Roland Plotter Setup Woes w/ Gerber

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

I remember all too well many years ago tryna get a Roland PNC950 plotter to work with my Gerber Omega software. The venerated elder of Signs101, Old Paint, patiently walked me through the steps and got me up and running. In the process he made a believer out of me in friction fed plotters which I had previously eschewed in favor of ridiculously expensive Gerber sprocket fed machines. Well the 20+ year old PNC950 finally breathed its last after providing me many years of trouble free, effortless pattern making for my hand lettered interior decor signs I sell at craft fairs. It's a fabulous way of continuing my sign painting career of nearly 40 years without having to take orders from customers.

I tracked down a Roland Camm1 PNC1000 on eBay from someone asking $400 for it. They accepted my $280 offer! A few days ago it arrived and I swear it looks totally brand new, which of course it can't be. Unlike the PNC950, this one has a liquid crystal menu panel that's driving me crazy. It also came with a 1 inch thick manual full of what I believe are ancient DOS command lines. While it is supposedly a better model machine than the 950 it is proving to be infinitely harder to figure out. I need to get it online for patterns for a couple mahogany speedboats the grandson of Hallmark cards founder restored for his big collection of vintage boats.

The 950 was connected to the parallel port of an old PC with a null modem. I realize that sentence right there leaves out the vast majority of readers of this post. It is what it is. I'm hoping to strike gold a second time on Signs101 with someone who is possibly running an old Roland plotter with Gerber Omega who can help me get this going. I don't know if the null modem is necessary for this PNC1000, I've tried it both ways with no luck. I have the plotter setup as a printer in my Control Panel with the correct driver, just as I did the 950 but no communication so far! I also set it up as the plotter through Gerber Die Works but still can't output a pen plot through the Gerber system. As I recall, when Old Paint helped me before there was a pointedly simple step I had missed he ridiculed me mercilessly for. Wish he was still around! Any takers?

 

[netsol]

Arlo, a null modem cable is for serial connections, not parallel
Go to rolanddga.com go to support cutters go down to bottom of page for user manuals for discontinued devices

We need to make the settings in the lcd panel match the settings in your software

It'll be a PITA but, on the bright side, it will probably last 10 years as well

I can work with you on this.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

not sure if i can help you, but i run omega software with a 15" sprocket fed, a 24" friction fed and a Gerber Edge. i currently have all three machines spooling from different computers because it's the only way i've been able to figure out how to get them to all work. it's crazy, but i total understand the frustration of trying to figure out old hardware on new machines.

now, the 15" sprocket is a serial port, the Edge is a parallel port and the 24" has the option for serial or USB, but i run all three machines off USB. you can get converters that will make your life so much easier than trying to get the right port on the back of your computer. i'm the boat of "if it works for Gerber equipment, it'll work for any of the others" because i've never seen anything so finnicky as their stuff.

 

[netsol]

Whiskeydreamer,
Connecting usb doesn't negate the need to understand and carefully match the settings on the serial device to the virtual serial port

 

[Johnny Best]

Use Adendo, they are a Merchant Member on here and they can give you the help you need. They have Roland specialist and charge by the hour.
I know your so tight that you squeak, but it would get you up and running fast for just a couple of bucks and it is helping the Merchants on S101. https://adendo.com/ under vinyl cutters.

 

[Ray Miller]

That's a wonderful idea. There was also someone named Richard Armstrong who was helping members with their problems and you only paid him if you felt he helped you.

 

[Boudica]

That's a wonderful idea. There was also someone named Richard Armstrong who was helping members with their problems and you only paid him if you felt he helped you.

You mean Robert Armerding?

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

Whiskeydreamer,
Connecting usb doesn't negate the need to understand and carefully match the settings on the serial device to the virtual serial port

that must be the difference with the roland device then. using Gerber software, you should just need to install the drivers for the cutter/plotter/printer.

 

[Attila Nagy]

Both USB-Parallel or Serial could work with OMEGA. The serial needs to be null modem. On the Cutter COMMAND need to be set to MODE2. Do not even think to download any Roland driver.

 

[Ray Miller]

You mean Robert Armerding?

Yes I believe that is his name. Thank You.