DETAILED TROUBLESHOOTING. . . WORKING FINALLY!!

[EliteDesign 0]

I got my LP 24 yesterday, took it outta the box and built the stand. I installed SignCut X2 (which I bought in hopes of changing to Mac eventually) and hooked my plotter up via USB. My laptop doesn't have a  serial input. The new hardware found popped up and installed the driver, but when I try and cut the head goes all the way to the right and hits the red reset button -- EVERY TIME!!

I tried to calibrate the cutter, In SignCut you have to move the blade with the keyboard arrow keys, but that function is not working on my computer.

I also checked to make sure that my USB connection was working and on the right COM port, and that the FTDI driver was installed. 

VISTA - Start/Control Panel/Device Manager/Ports (Com & LPT)/USB Serial port (Com5)/Driver

Driver Provider  FTDI

Driver Date      3/13/08

Driver Version   2.4.6.0

Then I made sure that my software and port had the same settings -

VISTA - Start/Control Panel/Device Manager/Ports (Com & LPT)/USB Serial port (Com5)/Port Settings

Baud Rate            9600

Data Bits                8

Parity                  None

Stop Bits                1

Flow Control       Hardware

SignCut-X2 - Cutter button/Cutter

Baud Rate            9600

Data Bits                8

Parity                  NON

Stop Bits                1

Handshake        Hardware

I'm guessing I'm suffering from need for a USB to SERIAL cable, but I want to be sure before I make a purchase I don't need to.

I also tried to cut from a SignBlazer Elements trial (it crashed every time I tried to cut)

No Solution Yet - can anyone help?

[EliteDesign 0]

Ok - I just got a USB to Serial cord, and nothing has changed.  The cutter head moves all the way to the right and hits the reset button just like before.

[EliteDesign 0]

I start from the far right as well - I owned an older uscutter and that was how it cut. 

[kenimes 42]

Yes, it should cut from right to left. Might need to be calibrated with SignCut. Go to Cutter, then Calibrate, and what do you have for the values in that screen? Have you tried cutting without a weed frame?

[EliteDesign 0]

the first time I tried to calibrate, just now, it gave me the option - Cut measure square.  When I selected that the cut head moved to the far right and hit the reset button. 

the second time it didn't move at all. 

last night when I tried it gave me values - but its not going back to them now.

[Guest fivestar]

I have no idea about this, but I thought I remember somewhere about someone said to change it from mm to inches in calabration or vice versa.  I am just thinking I remembered reading that somewhere.

[kenimes 42]

The values should be 11.811 for each in the calibrate screen, so just change then and click OK. I am worried it might need a new USB port on the cutter. I had another customer that found some corrosion on his USB port, cleaned it up as well as the soldering and it worked fine since. Maybe investigate the USB port.

[EliteDesign 0]

Those are the values I have, like i said Ive tried both the USB and the Serial and have had the same results.

[EliteDesign 0]

3:30 PM - I was informed that Ken would be giving me a call shortly - after sending off pictures of the motherboard

[kenimes 42]

Yep, I will phone you soon.

[EliteDesign 0]

Thanks for the call Ken- hope the new motherboard fixes the problem.

[kenimes 42]

I do too.

[EliteDesign 0]

Ken, when we spoke on THURSDAY I was told you would be shipping my part friday overnight, and getting it on saturday.  It's now sunday, when I spoke with Fedex yesterday, they said there was no shipment sent.  I paid for overnight shipping and YOU told me I would have my part.  Whats up?

[kenimes 42]

Ken, when we spoke on THURSDAY I was told you would be shipping my part friday overnight, and getting it on saturday.  It's now sunday, when I spoke with Fedex yesterday, they said there was no shipment sent.  I paid for overnight shipping and YOU told me I would have my part.  Whats up?

Order was entered Thursday. Order was approved on Friday, and I requested FedEx overnight with Sat. delivery. I looked up the order today and still do not see shipping info. Someone dropped the ball in shipping and I am checking on why. Will keep you posted.

[EliteDesign 0]

Got the mother board this morning Ken - and installed it, and I'm still not having any luck.

[Guest fivestar]

Elite try this software and see if you can get it to work correctly http://download.uscutter.com/SBEforUSCutterSetup.exe  It's signblazer elements.  Install it and try it, that way you can rule out software or not.

[EliteDesign 0]

I tried SBE, SignCut, Flexi and SignLab

[EliteDesign 0]

Ok, this is the part where I start eating crow I guess.  Fivestar, somehow when I put SBE on my other pc it worked this time, I dont know how or why, but its working.

I'm using SBE through COM1 with the serial connection on my PC running XP

I was about ready to shoot myself or the cutter.

As for USCutter support, hope you guys get your issues worked out.

[Guest fivestar]

Now if I was you, I'd try Flexi on that machine, then the others.  Glad to see you're working.

[EliteDesign 0]

thanks fivestar - i guess i just had to keep trying until i got the right combination.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Ok, this is the part where I start eating crow I guess.  Fivestar, somehow when I put SBE on my other pc it worked this time, I dont know how or why, but its working.

I'm using SBE through COM1 with the serial connection on my PC running XP

I was about ready to shoot myself or the cutter.

As for USCutter support, hope you guys get your issues worked out.

Youre not the first person to eat crow. Maybe the first to admit it though,which takes some guts.

Now that we know that the problem isn't the cutter itself, please report any further developments so others can benefit. Often,setting up the software and connection is the hardest thing to do. In fact,it seems to account for about 95% of the problems here.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

there are step-by-step instructions on these very forums somewhere. I don't know how easier it can be. Perhaps someone at US Cutter should just print them out and include in every shipment. Ot at the very least,include a page with the link to the forum.

My first cutter came with ZERO setup instructions. I was cutting in 15 minutes with no help,no forums...nothing. WE are lucky to have what we have. And we should THANK Marcus and Ken for what we have,instead of complaining about the shortcomings. There is a section of the forum for suggestions.

[EliteDesign 0]

My main issue was communication, not only with the software but with USCutter

I backtracked from the PC to my laptop, and was able to get the cutter working with SBE, through the usb to serial.

But no luck with SignCut x2. 

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Signcut used to have a rep on these forums,haven't heard much from them in awhile.

I don't know if this will help but I started out with Signcut. Then I installed SignBlazer. I could never get Signblazer to work without FIRST opening Signcut. No IDea why. The problem went away when I finally uninstalled Signcut. I suspect it was a driver/port conflict.

Remember that SignCut is a CUTTING application ONLY. Anything you were able to cut with it,you should be able to cut with SignBlazer.

[EliteDesign 0]

i wasn't able to cut anything with SignCut - although i do prefer it becuase of the GUI and the ad-on in Corel that lets you export right from Corel.  I'm working on a job now, and when I finish I'm gonna play with it some more.