WTF?? Help with OM-60

[joley]

Hi all,
I use Flexsign 8 and use a Newstar Omega OM-60, it's worked like a dream for years, so went to work last week and nothing!!! Cutter still measures etc but nothing. I looked in Device Manager (Win XP) and noticed question marks over comms ports. I have since reinstalled Windows, replaced Parallel cable (and tried serial-serial, Parallel to USB & serial to USB) now disabled ports in Win and purchased a seperate Comms port card.

If anyone could answer these questions I'd be really greatful!!!
1: So is there a simple way to test whats working, I don't have any other parallel devices
2: I always set the Omega as a Roland PNC 1000 in Flexsign, but do I need to set it up as a printer in Windows?
3: If yes should it also be set as a Roland?

I'm at my witts end and and don't know what to try next.....

Cheers and thanks in advance....
Joley

BTW I also use Corel X3 and downloaded an eval of Sign Tools 4, this didnt work either.

 

[round man]

if you have question marks in device manager that tells me the problem is within the windows operating system and not your plotter. you will need to configure your serial port for the proper baud(usually 9600) stop bits(usually 1) data bits(usually 8) parity(usually none) and handshake( usually hardware and or x-on x-off),...hook the plotter to the cable that worked last and see what happens,..you may have to disable the original ports in rom bios in order for windows to assign the lower numbers for them with the new card. go to device manager and see what port numbers are shown to be functional and then assign that port in the production setup for flexi

 

[joley]

Thanks Round Man,
I have checked in device manager and although I have a comms error the LPT ports are all good. The cutter is currently (always has) used a LPT port (LPT3), I have avoided LPT 1 as I have had no luck with it.(I have disabled it in the BIOS) I can send a job to the cutter from flexi Sign and I don't get any error messages, the little cog in production manager turns but still nothing. I think the best thing to do is find a desktop computer with LPT or serial ports, load f/s and see if I can get it working. Talk about pulling my hair out.....

joley
xx

 

[round man]

you may need to go into the setup (rom Bios) at the first boot screen and change the type of lpt port your machine loads as the older type port setting may be the type your plotter needs to handshake if ecp isn't working try epp there are three types of printer por designations that bios loads and you must specify the correct type for your plotter (usually ecp) but not being familiar with your particular plotter you can always experiment there are 3 designations and most bios roms allow you to choose at least two they are spp(standard parallel port{oldest} ecp(enhanced capability port) and epp(enhanced parallel port) if there are problems with your comm ports in device manager and they are on the same card as your lpt ports it could very well be that you need to replace the card, they are fairly inexpensive,....you say you have replaced the comms card is this an i/o card for serial ports or printer ports ?