vinyl express GRC61 issues

[visual800]

Howdy! I have a vinyl express plotter from 1999. Damn thing is nothing but a workhorse since day 1. no issues, no problems. Used it one day bout 2 weeks ago shut it down got up next day and sent a job to it....as always. No connection.

I could however powe rit up and change force and do all kinds of stuff to plotter from IT"S control panel. So it was working.

I changed ports, reloaded flexi. I could see in production manager (flexi) that job was sent and it just sat there. I bought another plotter from signwarehouse.com, What the hell I need a new version of flexi anyway. I figured after 11 years its time had come and i had to cut stuff.

I also ordered a new serial to usb cable for the old one. Why not? well the cable came today and i loaded its drivers picked the port and hooked old pllotter back up again just to test. I got an error "cannot open port"

the new plotter is running fine and I like it, just cant seem to let the old one go unles i know for sure its dead. Could this be a control panel where the power and serial ports is? Does nayone know where and IF this part can be gotten. That plotter is old but it rocks! it would be nice to retire it knowing i got a backup.

Its a GRC-61 made by GBC sold by signwarehouse...THANKS!

 

[strypguy]

I have a GRC61. I also purchased it in 1999. Never missed a beat all these years and is still my main vinyl cutter.

I had the same problem as you but could never figure it out so I just used the LTP1 port connection my computer and it's been fine ever since.
If you have a cable for that connection at least it would rule out a problem with your cutter.

Sorry I can't be more help.

John

 

[thewvsignguy]

Will the cutter do a self test?

Double check your serial cable, if the cable is bad it will not communicate with the cutter. And make sure is null serial cable, we had to buy a new cable back in December and bought 3 of the wrong ones. I ended up going to a local computer shop and they gave me a handful to try. You cant tell a null cable from a regular cable by looking at it so I tried and after a few WHAM everything worked again!

 

[Service Sign Co]

My USB Serial is on com 4

 

[visual800]

hey strypguy I dont have a pararallel on computer.

Actually got in touch with GCC corp and a new main board is $579...hotdamn! I think its time to part this thing out, damn i hate to

 

[strypguy]

You can buy a pci parallel port card for your computer for about $25 bucks!!

Just saying....don't give up on er......lol.

John

 

[SignsonTime]

I have had similar issues with my VE cutter. Changing the port location has resolved it in the past. I would use a different usb and change it in the driver and it would start working again. Hope that helps

 

[Tony McD]

I never had this problem till the new windows 7 computer last year.
Running LXI 6.6 v1 in virtual pc mode, and I sometimes get this error.
Sometimes just unplugging the usb/serial cable and plugging it back in fixes it.
Or...starting up xp and using the program usually works.
I figured it was just a glitch in my system.
Mine is on com3

 

[round man]

when you use a usb adapter windows will assign a random port to the usb/serial adapter,...you need to go to control panel/device manager and look under the ports heading and find out which port windows has assigned to the usb adapter,..if it is a too high a port number(com5,6,7 etc.) for your software then you can click the advanced button in the properties window for the port and manually assign a lower numbered port if it is available and it will usually stick,....then you need to set your software to use that port in order for the plotter to work,...often as not you will need to use the usb adapter with your regular plotter cable as the adapters are usually not rs-232 (null modem)compliant. when you get a can not open port error that tells me your software is trying to open a communications port that is not available and or windows has assigned a different number to the adapter.