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View Full Version : Rabbit Rl-40-640 vs.FSL Gen 5?



Dan Bihary
09-12-2014, 11:58 AM
OK, I'm looking at around a $2,000 difference. Rabbit is 6k, fls is $4k.

I live in Ohio, and like the idea of local support from Rabbit, but 2K is a big difference.

I am a hobby user, that will also be using the laser for occasional educational purposes. I'd love to also use it eventually for some small production.

Future 60w upgrade would also be nice.

Thoughts?

David Somers
09-12-2014, 12:32 PM
Dan,

Have you done a search in the forum on FSL? Might answer some of your questions. Suggest doing the search from the magnifying glass at the top right of the forum listing. That will open a google search preloaded for Sawmill. Follow what it puts in the search bar with space and then "Full Spectrum Laser". You do want the quotes in this case.

That should give you more than enough references to help you decide.

Be sure to do the same thing with "Rabbit Laser" BTW.

Incidentally, I am not trying to be obtuse with you. I have no direct experience with FSL so I figure it is better for you to look at people's experiences than hear things third hand.

Dave

Dan Hintz
09-12-2014, 2:27 PM
If the choice is between brand 'X' and FSL, choose brand 'X' (for all values of 'X').

Dan Bihary
09-12-2014, 3:47 PM
Thanks for the replies.

I'm very familiar with the downside of FSL. I also know that sometimes the good is overshadowed by the bad reputation.

At what point is the risk of FSL worth it? If the FSL was $800, would you buy it? How about $1,900?

I'm definitely not sticking up for FSL but if they are really the Yugo of lasers, they wouldn't still be in business would they?

So whats the alternative? Direct order from China?

Mike Null
09-12-2014, 4:06 PM
If I lived that close to Rabbit there would be no doubt in my mind. (even if I didn't)

There must be a reason FSL has to sell their product so much cheaper.

I believe in giving chances to people who have earned them.

Dennis Watson
09-12-2014, 4:37 PM
Lives that close to Ray and thinking FSL? No way. There are people coming in here for help because the machine they bought dont have support, and Ray helps them anyway.

David Somers
09-12-2014, 5:34 PM
Hey Dan!

That was why I just suggested you search on them and see what is there so you could make up your mind. I tried not to be negative about them.

Another alternative I had looked into is Bell Lasers.
There were a few things about them that made me nervous enough not to go near them. But at the same time, I have seen little from recent times that was negative so they may also have cleared things up and be doing fine. One of the owners participates in the forum and they seem to do well by folks on the tube recharge side of their business.

Ordering from China is certainly an option, if you go into it open eyed. The thread on Chinese lasers at the top of the forum might give you some insight. I am in the process of working with them right now and am happy to PM with you about it if you want.

Lots of options out there. You just need to weigh the benefits and the risks and what you are willing to spend. Like any purchase of course. Just perhaps a bit more confusing when you get into lasers.

On Rabbit. One benefit of them is that they will come out to your place and work with you to set it up and align it and spend about 9 hours with you training you on it. That is quite valuable if you are not currently a laser owner. Or you can arrange to go down there since you are close enough. Not sure what that would save you in $$. Might be worth asking since you are so close.

Dave

Jerome Stanek
09-12-2014, 6:03 PM
Have you talked with Ray or Carole they do sometimes have specials that are not on their page. Also you are comparing 2 different size machines and the Rabbit comes with a chiller and support that you have to pay for with the FSL.

Dan Hintz
09-12-2014, 7:17 PM
I'm definitely not sticking up for FSL but if they are really the Yugo of lasers, they wouldn't still be in business would they?

There are plenty of businesses still pulling in new customers while at the same time ticking old customers off. Ordering from FSL is like ordering a Chinese laser directly form China... sometimes you get a peach, sometimes you get a lemon. It's what happens when you get a lemon that counts. FSL has shown time and again to be very moody, and once they get annoyed with a customer, say goodbye to tech support, warranty support, etc. Numerous people have posted here about warranties (and emails and phone calls) being completely ignored once FSL realizes it will cost them too much to fix the problem (I'll let some of the old threads speak for themselves).

Rabbit not only takes care of everything with your order, they also take care of problems with OTHER company's orders. That says something about the owner... AND the business.

Your gamble... er, choice.

Bert Kemp
09-12-2014, 8:03 PM
MY FSL LASER sits in a corner broken for the 5th or 6th time collecting dust and FSL has disowned me, they won't help at all. I'm picking up my Rabbit in person from Ray on Oct 1st and I live in AZ, I'm 5 hours from FSL and two days from Rabbit but thats were I'm going.Oh and the Rabbit yes it a little more money but it has a 60 watt tube 24x16 engraving area, stand on casters, pass thru doors.. if you search fsl forums and find one thats not directly FSL you'll see all the problems those guys are having with the gen 5. I think their beta testers for FSL LOL

Dennis Rech
09-12-2014, 8:30 PM
OK, I'm looking at around a $2,000 difference. Rabbit is 6k, fls is $4k.

I live in Ohio, and like the idea of local support from Rabbit, but 2K is a big difference.

I am a hobby user, that will also be using the laser for occasional educational purposes. I'd love to also use it eventually for some small production.

Thoughts?

I have had a FLS Hobby Laser for almost 4 years. It has worked just fine with no real problems at all.
The machine now has close to 400 hours on it and it may be down on power about 10% from new.
Other than that, it performs just like new.
Here is 2 pennies worth of opinion from someone who has actually seen and used and bought a FSL.

The Rabbit is a physically much bigger machine. It is free standing and weights hundreds of pounds more than the FSL.
You can pick up a Hobby machine by yourself and carry it in a small SUV easily. The Rabbit needs a forklift and should be considered a permanent fixture.
After moving the FSL, it will assuredly need a 15 minute realignment.
It is a lightweight, table top machine.

A 40 watt machine doesn't need a chiller. A 5 gallon bucket of water will do.
The FSL exhaust fan leaves lots to be desired. Buy a bigger one.

Both machines are Chinese and it is doubtful that one is really more reliable than the other.
Either way, aftermarket parts are cheap and for the $2000 difference, you can buy a LOT of parts.

The FSL has a removable bottom. You can set it on the kitchen table and engrave a picture of your girlfriend onto it.
It engraves and cuts perfectly fine for hobby use and about a well as any other glass tube Chinese machine.

The Rabbit has a bigger cutting area. Four extra inches in each direction are really nice.
You really should be comparing the Rabbit with FSL Professional series of about the same size and cost.

The standard 40 watt tube of the FSL is overrated by 25%.
The Rabbit may be also, I do not know.
It takes 7 seconds per inch to cut 1/4 inch clear acrylic on the FSL if you can find a Rabbit to compare.

The most important difference, and the one that no one on this group discusses because none of them have used a FSL is the software.
Unless the Chinese software has greatly improved in the last few years since I have last used it, FSL software is easily worth a thousand dollars more than anything that I have seen from China.
The FSL has a real print driver that seems to work with every program that can print.
If you can print with your Epson or Canon printer, you can cut or engrave it with the FSL.
It shows the image on screen and it can be rotated and scaled on the screen.
A red dot on the screen follows the action.
It can be paused and restarted.
Any vector can be selected and re-cut.
You don't have to buy the correct version of Corel or AutoCad.
It just works with everything, every time, flawlessly and intuitively.
And all the words are in English. Good old American English.

You may want to visit the Rabbit dealership and have a look at the software.
Then see if you can find someone with a FSL close by and look at the FSL print driver.

Ray Scott's organization comes with a lot of praise for service, training and support.
I don't know how much service, training and support a Rabbit Laser needs.
From what I read here, a FSL comes with indifferent support at best.
I don't know, I have never needed it.
I unboxed the machine, stuck 2 hoses into a bucket of water and pushed an exhaust hose through the hole that I had cut into my shop wall the day before.
Installed the software driver and turned the machine on.
I followed the instructions and took 20 minutes to align it, pushed print and had an engraving within an hour of receiving the crate.

I notice that several of the people that were blowing and carping the loudest about their FSL machines are now over at other forums and are using their machines without problems.
It would be nice for them to return here and let us know how they resolved the problems that they were having. I suspect that they eventually read all of the instructions.

I paid $2300 for mine on sale and with a cutting speed of 8 inches per minute for 400 hours, it works out to cutting 1/4 inch acrylic for a bit over a penny an inch.
It has been a great deal.

Dennis

Mike Troncalli
09-13-2014, 10:32 AM
Dan, Sent you a PM for about a FSL forum that might help you with some of your questions.

Mike

Ernie Balch
09-13-2014, 3:21 PM
I have a 3 year old Rabbit that came with everything. exhaust, chiller, computer, compressor and ducting. It has worked without problems the entire time. Ray came out and set up the machine and spent the day training us on every substrate we could dig up. I can't comment on service until something goes wrong. Since they stock spare parts I don't expect any problems in that regard. ernie

Bert Kemp
09-14-2014, 8:00 AM
I have had a FLS Hobby Laser for almost 4 years. It has worked just fine with no real problems at all.
The machine now has close to 400 hours on it and it may be down on power about 10% from new.
Other than that, it performs just like new.
Here is 2 pennies worth of opinion from someone who has actually seen and used and bought a FSL.

The Rabbit is a physically much bigger machine. It is free standing and weights hundreds of pounds more than the FSL.
You can pick up a Hobby machine by yourself and carry it in a small SUV easily. The Rabbit needs a forklift and should be considered a permanent fixture.
After moving the FSL, it will assuredly need a 15 minute realignment.
It is a lightweight, table top machine.

A 40 watt machine doesn't need a chiller. A 5 gallon bucket of water will do.
The FSL exhaust fan leaves lots to be desired. Buy a bigger one.

Both machines are Chinese and it is doubtful that one is really more reliable than the other.
Either way, aftermarket parts are cheap and for the $2000 difference, you can buy a LOT of parts.

The FSL has a removable bottom. You can set it on the kitchen table and engrave a picture of your girlfriend onto it.
It engraves and cuts perfectly fine for hobby use and about a well as any other glass tube Chinese machine.

The Rabbit has a bigger cutting area. Four extra inches in each direction are really nice.
You really should be comparing the Rabbit with FSL Professional series of about the same size and cost.

The standard 40 watt tube of the FSL is overrated by 25%.
The Rabbit may be also, I do not know.
It takes 7 seconds per inch to cut 1/4 inch clear acrylic on the FSL if you can find a Rabbit to compare.

The most important difference, and the one that no one on this group discusses because none of them have used a FSL is the software.
Unless the Chinese software has greatly improved in the last few years since I have last used it, FSL software is easily worth a thousand dollars more than anything that I have seen from China.
The FSL has a real print driver that seems to work with every program that can print.
If you can print with your Epson or Canon printer, you can cut or engrave it with the FSL.
It shows the image on screen and it can be rotated and scaled on the screen.
A red dot on the screen follows the action.
It can be paused and restarted.
Any vector can be selected and re-cut.
You don't have to buy the correct version of Corel or AutoCad.
It just works with everything, every time, flawlessly and intuitively.
And all the words are in English. Good old American English.

You may want to visit the Rabbit dealership and have a look at the software.
Then see if you can find someone with a FSL close by and look at the FSL print driver.

Ray Scott's organization comes with a lot of praise for service, training and support.
I don't know how much service, training and support a Rabbit Laser needs.
From what I read here, a FSL comes with indifferent support at best.
I don't know, I have never needed it.
I unboxed the machine, stuck 2 hoses into a bucket of water and pushed an exhaust hose through the hole that I had cut into my shop wall the day before.
Installed the software driver and turned the machine on.
I followed the instructions and took 20 minutes to align it, pushed print and had an engraving within an hour of receiving the crate.

I notice that several of the people that were blowing and carping the loudest about their FSL machines are now over at other forums and are using their machines without problems.
It would be nice for them to return here and let us know how they resolved the problems that they were having. I suspect that they eventually read all of the instructions.

I paid $2300 for mine on sale and with a cutting speed of 8 inches per minute for 400 hours, it works out to cutting 1/4 inch acrylic for a bit over a penny an inch.
It has been a great deal.

DennisDennis said"The Rabbit is a physically much bigger machine. It is free standing and weights hundreds of pounds more than the FSL.
You can pick up a Hobby machine by yourself and carry it in a small SUV easily. The Rabbit needs a forklift and should be considered a permanent fixture.
Rabbits are on casters and can be moved around very easily, were as you have to pick up a bulky fsl to move it, the realign it.

Dennis Rech
09-14-2014, 11:08 PM
Dennis said"The Rabbit is a physically much bigger machine. It is free standing and weights hundreds of pounds more than the FSL.
You can pick up a Hobby machine by yourself and carry it in a small SUV easily. The Rabbit needs a forklift and should be considered a permanent fixture.
Rabbits are on casters and can be moved around very easily, were as you have to pick up a bulky fsl to move it, the realign it.

Hello Bert,
Please don't take my comment about the extra weight and bulk as a criticism of the Rabbit, just an observation that the two machines should not be compared as apples to apples and that there is a lot more to consider than $2000.
Remember, the inquiry started with someone asking about HOBBY machines that may be used for educational purposes.
The FSL is 70 pounds. FedEx drops it off at the door and the wife can drag it into the living room.
You can set it on a roll around printer stand if you wish.
The Rabbit is delivered by a trucking company, hopefully with a lift gate truck. The specs say the shipping weight is 750 pounds.
Once it is dropped off in the driveway, one better have a forklift or several big friends with hand trucks.
And it better not be on a sloped driveway.
Once it is picked up and set on perhaps a piano dolly or two, it can be rolled up to the house or maybe into the garage.
This is going to be a major task if stairs are involved. It can be quite dangerous.
The Rabbit is more than 30 inches wide and that means that it is not going through a standard interior door without dis-assembly.
The Rabbit site has instructions about this.
Even though the Rabbit comes on castors, it will be a major job to move it somewhere else outside the space that it is in.
You sure ain't going to just take it to school to show the kids.
Seven hundred pounds going up and down stairs can be a major task, especially if it is on wheels.
It could even be fatal.
Moving it may be a job for professional riggers.

To paraphrase the responses to the original question concerning a HOBBY machine, most were of the,
"Buy the Rabbit because Ray Scott is a great guy and FSL is a bunch of ," (Likely truer than false?) and ignoring the physical aspects of the actual machines.

There are many other 40 watt Chinese machines that should be considered. For a home-hobbyist, I would recommend a table top machine on a stand that can be moved.

A big question that I have been pondering myself (I want a bigger machine) is,
For the same price, do you buy a laser with excellent support and a primitive operating system OR a laser with a wonderful operating system and questionable (perhaps non-existent) support?
The problem would be moot if all the Chinese suppliers of lasers would get off their duffs and pool their resources and come up with a decent print driver.
If FSL can do it, they should be able to do it.

And all of the about probably hasn't helped the man who asked the original question at all.

Dennis

Dan Hintz
09-15-2014, 7:12 AM
For the same price, do you buy a ... laser with a wonderful operating system and questionable (perhaps non-existent) support?

Buy a Trotec and get both :p

Jerome Stanek
09-15-2014, 7:31 AM
Buy a Trotec and get both :p

He said the same price.

Bert Kemp
09-15-2014, 11:13 AM
I think Dan was going to shell out the difference, so it would be the same price for the OP:eek:

Paul Phillips
09-15-2014, 11:34 AM
The Rabbit is delivered by a trucking company, hopefully with a lift gate truck. The specs say the shipping weight is 750 pounds.
Once it is dropped off in the driveway, one better have a forklift or several big friends with hand trucks.
And it better not be on a sloped driveway.
Once it is picked up and set on perhaps a piano dolly or two, it can be rolled up to the house or maybe into the garage.
This is going to be a major task if stairs are involved. It can be quite dangerous.
The Rabbit is more than 30 inches wide and that means that it is not going through a standard interior door without dis-assembly.
The Rabbit site has instructions about this.
Even though the Rabbit comes on castors, it will be a major job to move it somewhere else outside the space that it is in.
You sure ain't going to just take it to school to show the kids.
Seven hundred pounds going up and down stairs can be a major task, especially if it is on wheels.
It could even be fatal.
Moving it may be a job for professional riggers.
Dennis

FWIW, I don't own a Rabbit but I thought the disparity in weight was huge so I looked it up, and since there seems to be some strong feelings involved here and we're trying to bring clarity to the many assumptions and opinions about this, the Rabbit website actually says

"Crated weight with accessories: ~750 pounds" -not just the machine alone, and also,
"Frame can come apart so that this laser machine can be moved through a small doorway." So the fact that it comes with it's own rolling cart is what adds some of the weight as well. Hope this helps.

Jerome Stanek
09-15-2014, 3:03 PM
I think Dan was going to shell out the difference, so it would be the same price for the OP:eek:

May be he will sell his to him for $4,000 That is where it comes in

Dennis Watson
09-15-2014, 7:20 PM
Shoot I made a floor in the bottom cabinet to store materials. https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5346/9772391803_e538b2393a_o.jpg

Dave Sheldrake
09-15-2014, 9:12 PM
I'm sat next to a UK supplied HX1290 (my home playing machine) otherwise known in the US as the RL1290 I believe.

It's been kicked, abused, had no real maintenance, it's been moved twice (on my own) in a 3.5 ton truck, tipped over, left out in the rain (unprotected for 7 weeks!) had a 180 watt tube spannered in to it among other horrors to name just a few

It still runs as accurately as the day I purchased it 5 years ago.

On to Ray Scott, what can I say...when you deal with Ray you are not dealing with the student or a hopeful...you are dealing with the professor, I've never known him not to have an answer or unable to get an answer in a VERY short time (hours at most) not forgetting he's one of the two nicest guys in the industry (The other one being Chris Jacobs at HPC over here)

The machines are refined but built like bunker busters and strength / rigidity in this game are essential if you don't want to be tweaking alignment every other day.

cheers

Dave

Andrew Holloway
09-16-2014, 4:04 AM
Here is my experience with FSL. For the record I have had no experience with Rabbit or any other 'Chinese' laser company.
I bought a 5th Gen Hobby laser in January 2014 and it arrived about a week after I paid (I am in Australia), all in perfect working order. They even sent me free 2.5" and 1.5" lens' which was a nice bonus.
I had initial troubles with alignment (I had never used a laser before). Support emails were replied to usually within 20 mins, an hour at most. Always helpful and polite - even when I asked stupid questions.
Since then I have never had to realign the mirrors - yes, I check them every now and again. I have moved it a few times too.
At one point the main electronics board stopped working. 1 phone call to FSL and then I shipped it to them. They received, tested, repaired and shipped out all same day. Repair was covered under warranty but I did pay shipping both ways.
I have never used any Chinese laser software so I can't really compare it to anything but, I was always VERY impressed by the software on the FSL. It did everything I wanted it to. It was easy to learn and it never broke.
My tube lasted about 7 months, but I did run it a LOT. As people have said, all Chinese machines over rate their tubes by about 25%. My 40W tested at 29W about a month after I got it.

I can't speak for all the people that FSL have done wrong by, all I can say is they have always done right by me.

Dave Sheldrake
09-16-2014, 7:19 AM
all Chinese machines over rate their tubes by about 25%

The responsible dealers don't, why people feel the need to call a 600mm tube a 40 watt when it's not possible to do eludes me, why not just be honest and say "Up to 40 watts" rating a tube by it's strike power is plain dishonest.

It only seems to affect the small machines though and both those in the US and China, what annoys me is the buyer is paying to get 40 watts...NOT a tube that cannot reach 40 watts and is provided by the maker as a 30 watt. It's part of the reason the machines are cheap, a 30 watt tube costs half or less of what a normal 800mm 40 watt does!

cheers

Dave

Bert Kemp
09-16-2014, 3:52 PM
Here is my experience with FSL. For the record I have had no experience with Rabbit or any other 'Chinese' laser company.
I bought a 5th Gen Hobby laser in January 2014 and it arrived about a week after I paid (I am in Australia), all in perfect working order. They even sent me free 2.5" and 1.5" lens' which was a nice bonus.
I had initial troubles with alignment (I had never used a laser before). Support emails were replied to usually within 20 mins, an hour at most. Always helpful and polite - even when I asked stupid questions.
Since then I have never had to realign the mirrors - yes, I check them every now and again. I have moved it a few times too.
At one point the main electronics board stopped working. 1 phone call to FSL and then I shipped it to them. They received, tested, repaired and shipped out all same day. Repair was covered under warranty but I did pay shipping both ways.
I have never used any Chinese laser software so I can't really compare it to anything but, I was always VERY impressed by the software on the FSL. It did everything I wanted it to. It was easy to learn and it never broke.
My tube lasted about 7 months, but I did run it a LOT. As people have said, all Chinese machines over rate their tubes by about 25%. My 40W tested at 29W about a month after I got it.

I can't speak for all the people that FSL have done wrong by, all I can say is they have always done right by me.
I notice you only list a Trotec in your signature, is it not worth listing the fsl or did you get rid of it.

Andrew Holloway
09-16-2014, 5:02 PM
I notice you only list a Trotec in your signature, is it not worth listing the fsl or did you get rid of it.

I do still have it but it will be gone as soon as I can find a buyer.

Bert Kemp
09-16-2014, 5:51 PM
good luck finding a buyer, mines bet collecting dust for a while now.

Bert Kemp
01-14-2015, 10:54 AM
Just an update. Carol and Kim loaded my laser in the back of my little Nissan P/U.:cool: They wrapped it in shrink wrap, yes they used a lift to get it in my truck.Machine was not crated. I hauled it from Ohio to AZ 3 days on the road 2 days pouring rain, and two flat tires on my trailer.I mention that because when the trailer tires blew the truck was jerked real hard, I feared for my laser. When I got home I backed the truck up to my stairs going to my deck and front door. Myself and a friend got it off the back of the truck up the stairs onto the deck.( yes it was a struggle hey I'm 64 bad back and knees him 57 same lol ) Rolled it across the deck bump bump bump on the spaces between deck boards, lifted it up over the door threshold, rolled it across the living room to its place hooked it up and that was it, just started using it, no alinement was needed. Still going strong 3 mo later no machine problems just operator errors :eek: Machine weighs about 350# un crated and rolls very easy even on a rug and bumpy deck.
Oh we never heard from the OP again made 2 post he gets a 100 answers, we never found out if or what he bought and how he likes it.

Bill George
01-14-2015, 11:09 AM
Its too bad FSL won't market the control software they wrote. Dennis that was a very good review.

Bert Kemp
01-14-2015, 11:19 AM
Who's Dennis:confused:
Its too bad FSL won't market the control software they wrote. Dennis that was a very good review. I think FSL did at one time sell their software but no body wanted the machine just the software so they stopped selling the software, if you wanted it you had to buy the machine.

Matt McCoy
01-14-2015, 1:50 PM
Who's Dennis:confused: I think FSL did at one time sell their software but no body wanted the machine just the software so they stopped selling the software, if you wanted it you had to buy the machine.

Here's the controller/software, if you're interested.

http://fslaser.com/products/accessories-1/retinaengrave-usb-laser-controller-software-upgrade/retinaengrave-ethernet

Clark Pace
01-14-2015, 2:52 PM
I would seriously consider Rabbit if they are local. Especially if they have overall great reviews. You could go easily go down and pick their brains from time to time if you have any issues. And think of shipping new parts out vs picking them up yourself. I had 2 laser tubes get broken from UPS shipping.

Now I don't have any direct experience from Rabbit, so do your research.

Local support can be very good also if you are not a tinkerer. If you need a tech to come out it's and they are local that could cost you less.

Bert Kemp
01-14-2015, 5:05 PM
Full Spectrum Laser's RetinaEngrave Ethernet is a 100% US designed electronics and software package and represents 2 years and over $1million in R&D effort and is available only on Full Spectrum Laser machines.

Here's the controller/software, if you're interested.

http://fslaser.com/products/accessories-1/retinaengrave-usb-laser-controller-software-upgrade/retinaengrave-ethernet

Dan Hintz
01-14-2015, 5:16 PM
Full Spectrum Laser's RetinaEngrave Ethernet is a 100% US designed electronics and software package and represents 2 years and over $1million in R&D effort and is available only on Full Spectrum Laser machines.

Maybe true, though last I looked it certainly wasn't 100% FSL-designed... if memory serves, they were using Gecko boards and whatnot (good stuff, but not theirs). They may have copied the Gecko designs by now. The only unique piece was the control software, and (again) if memory serves, upgrades were NOT gratis (i.e., if the OS stops supporting it, you're in the hole for more money)... I seem to recall someone here getting bit by that bug.

Matt McCoy
01-14-2015, 7:15 PM
Full Spectrum Laser's RetinaEngrave Ethernet is a 100% US designed electronics and software package and represents 2 years and over $1million in R&D effort and is available only on Full Spectrum Laser machines.

I must have scanned this thread too fast. I saw that you have a FSL 40W in your signature and misunderstood you.


Maybe true, though last I looked it certainly wasn't 100% FSL-designed... if memory serves, they were using Gecko boards and whatnot (good stuff, but not theirs). They may have copied the Gecko designs by now. The only unique piece was the control software, and (again) if memory serves, upgrades were NOT gratis (i.e., if the OS stops supporting it, you're in the hole for more money)... I seem to recall someone here getting bit by that bug.

I believe Apple built a smart phone on Samsung tech (they were a supplier) and then Samsung developed a familiar swiping interface for its new smartphones shortly thereafter. They've been waging a legal war for years against each other. Both phones are pretty good and have their advocates. I like my Samsung Galaxy just fine and my wife swears by her iPhone. My wife swears a lot in general, but that's probably not important. :)

The FSL Retina Engrave software has free updates to newer versions and the controller can be connected by an Ethernet cable. DHCP will auto assign an IP address. You won't need a Windows driver unless you would like to use it as a USB device.

Bill George
01-14-2015, 7:38 PM
I think FSL is missing a Gold mine with the software. They could market it and the controller or controllers and dump the laser market. In fact I am surprised someone else has not made a decent software and controller.