Is 3.8 ready for unninterrupted production?

[dlcw]

Is the new release ready for full production or should a person who CAN'T have down time wait for a couple of maintenance/bug fixes prior to taking the plunge? I already have the latest controller card, so that is not an issue.

I can't afford to spend a day or two (or more) trying to find and fix problems that I do not have in my current setup.

Thanks.

[Simops]

Reading all the other posts about this release does not inspire a lot of confidence in me.....yet!

I'm going to wait and see how this develops. My current 3.6.x is working faultlessly so staying with it for time being.......

I got jobs pending and don't have time mucking around with something that is clearly not as stable as it should be. I will only update once I know it works out of the box......I got enough grey hair as it is!

Cheers

[bleeth]

Hey Don:
If it ain't broke don't fix it!!

[adrianm]

I went to 3.8 nearly as soon as it came to beta and I've loved it. It's so much smoother and faster than 3.6.

I haven't had a single issue with it since the full release. There were some problems in the testing phase as you'd expect but even then nothing that was more than a minor inconvenience really.

As has been said there's no need to change if you're happy with what you're using but it's one of those upgrades where you won't want to go back once you've done it.

[Ernie Balch]

I was going to hold off on upgrading ... until I watched the control software training video (1.5 hrs). I saw some new features that will make it much more convenient to use. I will be upgrading today.

[gerryv]

I was going to hold off on upgrading ... until I watched the control software training video (1.5 hrs). I saw some new features that will make it much more convenient to use. I will be upgrading today.

Where do we find this (1.5 hrs) control software training video?

[bleeth]

Go to SB's main site/support tab/click tutorials web training and look down the list for the Shop bot control software video download. There are quite a few other tutorials there as well. TJ has been working hard to improve this part of SB's program and it shows.

Just downloaded it on my design computer to look it over. I noticed immediately that for my machine (4896) if you change the preview screen to make the material a wood it comes out cross-grain! Frankly, I never looked before in earlier version if it had this option but either way it looks very strange.

[rb99]

What are these enticing new features?

[gerryv]

Thanks Dave!

Just went there (http://www.shopbottools.com/Training/Videos/ShopBotControlSoftware.wmv)

All I'm getting is something that looks like a meeting in progress with several active windows and a pointer moving around but no audio. The resolution is also so low I can't read a lot of it. Maybe I'm missing some sort of signing or something else as this doesn't seem like a downloadable file the first try so now trying again - maybe a blip in my internet connection.

Okay got it this time: My viewer was not up to date. This will be very helpful.

[Ernie Balch]

I like the programmable buttons allowing me to define locations and go there with a click. Even better is the adjustable step size so I can jog 0.1 or 0.01 inch with every click, very handy for aligning to the corner of a substrate.

I will probably stick with the old style full interface most of the time.

[jTr]

Ernie,
You have that ability in 3.6 as well - on keypad, you can hit the orange button labeled "fixed", set the increment, and tap your way to perfection in X,Y or Z.

jeff

[Ernie Balch]

I can't believe it, a feature I always wanted was right there all the time!
I should have read the manual when I got the system 6 years ago. I wonder what else I missed?

[GlenP]

I loaded it last night to give it a try and had to go back to my 3.6.38. I love the new interface and controls. My PRS standard made growl and grinding noises as if it was loosing and then connecting comms. I was hoping it would work as I prefer to keep up to date. Not sure why or what went wrong. :confused:
It is nice if it works for your machine. I am always confused why it works on one PRS standard and not the others. I realize there is on site and computer variables for each machine. If someone has a PRS standard circa 2007 with version 2.04 controller card and has is able to run it I would love to chat. I really want to be able to update....but it has to work as i have too much work load for issues right now.
I am playing the better safe than sorry game.

[supertigre]

It's not ready here!!! Not on control card 201a.

It has already gouged two projects so I reverted back to 3.6.XX.

It looks like it may be calculating where it is (in steps) and compares that to the position it should be (absolute) and then throws in random "jumps" to get to where it thinks it should be. Some of these "jumps" are about 1/8" long!

[mark_stief]

Sooo I just received my V209 card getting ready to install it any tips or tricks I should know about or has anybody out there done it already or is it pretty easy and the new firmware takes care of what it needs to know :eek:

[Ernie Balch]

I think you will like the V209 controller.

I have an early PRS Alpha and it always had COMM issues on long jobs and proximity switch errors. I turned off the proximity switches and lived with the occasional comm errors always blaming the PC's. I kept buying different PCs trying to get a reliable system. I did every thing possible to ground the system and avoid electrical interference, finally the system quit communicating at all.

I upgraded from the V201 controller card to the v209 and got rid of the usb to serial converter cable. What a difference! No Comm errors and now the proximity switches work reliably. It is nice to finally have a solid machine.

[jerry_stanek]

I reloaded 3.8.2 rc02 and it seems to work fine

[gerryv]

Out of interest, how much is the V209 card. I have a V204 on my alpha.

[Ernie Balch]

I seem to remember paying about $310 for the v209 controller and USB cable.
They did not guarantee it would solve my problems but it worked out perfectly.

[mark_stief]

just installed new 209 card and tried to update firmware and it says can't find controller card. green light is on on the controller card. any idea?
One more question also how do you tell if you have the 4G board I have 2006 PRTALPHA Thanks