legacy plotter embosstrack 48

[jdsfw]

I think I'd pass on Radio Shack and buy a cable from a Mutoh cutter dealer. Whatever Mutoh's pin out is, it's real unlikely they've changed it or that Gerber would have had it changed when OEM'ing the cutter. Doing so would be a costly mainboard modification that would also reduce Mutoh's volume purchasing savings on the sub assembly. I really doubt that a private labeled product would alter the communications, since there's zero upside and only higher cost and added pain associated with inventorying two mainboards, which could be mixed up when making their own and Gerber's version. (nightmare potential for no gain)

So I cannot say for certain, but am about 99.999% confident a Mutoh serial cable gets you what you need.

Best,

well i certainly wasn't planning on making a radioshack purchase, but more likely from a reputable online vendor of DTE and DTC parts. i do see your point, however according to tony, gerber uses a conventional serial setup. if the part from mutoh or it's respective distributor is reasonably priced, you're right that sounds like a safer bet, but in my experience, OE markup is substantial.

i will look into it, thanks for that note!

connor

 

[Jim Doggett]

... according to tony, gerber uses a conventional serial setup.

The thing to remember is that it's Gerber in name only. The communications and serial cable configuration is undoubtedly Mutoh, as are the Gerber cutters that we made when I was with Summa. Summa has a unique pin-out and makes cutters in Belgium a few kilometers from Mutoh's cutter division, so many of the engineers have moved between Mutoh and Summa.

Based on that, I'm guessing Mutoh probably has a custom pin out, too. I'm at least 50% certain of it. So a working cable at any price is a far better value than a non-working cable that adds more questions or possibly delays finding out if it a problem with the cutter, i.e. a bum mainboard with the com ports fried. That's a possibility.

These are merely guesses, but somewhat educated. I was Summa's VP for many years. So I have have some knowledge tangentially about how they're made, and licensed to Gerber.

FWIW

 

[jdsfw]

The thing to remember is that it's Gerber in name only. The communications and serial cable configuration is undoubtedly Mutoh, as are the Gerber cutters that we made when I was with Summa. Summa has a unique pin-out and makes cutters in Belgium a few kilometers from Mutoh's cutter division, so many of the engineers have moved between Mutoh and Summa.

Based on that, I'm guessing Mutoh probably has a custom pin out, too. I'm at least 50% certain of it. So a working cable at any price is a far better value than a non-working cable that adds more questions or possibly delays finding out if it a problem with the cutter, i.e. a bum mainboard with the com ports fried. That's a possibility.

These are merely guesses, but somewhat educated. I was Summa's VP for many years. So I have have some knowledge tangentially about how they're made, and licensed to Gerber.

FWIW

i'm well aware at this point that the plotter is simply a rebranded mutoh, but i could only imagine they would've taken the mutoh manual, changed the coverpage(s) to indicate gsp, however i also value your experience.

compelling arguments all the way around. the mutoh website lists 5 vendors in my area, with only one even caring enough to try and help. my media distributor has once before referred me to denco, a seattle based outfit, and i found them on the dist. list. they were the only shop who didn't immediately dismiss my inquiry. they said they'd get back to me today with pricing and availability.

if that doesn't work, the manual has supplied a diagram of 9pin to 25pin cable configuration, i suppose i could hack my own, or send those specs to a cable shop.

also, i was able to locate the seller's name and number in my text log! i'll be ringing him most definitely, i hope he'll be amenable.

thanks all

 

[jdsfw]

update:

denco says the mutoh guy said they don't manufacture or sell those legacy cables anymore, and that i should just get a usb-25pin.

i've thought about doing that, but is that likely solve the problem, or just make the problem different?

 

[Jim Doggett]

update:

denco says the mutoh guy said they don't manufacture or sell those legacy cables anymore, and that i should just get a usb-25pin.

i've thought about doing that, but is that likely solve the problem, or just make the problem different?

The problem with connecting USB is you need a USB device driver for your version of Windows. So once again I am only guessing, but if they no longer make the cable they may not be further developing drivers. Look for the driver first, and then spend on the cabling.

Or your previous suggestion: order a cable with the correct pin-out. That's what I'd do, first.

FWIW

 

[jdsfw]

yeah, i was thinking that the usb thing could just make this MORE complicated, but i've read on signlab forums of operating these devices with a generic HP driver. the host machine will never run anything newer than XP, and the setups i've seen involve either XP or win2k. i guess that just goes to show the antiquity of this hardware. my graphtec plotter was around $2500, and i got the gerber for a fifth of that, so even if i spent a bit of time and energy (and hair) on the setup, i feel it's still of value.

perhaps i'll just order the usb, and a custom cable. shoot.

thanks!

 

[jdsfw]

Bump

ok, so i had to take a break from that fiasco and make some money, but things have slowed down to where i can fuss with this some more:

new plotter pc, with onboard serial, pci serial controller, and usb serial controller, parallel to serial cable. also got flexisign installed.

still can't get a single cut!!! i've tried every possible combination of the hardware and software to no avail. i like the flexisign setup because it gives me more control of comm features like RTS, DTR, CTS, etc, but i still can't get anything through. some configurations with all handshaking disabled will send the job, and any other configuration stalls at 0%, i'm assuming trying to communicate with the plotter.

if we hadn't seen this work with our own eyes, i'd be skeptical, but i'm at a loss now. i know i've already muscled my way into everybody (who cares)'s heads, but maybe somebody has a new idea? the fellow who sold me the cutter said (supplied cable and gerber omega) it will work. can't afford omega nor do i believe that will solve it...

thanks again