Retail BETA testers for Signblazer?

[kenimes 42]

I run Vista on a Dell and have Flexi, SignCut, SignBlazer, SignLab, InkScape, and Corel, and they all work flawlessly.

:notsure:

[Kimon 1]

Again not trying to use sharp elbows here, just pointing out what Signcut does and does not do. With regard to the Port issue, When you launched SignCut-X2 first, it sets up the communication-port, and then that setting is stored in memory in the system, and when you started blazer it would use the setting that the system was set to, ie the settings of signcut-x2. That was probably why the cutting would work in signblazer. However I am sure that the folks at Signblazer resolved this issue with patch or update for signblazer.

Another thing that I would like to mention again, we pride ourselves on the fact that we respond quickly to our customers needs. Should any user have an issue please feel free to contact us at anytime.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

I don't knock Signcut. The support is great and, for what it does, it is the best I've seen. For someone who already has a design program and knows how to use it,it would be all they would need. I don't care for the need to be connected to the internet thing. I don't care for the 3 year license. I can see not getting updates after 3 years or even one year...but when I buy software,I expect to be able to use it as long as I need it. I don't pay Microsoft,Corel,or Adobe, a renewal fee every few years to keep using their products.

But, I digress...for someone who has nothing, Signblazer would be the obvious choice. Design and cut. Lest we forget, most of the people who buy the cutters seem to be total newbees. Learning Corel or AI is NOT easy. Esp if you are starting from scratch.

[kenimes 42]

Just to clarify...

SignCut gives you the option of a 3 year PE subscription OR the Unlimited LE version, you do have a choice. The PE version requires an internet connection when you open the program about once every 2 weeks just to verify the subscription status of the license, but the LE version does not. LE version gives you a key code, and will never require an internet connection. So you are not actually locked in to a subscription based software that must be on the internet all the time, yet you have a choice between the two. There is also a dongle version for PE available, which would not require an internet connection, and it would not be subscription based, or need re-newing, and we offer it at a good price for USCutter customers.

Both SignBlazer and SignCut each have their advantages and disadvantages, and everyone, including John, is certainly entitled to his or her own opinion. One may work better for you, but the other may work better for the next customer. Both programs offer excellent support. ArtCut is lacking.

SignBlazer is great for those that are just beginning, and do not already utilize InkScape, Corel Draw, or Adobe Illustrator. SignBlazer allows you to design, vectorize, and cut, all from the same program. It accepts files from vectorized file disks or downloads as well. It also accepts files from the other design programs for cutting. SBE is for Windows platforms.

SignCut is great for those that already utilize other design programs, and accepts vectorized files in a few different formats(.eps, .ai, .svg) from said programs. Most vectorized file disks you buy already have the cuttable files in the accepted formats, so it is as easy as opening the file, sizing it, and cutting. SC X2 also runs on a Mac for our Mac customers, as well as Windows platforms.

I have used both, and find that they both work great when used with any of the models USCutter offers.

I hope this had shed some light for anybody confused......

Always welcome to shoot me a PM if more clarification is needed.

[Bigmac 1]

This may be a good time to ask about the annual upgrade for SignBlazer/06 cost of $150.00 plus a $100.00 surcharge if you let your registration expire. Got this information from their web site. I don't recall seeing this mentioned any were from USCutter or SignBlazer on this form. Do these cost apply to the people who have Signblazer thru USCutter.

Bigmac

[BannerJohn 1,324]

I don't think so. The elements version comes with upgrades for 1 year I believe. After that you have to pay for upgrades but you don't have to unless you want to.

[kenimes 42]

I don't think so. The elements version comes with upgrades for 1 year I believe. After that you have to pay for upgrades but you don't have to unless you want to.

Exactly....

[Jerry Bonham 1]

Upgrade Costs.

The $150.00 annual charge is for SignBlazer Pro that costs $1,800.00 normal retail price.

The same annual charge of $150.00 applies to SignBlazer HotShot and this costs retail $2,800.00.

It is a user optional choice.

The extra $100.00 is charged when users don't bother to upgrade for years.

This is so that those who do pay the annual upgrade fees have an advantage over those who don't.

Now i think that is fair don't you?

Both these programs have hardware locks.

If you check out our two main competitors FlexiSign Pro and SignLab you will find that their annual upgrade fees are?

Certainly not $150.00.  Put another nought on the end many have told me.

I dont know for sure.

However users that have both SignBlazer and one of the other programs have told me of where that they have been charged from $3,000.00 or more when they have to upgrade.

With SignBlazer if you have not upgraded for many years we have a maximum cap of $750.00.

If you have to buy another software lock (remember SB goes back to 1989) when you old one is not suitable for Vista then the price is $150.00.

With SignBlazer Elements that has a suggested retail price of $395.00 the suggested upgrade price is $50.00.

This has not yet been listed on our website.

Live Update in SignBlazer gives you every new release automatically when it is released.

SignBlazer has about 6 to 8 new releases per annum.

When 12 months is up Live Update will cease to work.

It is then up to you whether you want to continue having every latest release and another 12 months of tech support.

SignBlazer is a living breathing program that has a dedicated team working on improving it every day.

This is totally unlike other software programs.

These usually hire a team to write the program.

When it is complete all are sacked and a few retained for bug fixes.

This is how most major software programs are made.

Jerry from SignBlazer.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

take all of the major sign softwares...compare: Price,Features,Support, ease of use. I have done this. I will never pay for another program other than SignBlazer...dollar for dollar it is the best deal and the support is unequaled.

[Bigmac 1]

Please don't take me wrong. I use SignBlazer every day, I was just trying to find out what the annual upgrade cost was going to be. The $50.00 per year is not bad. as I said before I use SignBlazer ever day and I will continue to be a user with annual upgrades when they come due. The support from USCutter and SignBlazer is the greatest.  :thanks: Ken, Bruce, Jerry

Bigmac

[BannerJohn 1,324]

It's a smart person who knows a good thing when he/she sees it.

[edge 67]

Jerry

Though he hasn't bothered to post here,apparently the problem is solved :

"Got my Xtra Icons sorted out by just reloading SignCut"...Edge

is what he posted in another thread today. I assume the 'signcut' was a typo unless he had both and somehow signcut was conflicting with signblazer.

As was speculated by some, I did mistype SignCut when it should have been SignBlazer with regard to ICON issues in another post elsewhere and referenced in this thread.

I suppose one could say the problem is solved if they believe reloading the software and fearing the thought to ever touch the ICON settings again to prevent the problem is a solution?

I still had issues when I would minimize the SignBlazer window and return. With the ICON toolbar at the top, it sometimes would cover a portion of the Signblazer screen that it hadn't before; limiting acces to the file, edit, etc features...so I have moved the ICON toolbar to the right side.

If my Dell Dimension P4 2.8 Ghz, 1024 Mhz. ram with Windows XP Media Center (Svc Pak 2), Intel Intergrated Graphics Media Accelator 900 using a 15" monitor at 1024 X 768 is indeed an inferior system causing all these problems. I can only ask why I could/can not find a minium system requirement at the ClolorChrome website to inform me of it's need to not run on inferior systems like my commonly configured Dell 2.8 Ghz P4?

[BannerJohn 1,324]

take your computer specs, reduce by half,and that is the specs of my Signblazer dedicated machine. So I don't think it's your computer. It might be something ON your computer. I've cleaned up more than a few computers of spyware that did weird things to some programs.

If the reinstall fixed your problem...it could be that it was  a bad install. IT happens all the time. A small thing like the screensaver kicking in, a power flicker...anything can cause it,and sometimes nothing at all.

I've been using Signblazer now for over 9 months and haven't seen a reason to adjust the icons....one way or another. But if it suits you to do so,try again. IF the same thing happens, maybe Jerry can come up with something. He is tenacious as hell and if he thinks it is a bug,he will fix it.

[Jerry Bonham 1]

Thank you John

Yes, you are correct I have been working on it.

No positive answers yet.

Have some clues but they have yet to be confirmed.

Won't post them until i am certain.

Non reproducible bugs are the most difficult to solve.

However one thing i have discovered is that this is a real storm in a teacup.

If he moves his button icons along so that the duplicates are at the end then there is not a problem.

This is from another user with the same problem who has been kind enough to work with me to solve the bug instead of condemning SignBlazer to oblivion because of something that does not even interfere with the operation of the program.

I will post the final solution here.

Jerry from SignBlazer.

[phrog 0]

Did anyone ever find out about the extra icons and more importantly for me the "when returning from the cutting screen the icon cover up the File line"?

[CyberSultan 6]

I just started using SB and I have lots of extra icons now. Did anyone find out what is causing this...and can they be taken off?  Never seen a program automatically add icons like this before.  Using Vista.

Also, the SB crashed twice on me today when I went to import a file.  I'm only guessing that it doesn't like some graphic that was also in the same directory.  When I copied my graphic to another directory and opened it from there, SB worked fine.  Anyone seen this issue before?

Edit: Temporarily got the extra icons removed by editing the Signblaz.ini file (noticed the repetition of the 3-digit codes for the various buttons and replaced them with zeros).  Hopefully the designers can take a look at what is causing this behavior and provide a fix.  Still haven't determined which graphic file is causing the program to crash when it tries to show an import preview of all the files in one of my folders.

Edit: Ok, the duplicate icons are recreating themselves again.  I really don't know what is causing that.  Just closing and reopening the program is creating more sets of duplicated icons (without even working in the program).  The second issue of SB crashing on the import view...before SB crashes, it gives me a repeated error message for a few Illy files (Error1.jpg), then a final error message (to save my current file or not) before closing (Error2.jpg).  Many of my Illy files are in CS3 format, so I'm wondering if the program is balking at some of those files when attempting to show me the graphic previews in the import view.  Hope this info helps the SB guys to look into these issues for a fix.

[CyberSultan 6]

First thing, make sure that your software is updated: http://www.signblazer.net/signblazer/updates/uscutter/setup.exe

Let me know if that fixes it.

I just bought my cutter, which came with release 6.0.21 (Dec 2007 update), which matches the latest release posted on the SB website.  Tykite, have you seen these error messages before when importing?  Also, do you know anything about the cause of the duplicate icons issue?  Any help would be appreciated.   Thanks.

[CyberSultan 6]

Have you tried right-clicking on the tool bar and then clicked ok to reapply the settings?

Just tried that without any change.  It was a good suggestion, though.   Thanks.  Not sure if it is related to running on Vista or not.  Maybe someone running the latest version of SB on Vista would be able to chime in on whether they see the icon issue as well.  The duplication happens multiple times for a certain set of icons.

Hopefully the great people at SB will hop on here as well and see this thread so that they can look into the issue.  I PM'd Bruce over at SB, but I don't think he's been on for a couple days.