Epilog Driver & Firmware Update

[Frank Corker]

Hi Dave, sorry about your problems there, I have been searching everywhere for the email I was sent from the driver update centre to see if I can find the EXT one but can't find it (I will keep looking). I think all the drivers listed on the email were update ones so the 1_0_1_8.exe might be shown on that. I'm suprised that all the other users with the EXT haven't been able to give you a copy of theirs.

I did have a few occasions where I had ethernet and USB conflicts. All I can think is maybe the remnants of the 'wrong' install you had are still lodged in your system. (If you look in your windows directory you should find a folder marked Epilog drivers where it sends them to when you unwrap them for the first time).

I would (if it were me) completely remove the Epilog drivers and reinstall from your original install discs, that should at least put the settings back to the originals. Then I would try to reinstall 1_0_1_4.exe to see if it rectifies your problem.

I might be clutching at straws here for you but it's all I can suggest at the moment. In the mean time hopefully someone who owns an EXT will stepup with the correct files for you.

[David Harvey]

Dave, sounds like you're not having a good day....I did my update yesterday and it went ok. Seeing the fix you are in I'm including all of my CAL settings from my EXT below. Maybe it will help get you at least close to what you need. I'm sure that some, or most, of these settings are going to be different for each system. Hope this helps....

CAL
X Home: -0426
Y Home: +0000
X R Home: +0260
Y R Home: -0710
Laser Match: -01
Stamp Match: +00
Encode Match: x +08, y +44
Laser T.M & T.I: 0
Focus Adj: +0039

[Dave Fifield]

Thanks Frank and David! Frank, I don't think the CAL menu values are stored in the drivers/on the original CD that came with the laser....I will double check though, just in case.

I think what happened is that Epilog somehow had the wrong file up on the EXT update webpage for a short time (when I downloaded it!) and it stomped over the CAL values etc. in my machine.

I'm sure the values I need are specific to my particular machine. I'm guessing that Epilog kept a record (at production test time) of the settings they programmed in my EXT and will be able to give me the values on Monday morning when they open for business. Let's hope so! I'd hate to have to wait longer - e.g. to have someone come out and re-calibrate my machine!

BTW, David, you probably want to set the Laser T.I. and T.M. values to 1, per Peck's advice earlier in this thread.

There's a lesson to be learned here: WRITE DOWN THE VALUES IN YOUR CAL MENU - you may need them later!!

[Carol VanArnam]

WOW sorry for all of the stress. I always wait on these updates to down load them. I figure the folks that download them as soon as they happen are really just TESTERS. YOU are the folks who find all the things Epilog missed and have to fix. I'll wait a few more days before I give it a shot....

I know when I updated one upgade it set my settings to -0- so I could not use my rotary device. WOW was I ticked. I learned from that to never do upgrades on the weekend only when I know Epilog Tech support is available. My stress level went down when I did that. ....

Well I hope you finally get it fixed......

[Frank Corker]

Carol I have a Helix same as you, ours are fine, no problems only improvements as far as I'm concerned.

Dave I can't find the original email so unfortunately all I can do is offer my best wishes that they have what you need in the morning

[Larry Bratton]

I have not used the CtoC feature yet, I read up on what it does and it is a very good addition. It will be very useful. I haven't had this machine but a short time (6 weeks) and I have been turning things over in my feeble brain trying to figure out to do the things that the feature allows one to do. I'm going to test it out tomorrow on a couple of projects I have to do.

Has anyone else used it yet? Does it work as expected?

[Dave Jones]

BTW, David, you probably want to set the Laser T.I. and T.M. values to 1, per Peck's advice earlier in this thread.

That only needs to be enabled if your laser is new enough to have that "non-firing after sitting for a few days" problem. That should only affect lasers from the last year plus a bit. Older ones don't have that issue so don't need that fix. (mine is from 2005 and fires instantly even if sitting for a week)

[Dave Fifield]

I spoke to Epilog Tech Support this morning. They dug out my laser's CAL settings and read them to me over the phone. I programmed them into the laser and bob's-your-uncle it works just fine again....PHEW!!

I have written the values in my manual just in case!

The tech support fellow (who's name I didn't get) said they had indeed had the wrong file up on the website for a short while just after the update email went out. I must have been too quick to download it. Next time I'll wait a while.....

[Peck Sidara]

Dave,

Sorry to hear of all your difficulties this weekend. I'm glad you got it worked out.

Our webmaster is currently out of the office attending the Maker's Faire in San Francisco, he's been out since last Thursday. The firmware and driver has been the same since it was last uploaded last Wednesday prior to him leaving. I'm not sure how the firmware would've changed.

Additionally, the firmware 1.0.1.8 would be a newer version that's not even out yet so I'm not sure how that would be available?? Weird indeed.

I'm sure this mishap caused your blood pressure to rise this weekend so my apologies for that, I just can't figure out why the upgrade didn't work for you.

Peck

[Pete Simmons]

Prior to the upgrade 60% of the time the computer would fail to see the laser (USB Device ). I had even tried a new USB board sometime back with no improvement.

Since the new upgrade 100% USB connect upon laser turn on.

Thanks Epilog!!


Mini-18 35 watt

[Dave Fifield]

Peck,

If you like, I could send you a copy of the rogue 1.0.1.8 firmware that I downloaded so you could do some investigating as to how it got on the website. Let me know. I simply clicked on the link provided in the update email, chose the firmware and driver updates for the EXT and downloaded them. I did this almost immediately the email arrived.

Anyway, I'm up and running again, which is all that really matters. Thanks again to you and your tech team!

Cheers,

[David Harvey]

Hey David, glad to see that Epilog got you up and going! ...doesn't surprise me at all as they are always on top of it! Great bunch.

Just for the heck of it, can you post the settings they gave you? I would be curious just to see the differences...

[Peck Sidara]

Dave,

I would definitely like to have our people take a look at that firmware. Please email it to me at pecks at epiloglaser dot com.

Thx.

[Dave Fifield]

Peck - I'd be happy to oblige. I'll send both the zipped version and the hex file.

David - here are my settings:

X Home = -430
Y Home = +124
X R Home = +178
Y R Home = -519
Laser Match = +7
Stamp Match = +15
Encoder Match X = +11
Encoder Match Y = +48
Laser T.M. = +1
Laser T.I. = +1
Focus Adj. = +71

As you see, there is quite a bit of difference between your settings and mine....I'm glad they keep good records at Epilog!

Cheers,

[Roy Brewer]

...Center/Center origin... Does it work as expected?

Larry,
To most, it will probably work as expected. However to those coming from traditional mechanical engraving software, it might be confusing. Since it is not yet well documented, let me explain how it works.
The operator positions the diode pointer at the visual center of object to be engraved and presses the Set Home button.

When lasered, the graphic objects in your drawing program will be centered on the origin just set.

Caution: By contrast, all engraving software, with which I am familiar, centers its Page size on the engraved object.

Let me say it a different way to nail down the difference. Regardless of the page size and position of the graphic objects on the page, the driver finds/measures the extents of the graphics and puts the center of the graphics at the user set origin.

While the Center/Center will probably be the most used, the driver also provides Center/Top and Left/Center settings which will be useful in several scenarios.

HTH,