Never said I needed to use it. Perhaps I know someone that does. It's kinda funny. My information was received from Graphtec, that there was no firmware to update the "Q" series with.
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Fc 8000
- Thread starter justaskjoe
- Start date
Never said I needed to use it. Perhaps I know someone that does. It's kinda funny. My information was received from Graphtec, that there was no firmware to update the "Q" series with.
Case
Jim Doggett
New Member
Indeed, Graphtec would not be the source for SignWarehouse Vinyl Express Q Series firmware updates. For someone who doesn't have and never would own a Q Series vinyl cutter, you seem to have a keen interest in them. May I ask why? Are you a user, or a dealer?
Well, I told you already I know someone that has one. He contacted Graphtec, there are no firmware updates on the "Q" series. The brain you get is the brain you get according to them. I have interest for a friend, not for myself, because like you stated, " I WOULD NEVER buy a "Q" series... That is a definite FACT.
Case
Case
Jim Doggett
New Member
B Snyder
New Member
Justaskjoe - My recommendation for someone in your situation is to buy from a local supplier. I would highly recommend Graphtec and Summa cutters. I think Jim Doggett would have recommended the Summa too up until last year. 
I bought my first cutter (a Roland) 11 years ago from Sign Warehouse. Since then I have bought 3 more cutters, two printers and a laminator from other vendors.
I bought my first cutter (a Roland) 11 years ago from Sign Warehouse. Since then I have bought 3 more cutters, two printers and a laminator from other vendors.
justaskjoe
New Member
Thanks for all the comments, I have done much research on many cutters this past week and I think I will go the the graphtec. I am considering going with a package deal from signwarehouse, but the package deals dont specify many details about what is included. Anybody know if these package deal are any good. For example what is included in a premium vinyl starter kit vs just a vinyl starter kit? Signwarehouse sells a seperate vinyl starter kit for $250 is this the same kit? This kit included 6 rolls of 24" x 10 yds of vinyl- a sales person at signwarehouse told me the (premium kit had 4 rolls of 15" x 10 yrs of vinyl and told me colors could be anything they had available) are they trying to pull a fast one on me?
Techman
New Member
Yes, it is true,, However this is true for nearly every machine that uses firmware.
The real issue is,, Is there or has there ever been a firmware upgrade issued for this cutter. And, if so what is the path used to upgrade such? And, if so where can one download this upgraded firmware..
Jim Doggett
New Member
Justaskjoe - My recommendation for someone in your situation is to buy from a local supplier. I would highly recommend Graphtec and Summa cutters. I think Jim Doggett would have recommended the Summa too up until last year.
True enough. They're both best-of-breed products. But the Euro-Dollar exchange has artificially raised Summa prices to a point that - in today's market - Graphtec is pretty-much the no-brainer of the two. You can now buy Graphtec's Pro-class product for about the same as Summa's Cut-class cutter. And there's really no comparison. A Graphtec FC7000 / 8000 is head-and-shoulders above a SummaCut-R.
Best,
Jim
Jim Doggett
New Member
All cutters have firmware or they wouldn't initialize. (boot-up) The same is true of most coffee-makers. Flashable ROMs (Read Only Memory chips that can be rewritten) are what allows them to be changed instead of replaced with a new ROM chip.
Not that this mind-numbing stuff is all that important, but I thought I should clarify.
Best,
Jim
Jim Doggett
New Member
Hi Joe,
Jerry Barrax, our product manager, should answer this, since to be honest, I too am confused. The main advantage of Package 4 v Package 1 is the software. LXi Master Plus has all the goodies, and is effectively the equivalent of FlexiSIGN-PRO minus a color RIP (printing to wide format printers). There's a lot more clipart too. And the starter supplies are more extensive.
But when it comes to the many minutia, Jerry is our walking encyclopedia. I'll run down to his office and ask he follow-up. More soon.
Best,
Jim
JBarraxSW
New Member
Hi Joe.
The $250 starter kit is a different kit with a little more vinyl. We also have one called the Designer's Deluxe Starter kit which offers a LOT more stuff for a little more money. Ask your sales rep or pm me and I'll send you the details.
The Package four includes
* The Designers Productivity Suite (which includes Estimate, a cost and business management program no startup sign shop should be without) a 10 yd roll of our EnduraMax banner, SignPower Clip art and a 30 day trial membership of MR ClipArt's Get it all service.
* Starter kit comprised of four rolls of Oracal vinyl two rolls of R-Tape (ClearChoice and 4075), a 3 3M Gold squeegees
*Typhoon Graphics Vol. 2, Silhouette society, Wildlife, 2Tuff, Sign Shapes, and Motormania clip art CD's
*And of course LXi Master Plus, an excellent sign software platform.
OH, and the Basic vinyl application DVD.
I Think that's everything.
By the way, one more word about the differences between Q series cutters and Graphtec. You will not get specifiic information about the Q Series vinyl cutters from Graphtec. Since the Q is a Vinyl Express brand, not a Graphtec brand. So asking Graphtec questions about a different brand is not a valid way to make conclusions about that brand. The source for that information is, as Jim pointed, the SignWarehouse tech support staff.
Okay, two more words. The Q series does in fact cut sandblast stencil very well. As well as a Pro Series Graptec in fact. Both have sufficent force, excellent media handling systems, and tangential emulation, which produces precise cuts in stencil up to 35mil thick. We have samplles cut by a Q100 in Hartco 535 stencil, avaialble upon request.
The $250 starter kit is a different kit with a little more vinyl. We also have one called the Designer's Deluxe Starter kit which offers a LOT more stuff for a little more money. Ask your sales rep or pm me and I'll send you the details.
The Package four includes
* The Designers Productivity Suite (which includes Estimate, a cost and business management program no startup sign shop should be without) a 10 yd roll of our EnduraMax banner, SignPower Clip art and a 30 day trial membership of MR ClipArt's Get it all service.
* Starter kit comprised of four rolls of Oracal vinyl two rolls of R-Tape (ClearChoice and 4075), a 3 3M Gold squeegees
*Typhoon Graphics Vol. 2, Silhouette society, Wildlife, 2Tuff, Sign Shapes, and Motormania clip art CD's
*And of course LXi Master Plus, an excellent sign software platform.
OH, and the Basic vinyl application DVD.
I Think that's everything.
By the way, one more word about the differences between Q series cutters and Graphtec. You will not get specifiic information about the Q Series vinyl cutters from Graphtec. Since the Q is a Vinyl Express brand, not a Graphtec brand. So asking Graphtec questions about a different brand is not a valid way to make conclusions about that brand. The source for that information is, as Jim pointed, the SignWarehouse tech support staff.
Okay, two more words. The Q series does in fact cut sandblast stencil very well. As well as a Pro Series Graptec in fact. Both have sufficent force, excellent media handling systems, and tangential emulation, which produces precise cuts in stencil up to 35mil thick. We have samplles cut by a Q100 in Hartco 535 stencil, avaialble upon request.
Frosted Images
New Member
I wouldn't recommend SignWarehouse!
SignWarehouse is not a company that I would like to deal with. Their tech support doesn't support. They will do anything to get out of their warranty. And you better save your box until the warranty is up or you will be paying $45 for a empty box and $20 to ship! I bought a Vinyl Express R39/Redsail RS1120C from them just to get back up and runnning. I purchased it on 11/13/08 and it broke 1/09/09! I'm not very please with them. If you email them, they act as if it wasn't received. So you better know what type of support you get with your equipment or you will be paying $29 per call! Beacon Graphics better ask for Dan Ramm...tell him Frosted Images told you so.
SignWarehouse is not a company that I would like to deal with. Their tech support doesn't support. They will do anything to get out of their warranty. And you better save your box until the warranty is up or you will be paying $45 for a empty box and $20 to ship! I bought a Vinyl Express R39/Redsail RS1120C from them just to get back up and runnning. I purchased it on 11/13/08 and it broke 1/09/09! I'm not very please with them. If you email them, they act as if it wasn't received. So you better know what type of support you get with your equipment or you will be paying $29 per call! Beacon Graphics better ask for Dan Ramm...tell him Frosted Images told you so.
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QuickSignsSA
New Member
Dan Ramm is awesome!!!
JBarraxSW
New Member
Our tech support supports very well in fact. So well that over 90% of our customers report that they are satisfied or very satisfied.
Speaking of facts, here are two pertinent pieces of data;
* Graphtec also charges for boxes. If you need to send a cutter to the manufacturer for a warranty repair, you have to ship it in a suitable box. Otherwise it is likely to be damaged in shipping. To prevent this, you need to keep the box it came in or you will be asked to purchase suitable packaging.
* This thread is about the Graphtec FC8000, a premium, highly engineered product that costs at least $2,000. You bought a $400 vinyl cutter on Ebay. I am sorry that it failed, but, you get what you pay for. Speaking of which, the auction information plainly stated that the product only comes with Email support.
* You claim that no one answered your Email. If that were the case, you wouldn't have the information about how to repackage your cutter and return it for repair.
Perhaps they didn't answer it as quickly as you would have liked, but it sounds like you simply didn't get the answer you wanted. But again, let's keep it in perspective.
You didn't buy an FC8000, so your post is off topic and your criticism of SignWarehouse support is skewed by the fact that you bought the cheapest product you could get with the least amount of support offered.