Wrapture
New Member
Problem: You have several machines that need to be able to access your USB cutter, or your cutter is too far from your design computer to access via USB.
Solution: Keyspan (Tripp-Lite) US-4A
When I called Graphtec to get the ethernet option for my FC-8000, I was told that the option was $180 (no big deal) and required them to come install it. (big deal)
They also told me that they have R&D'd several USB servers, and they worked well, so I figured I would give it a try.
I forget where I got the recommendation for the US-4A, but it was a sign shop doing the same thing; extending the connection to their cutter.
The way it works is there is a software client that runs on your pc. (Win or Mac, I use both) and it uses port emulation. (USB) I have used many port emulators in my day, and surprisingly enough, this actually works and works well.
On my Wasatch machine, the FC-8000 was originally installed using direct USB. Later, I replaced the direct USB connection with the US-4A, installed the client, went into the cutter properties, re-chose the new port for the Graphtec, and that's it. IT WORKS EVERY TIME.
You do have to reconnect to it if you power down the graphtec (Client loses connection) or if another machine connects to it, since you can connect to your cutter from different clients, but only one at a time. i.e. if your RIP needs to connect to your cutter for print/cut jobs, but you also need your flexi or signlab machine to send to the cutter. You CAN do that with this device with a simple click on Connect in the client software.
What this means for my shop is that the cutter can be ANYWHERE that I can get a network wire to it, which indeed is anywhere in the shop. It does not have to be within USB distance from any computer.
2 things worth noting:
This is a USB server, not a Print Server. Print servers actually share a printer, and store a driver database, etc. Don't confuse the two. This is a USB server. It simply extends the USB connection via Ethernet. All drivers are client side, which is what we want anyway with the specific type machines we use.
The US-4A is a 4 port device. You can add up to 4 USB devices and connect to them via Ethernet. There is also a US-2A which is 2 ports, but the price was not that different, so I opted for the 4 port.
I bought mine from Amazon for $102.
Hope this helps someone
-Ben
Solution: Keyspan (Tripp-Lite) US-4A
When I called Graphtec to get the ethernet option for my FC-8000, I was told that the option was $180 (no big deal) and required them to come install it. (big deal)
They also told me that they have R&D'd several USB servers, and they worked well, so I figured I would give it a try.
I forget where I got the recommendation for the US-4A, but it was a sign shop doing the same thing; extending the connection to their cutter.
The way it works is there is a software client that runs on your pc. (Win or Mac, I use both) and it uses port emulation. (USB) I have used many port emulators in my day, and surprisingly enough, this actually works and works well.
On my Wasatch machine, the FC-8000 was originally installed using direct USB. Later, I replaced the direct USB connection with the US-4A, installed the client, went into the cutter properties, re-chose the new port for the Graphtec, and that's it. IT WORKS EVERY TIME.
You do have to reconnect to it if you power down the graphtec (Client loses connection) or if another machine connects to it, since you can connect to your cutter from different clients, but only one at a time. i.e. if your RIP needs to connect to your cutter for print/cut jobs, but you also need your flexi or signlab machine to send to the cutter. You CAN do that with this device with a simple click on Connect in the client software.
What this means for my shop is that the cutter can be ANYWHERE that I can get a network wire to it, which indeed is anywhere in the shop. It does not have to be within USB distance from any computer.
2 things worth noting:
This is a USB server, not a Print Server. Print servers actually share a printer, and store a driver database, etc. Don't confuse the two. This is a USB server. It simply extends the USB connection via Ethernet. All drivers are client side, which is what we want anyway with the specific type machines we use.
The US-4A is a 4 port device. You can add up to 4 USB devices and connect to them via Ethernet. There is also a US-2A which is 2 ports, but the price was not that different, so I opted for the 4 port.
I bought mine from Amazon for $102.
Hope this helps someone
-Ben
