drodrig 0 Posted June 9, 2007 Hi, please help me, I have purchased a refine plotter MH-721 from you guys at US Cutter on ebay that came with the signcut software, I have tried using every cable, the lpt, and the usb and com 3 (signcut does not give me an option to select com 1 and I do have a com1, so we tried com 3) , we tried EVERYTHING from the manual, to the user guide and helps guides online and from the cds, every way shape and form that was mentioned to get the program to recognize my plotter and nothing is working. the plotter will run test runs on its own but does not communicate with my computer at all. Do you think something with the ports within the plotter may be not working properly? Please help me, I need to get this thing working. thank you, diana rodrigues drodrig@comcast.net Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted June 9, 2007 If you have the com port set to com 3 in signcut,you have to go into Windows and change the number of your com port to 3. I had to do that. If you have windows XP,go to your device manager,right click on the com port, select properties,and change the number. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted June 11, 2007 If you continue to have conncetion issues, you can email me directly at kenimes@uscutter.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GATOR 1 Posted June 11, 2007 I am haveing the same problems. I started out useing the USB cable, installed the Signcut software and drivers. then I switch to the com cables and now I using the LPT cable. I tell the program to cut, it loads the image , but nothing happens. What am I doing wrong? Thanks in advance Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobbyb0069 0 Posted June 12, 2007 I too am having the same problem have a refine mh721 have reinstalled the drivers gone into device manger changed everything to com 1 in both signcut and device manager rebooted and still will not cut. if i set the setting to 1341 and run calibrate it will cut a 12 inch square thats it HELP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TaterNuts 3 Posted June 12, 2007 Hmmmmmm........ Basic Set up... USB - plug plotter into computer, a wizard shows up... Set it to search specific location, (have your CD in the CD rom) select your CD rom from the wiziard. I think when i did this, there were three compatible drivers, I dont really member tho, that was 6 months ago, I think Select the first one, install, click okay and what not, finish the installation of the drivers.... Whats that??? You didnt have sign cut installed... Thats okay, really it is, since the USB drivers for the plotter just simply emulate (simulate???) a com port.... Basically the drivers for the USB are only for your computer to communicate with the plotter.... Ok, install sign cut (if you really want to)... see if it will cut, if your lucky, it should work, er... maybe work... dont know... anyways, if its working, stop reading... not working, continue reading.... Now, your drivers are instaled for the computer to communicate with the machine... but how??? which port??? Well, okay, i guess ill tell you... Assuming you are running windows xp, (is there anything else?) find your my computer icon, if you dont know how to do that, discontinure reading this, quickly unplugg your computer, open the closest window and shove that bad boy out of it as soon as you can... Just kidding, but anyways, if you click start, its there for sure. anyways, once you find it, right click on this icon, a little box will open, select properties... now, click the TAB at the top that says hardware..., now click device manager... now towards the bottom... well maybe not the bottom, maybe half way, well maybe depending on your system, i dont know, okay... just find where it says ports... there should be a plus next to it, 'click on it'... this should expand your group. now... the communications port... should say what port it is running on... Mine is on 4, i have no idea what yorus is running on... But ill tell you this, hopefully there is no red 'x's" or yellow exclamation points... if there are, then that means there is probably an IRQ conflict or the drivers may not be installed correctly... But hey, thats a whole nother story... Anyways... You now know the port that WINDOWS is communicating with the plotter on, now you got to tell sign cut to do the same thing... Open go ole sign cut... goto settings at the top, click on it, lol click on cutter... third one down says device? does this match what WINDOWS is using, if not, then i guess your signcut will never work. Click that to change it? whats that... My com port in sign cut doesnt have the port that windows is using... IE there is no match to what windows is using... Well, i guess well have to fix this now too... How? ok, i guess i can tell How do you change it in sign cut? I have no idea, It beats the hell outta me... But we CAN change it in windows... Heres where it might get tricky? Whats that? Its already been tricky??? Well you aint see nothin yet... Ok folks, just bear with me, well get you up and running. go back into device manager, ok, click start, then right click on my computer, goto properties, click the hardware tab, then click device manager, now, selct the com port that windows is using to communicate with your machine... if you have to expand it by clicking the plus next to it, dont be shy... now, right click on this one, select properties... click the port settings tab at the top, then click on the box that says advanced. towards the bottow, you can change it to a diffrent port... Match the port number for windows to match the one that signcut has avaliable.... click okay so on and so on, if you havent closed sign cut, do it... now open her back up, click settings, now cutter, third one down is the port.... now, match it to what you set it in windows.... click ok, or whatever, try cutting something... Did it work? Hopefully so.... your welcome... . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GATOR 1 Posted June 12, 2007 Tater, I'm now on the hooked up on the com port connection, I'm on com 1 on the device manger and in the cutter set up in sign cut. Still getting nothing. I even went to com 4 on the deivice manger and sign cutter(device manger said com 2 and com3 were in use) On the plotter the red light is on set up. I feel like I've got everything installed , so was thinking maybe it was something on the plotter itself. What should the plotter be showing? thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TaterNuts 3 Posted June 12, 2007 Gator, USB or SERIAL connection??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GATOR 1 Posted June 13, 2007 Gator, USB or SERIAL connection??? Serial port, I think its got 9 pins, my plotter sez its a com port Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waldo 0 Posted June 14, 2007 I'm also having the same problem. I get no communication between the computer and the plotter. I've tryed all the options that were suggested and not one thing has worked. I'm running XP pro and purchased a Refine 721 with signpro. I'm using the LPT port and have checked all the settings many times and the printer communication is set to ECP in the Bios. I will try to connect it through the com port but in the instructions it says it is faster and easier to use the LPT. (What a joke) If there is any advise on any options I have missed please help!!! Thanks Scott Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TaterNuts 3 Posted June 14, 2007 Well, from the screen shots, it states copam in the signcut setup... but the pictures are a refine... Try changing it to refine. then post what happens... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GATOR 1 Posted June 14, 2007 TATER, your an F'n Genuis and my new "BEST FRIEND" That was it!!!!!!! I gotta go cut some vinyl Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted June 14, 2007 Good job Tater, thanks for the help. Remember, anyone can email me directly for support and a walk through of setup by phone if need be. 425-284-2282 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GATOR 1 Posted June 15, 2007 Ken , thanks for your help too. Is there a thread on that discuss how to export stuff from the ink drawing program to the sign cut program? Also can regular files like Jpegs be converted into files that will work with sign cut? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TaterNuts 3 Posted June 15, 2007 Pretty much any Raster image (jpg,bmp,gif) can be converted to a cuttable image... Your quality of the vector image (eps,ai,svg) will all be dependent on these things. Which program you are using.... InkScape can convert these files to cuttable images, however, it can be tricky... The best and easiest vector program that I have encountered is FlexiSignPro... Also, You have to use high resolution images, for best output... The bigger the file, the better. But too big and computer can possibly stop responding when you try to open that file. Basically, Logos, and images with less colors work the best... Photos, Gradients and images with shadows and blending do not work so well as the programs have a hard time determining where to place the line on these images. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GATOR 1 Posted June 15, 2007 the best think I got working is the inkscape. I got Flexi sign also, but I'm missing a hardware key that keeps me from useing it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenimes 42 Posted June 15, 2007 http://uscutter.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=2&topic=468.0 Step by step walk through on file transfer from InkScape to SignCut. InkScape has a vectorizing feature that will allow you to trace raster images before you save them in .eps format. Select your image, go to Path, then Trace Bitmap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
