. What cable are you using between the Keyspan and the vinyl cutter? Or how do you have it connected to the vinyl cutter? That has to be a null modem serial cable. I have never had a problem of them not sending a download trial from Vinyl Master. Here is the Download for Signblazer. use the 3rd down .exe. Select the Red Sail cutter in the list. You will have to turn off your antivirus to install. . Signblazer is no longer updated. http://www.uscuttersupport.com/downloads/Software/SignBlazer/signblazer_setup.exe I just requested a trial from Vinyl Master, it showed up right away. 10:41PM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FletcherSyntax 3 Posted November 11, 2020 Well, I was able to download the trial software and get it installed. I was also able to get it detected in VinylMaster (demo) but when I go to cut I get the "sending to cutter" dialog box and it just hangs. Never sends data... so I'm getting closer but still no luck. Right now I got the Tripp-lite thing connected direct to the cutter and the USB run into my computer. Nothing super fancy going on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted November 11, 2020 "Right now I got the Tripp-lite thing connected direct to the cutter" .How? You have to use a null modem cable between the Keyspan and the vinyl cutter. A null modem is different than a straight thru serial cable. Wires are crossed. That is the name of it, Null modem serial cable. The pinout of the serial connectors on both sides of the cable are exactly the same with a straight-through serial cable. A null modem serial cable (frequently called a crossover cable) is used to connect two DTE devices together without the use of a DCE device in between. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,626 Posted November 11, 2020 No drivers needed, you have the comm adapter working. The cutter will not show up in device managers, you're just talking to it via the serial bus, computer doesn't know or care what is connected to the serial bus. You shouldn't be able to connect the adapter directly to the cutter, the screw standoffs should have prevented that, unless you took them off. Typically if you have to modify hardware like that, you're doing something wrong. As skeeter said, get a null modem cable, plug that into the cutter and the adapter, plug the adapter into the computer, set the comm settings in software and you should be good to go. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FletcherSyntax 3 Posted November 12, 2020 Thanks everyone! After ordering the correct cable it worked perfectly. I got this out a gross garage so now I get to clean it up, order some blades and get to work designing! You guys were a huge help. Thanks again. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites