Rant COLEX is on my S**T LIST

[WYLDGFI]

So, as many of you know...I was very happy with my Colex cutting table and router. Now, they are on the sh*t list. Last year, camera problems....freezing issues....having to cancel and try to get the camera to see the marks and all. Freezing constantly and causing major delays and such. We requested and paid for on site service to replace the USB cable and do whatever fixes were necessary to achieve a smooth workflow once again. The table worked fine for a time. Now in January, every other job is freezing due to the camera. The frames...even with a slower fps rate on the cam....are freezing once again and driving us bonkers. Put a call in, and their response is this:

"Sorry for the inconvenience cause by the camera issues.

We tried to call you at 908 ### #### on Jan. 27th 2:53pm EST, but it says the voicemail box is full and cannot accept the messages.

We reccommend to order and install the Ethernet camera cable kit with Etherner to USB adapters. It should solve the issues with the camera.

Please follow the link https://tracker.phaseware.com/Colex/SolutionFAQ.aspx?id=100 and download the PDF instructions for installing the Ethernet cable camera kit (it's in the attachment section of the webpage).

Give us a call when you get this message and we'll provide more info.

Thank you, stay safe and have a good day."

Apparently, we need to Purchase their UPGRADE NOW in order to get it to work correctly? Not happy at all as this should be a retroactive fix for an issue they OWN.

Ill let you know how this goes.....

 

[Boudica]

Good luck!

 

[WYLDGFI]

Just got the clarification.....the Technical Support Manager just called. He apologized for the confusion on the technician's side but informed me the part is no charge since we have been having ongoing issues with this camera for some time. We still need to install it...uggh....ourselves, but at this point I'll take it. Knowing the issue we had and the tech I spoke with has been here multiple times, you would think that from the start of the service inquiry it would have been addressed early on and not gotten to this point.
Ill let you know how the install goes when we get the cable in....its an hour or 2 for the cable tracing on this machine. Just hoping it solves the problem.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Do you deal directly with Colex or do your get your service through a dealer?

 

[parrott]

Watching closely as we have been having the same issues. Been resolved since we replaced the camera chord a couple weeks. Been a big fan of colex over the years and think they will do you right but know your frustrations.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

I used to have similar problems with hairs falling out of my quills. Needed to buy a dozen of them to get 2 or 3 keepers. Grrr!

 

[WYLDGFI]

We deal with Colex directly and they are at least sending me the new shielded camera wire. It came down to the electrical current nearby on the power wires screwing with the USB cable signal for the camera. They never had a very good shielded wire for either use. According to them, this ethernet cable is much better. Had it replaced back in June/July with a service call and its lasted 7 months....that sucks. Now we just need to follow there video and install the cable asap.

Parrott...Im assuming you got the shielded cat 5 from them now with USB adapters they are sending me? Email me if you would...I would like to discuss how the install went for you.

Kcollin....I know your pain. When I used to paint years ago....

 

[MelloImagingTechnologies]

There are also many problems with Windows auto updating and screwing up connections to outside devices

 

[WYLDGFI]

Thanks Bruce...but the camera isnt the issue. We documented how many times the cam froze on an x & z axis movement. It was directly related to the electrical current running through those wires to the appropriate motors. We were able to trace the USB cord and figure out exactly where the close proximity was on the electric and move it some...but still not enough to alleviate the issue entirely.

 

[MelloImagingTechnologies]

I guess my friends at Colex need to set up a high speed WiFi camera system! Lol

 

[WYLDGFI]

That would be nice..no wires would be better for sure.

 

[CanuckSigns]

So I wonder why on earth this is a problem that can be solved temporarily. As far as I know, you'll have issues with that attenuation on the USB from the get go, no several months down the road.
Also it makes me wonder if they put a repeater inline somewhere on the machine. On a 5x10, you'd need at least 15' of cable, well over 16' if the computer is not built into the table. USB maximum length is 5 meters, so 16'5", and beyond that you'll drop packets and such.
Ethernet should have probably been implemented when they were prototyping this thing, but surely would have added $15 or more per run...

Ugh don't get me started on machine companies using USB connections, it's a horrible idea! it means you need to have your PC basically right beside the machine, which doesn;t always work, just use ethernet and call it a day.

 

[WYLDGFI]

Correct on the USB cable length. 16'5". We had to put a USB powered hub attached to the computer in order to help power the line....

 

[netsol]

Thanks Bruce...but the camera isnt the issue. We documented how many times the cam froze on an x & z axis movement. It was directly related to the electrical current running through those wires to the appropriate motors. We were able to trace the USB cord and figure out exactly where the close proximity was on the electric and move it some...but still not enough to alleviate the issue entirely.

Bill
we ALWAYS use shielded usb's and other cables

my largest client has dual 84" touchboards

the HDMI cables i had the electrician run from the data closet are over 5/8" in diameter & heavily shielded

can't say i am surprised except that colex was careless on this issue

 

[WYLDGFI]

Now 2 man hours into the change...set it up and seems to be running alright. This is what they sent me.
See if it lasts....

 

[netsol]

That would be nice..no wires would be better for sure.

bill, NO

if you think you have noise problems on a usb connection, the system will be nonfunctional if they make it wireless. ask anyone like me who hs to http://www.signindustry.com/vinyl/

That would be nice..no wires would be better for sure.

NO WAY BILL!

if you think you have problems now, switching to wifi will be the worst thing they ever did

even a sh*tty usb connection is vastly better than a wifi connection. anyone who have ever taken a spectrum analyzer and chased adjascent channel noise will agree with me. 5G wifi is better, but it still sucks for picking up interference & unlike usb, there is no "i changed to a shielded cable" easy answer for the problems it causes.

 

[WYLDGFI]

I can understand that.

 

[WYLDGFI]

Yeah, but the wifi protocol has plenty built in for packet loss, automatic channel switching, parity, what have you. It would definitely slow the process down though, as the machine will not have a live feed, so the table would have to make a move, pause, capture image, verify transmission, move, pause, repeat... I'd wager at least twice as long, if not 10x as long of a process. Plus you'd need a smarter camera than just a piddling usb webcam that could potentially do this.
I think the properly shielded ethernet is definitely the way to go, just a shame it wasn't implemented from day 1.

I know....we had this problem multiple times over the few years we have owned this now. Figure the Cat5/6 will be good to go for a while. I can even order one to have on hand if this goes awry in the future.

 

[ProPDF]

I know....we had this problem multiple times over the few years we have owned this now. Figure the Cat5/6 will be good to go for a while. I can even order one to have on hand if this goes awry in the future.

What software is the colex running?

 

[Print1]

Ugh don't get me started on machine companies using USB connections, it's a horrible idea! it means you need to have your PC basically right beside the machine, which doesn;t always work, just use ethernet and call it a day.

colex actually has changed over to a ethernet cable camera system which is far superior compared to the USB drop.