Best option to support computer upgrade?

[oldmcfarm@gmail.com]

I purchased an older model vinyl cutter (Vinyl Express Ultra-Pro 24 great shape, used very little) that came with a copy of VE LXi Master Plus 6.6V2. I am primarily a laser engraver and am very familiar with Corel Draw as my primary design software and I'm just learning to use the vinyl cutter. I'm running an old Gateway computer with Windows XP SP1. I have just purchased a Dell laptop computer that will be running Vista or at a minimum Windows XP SP3. I have been told that the VE LXi 6.6V2 will not run on anything higher than Windows XP SP1. Since I plan to do my design work in Corel Draw and used the sign making software primarily just to drive the cutter I'm trying to decide what is my best option. I don't need the newest version of Flexi Pro or LXi but I'll need something newer that the 6.6V2 I have now. Is there any way I can upgrade inexpensively or should I go with a scaled down sign making software such as FlexiStarter 8.6V2. What is the real difference between FlexiStarter and Flexi Pro or LXi? Will all of this software be backward compatible with this old vinyl cutter.

Any thoughts or advice from the experts here would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Steve Rife]

I will answer your last question first... yes, the software versions are backwards compatible with the VE cutter. That being said, the only true Vista version of Flexi or any of its OEM renditions began at 8.5v1. The only problem you may experience is with the port driver for the VE machine. A lot of hardware manufacturers have released Vista drivers only for their newer cutters, and out of those that do, some only will work on the 32bit OSs.

There are huge differences between FlexiSTARTER and LXi/FSPro. For one the amount of design features included with the software is insurmountable. FlexiSTARTER was designed to be an "in the box" software solution thats cost is included in the plotter sale. It is very limited in its functionality. If you are planning on purchasing, please be cautious, the software may be limited to only work with the cutter manufacturer it was designed.