MacBook Pro with a Versa Laser

[Cal Hultgren]

I am looking for any member's experience in using a MacBook Pro running a Versa Laser (3.50). I have a 17' MBP with 4 GB of RAM, less than 6' long USB cable and the latest OS X. I have used Bootcamp, Parallels and VMware Fusion, XP SP3, and Vista Pro. My background is with Adobe Illustrator on the Mac and I would like to port those graphics to CorelDraw X4 on the Windows side and laser from there.

This has been my experience::mad:

1. Mac > Parallels (Windows XP Prof SP3) > CorelDraw: sometimes the laser cuts out part way through a job and I get an error message. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect.

2. Mac > Parallels (Vista) > CorelDraw: slower than XP, sometimes the laser cuts out part way through a job and I get an error message. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect.

3. Mac > VMware Fusion (Windows XP Prof SP3) > CorelDraw: less problems than Parallels but still get errors and the laser stops. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect.

4. Mac > VMware Fusion (Vista) > CorelDraw: less problems than Parallels and faster with Vista but still get errors and the laser stops. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect. More of a pain to transfer files from Mac to Vista.

5. Mac > Bootcamp (Windows XP Prof SP3) > CorelDraw: works, but slow shutting down and rebooting to a different operating system. Most consistent results.

I would love to have Mac drivers. Aside from that, scenario 3 would be my second choice. I would like to hear your setup and appraisal of it. :confused:

On a side note, I have only found one USB jack on the MBP to work properly with my Versa, that is the one found on the left hand side, closest to the screen.

[Scott Shepherd]

What version driver are you using? There are known issues with the machine dropping out on certain beta versions of the driver. If I understand it correctly, ULS had 3 platforms for drivers, the VLS, ILS, and PLS. All 3 drivers had the same user interface, but the engine behind them was different on all 3. I'm told by ULS that they have rewritten all the drivers to have the same front and back end.

I'm told the ILS and VLS work is complete and it's solved the dropping connection issue, so you might want to check with your rep or ULS and see if they can get you the new driver. I think it's ready, if not, it's only weeks away.

But dropping the connection is a known issue for some of the beta drivers.

[Doug Griffith]

I am looking for any member's experience in using a MacBook Pro running a Versa Laser (3.50). I have a 17' MBP with 4 GB of RAM, less than 6' long USB cable and the latest OS X. I have used Bootcamp, Parallels and VMware Fusion, XP SP3, and Vista Pro. My background is with Adobe Illustrator on the Mac and I would like to port those graphics to CorelDraw X4 on the Windows side and laser from there.

This has been my experience::mad:

1. Mac > Parallels (Windows XP Prof SP3) > CorelDraw: sometimes the laser cuts out part way through a job and I get an error message. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect.

2. Mac > Parallels (Vista) > CorelDraw: slower than XP, sometimes the laser cuts out part way through a job and I get an error message. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect.

3. Mac > VMware Fusion (Windows XP Prof SP3) > CorelDraw: less problems than Parallels but still get errors and the laser stops. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect.

4. Mac > VMware Fusion (Vista) > CorelDraw: less problems than Parallels and faster with Vista but still get errors and the laser stops. Sometimes the USB will not reconnect. More of a pain to transfer files from Mac to Vista.

5. Mac > Bootcamp (Windows XP Prof SP3) > CorelDraw: works, but slow shutting down and rebooting to a different operating system. Most consistent results.

I would love to have Mac drivers. Aside from that, scenario 3 would be my second choice. I would like to hear your setup and appraisal of it. :confused:

On a side note, I have only found one USB jack on the MBP to work properly with my Versa, that is the one found on the left hand side, closest to the screen.

Hi Cal,
I have the same computer as you but an Epilog laser and am curious what your final results are. Is ethernet not an option? What about lasering from Illustrator in Windows?

Cheers,
Doug

[Mark Warr]

I am running a Versa Laser 660 using Boot Camp on my powerbook 17. It runs flawlessly on my setup. From the tests that I have done, Boot Camp is the way.

Make sure you have the latest driver for the versa laser.

Mark

[Zac Altman]

I think it would be a powered USB issue.

First try using bootcamp, if that doesnt work, go out and getting a powered USB hub. I think only one USB port is really powered, the other(s) are just USB ports. So I assume the reason it only works in one is because of that, it only works in the powered USB. Im thinking that maybe the USB isnt getting enough power and the signal is cutting out, then when it is reconnecting, it isnt going directly to VMware or Parallels. So either bootcamp or a powered USB hub should fix your problem.

[Doug Griffith]

from an Apple USB developer:
"The right port on a MacBook Pro shares a full speed UHCI controller with the Keyboard/Trackpad USB device."

Just like underwear, sometimes it's not good to share.

[David Fairfield]

Had a Mac once... never again :mad:

These days a PC is so cheap, and will run graphics software like Adobe as well as a Mac, so it might pay to get a stand alone PC to run your laser.

Dave

[Doug Griffith]

Had a Mac once... never again

Usually it's the other way around!

But PCs are cheap and that's what I did.

Purchasing software for both platforms isn't fun though.

[Doug Bergstrom]

We run Macs for all of our graphics....The only way to go....Pc's still cannot handle fonts properly...anyway

Running through bootcamp is the only way we found to get consistent results, But rebooting is an issue. We have set up a PC with Coreldraw, both are cheap to get, we save as and EPS out of illustrator place in Corel and output from there. Works very well.

[Cal Hultgren]

Hello Steve,

I am using the VLS 3.50 driver version 2.18.30. Is this the most current driver?

[Scott Shepherd]

I don't know the numbers for the VLS system, but the numbers for the PLS systems are in the 2.19.36 area last I heard, and that was probably 4-6 weeks ago. 2.18.XX is a 2007 driver, I think. Contact your rep or ULS and get the latest stable driver and see if that resolves your connection problem. As I said before, dropping the connection was a known issue that I'm told has been resolved.

Contact them and get the latest stable driver (or the beta driver if you're willing to try it out) and I think you'll be fine.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Cal,

That is a very good version I would stay with it. There is a time issue with bootcamp when you have to switch between operating systems. However we have found that bootcamp works the best with the versa and the mac.

[Cal Hultgren]

Doug,

The Versa Laser only uses a USB cable to connect to the computer. Illustrator on Windows is a possibility but I have already made the investment into Adobe CS3 for the Mac. And I have been told that CorelDraw preps laser-files better and I have that software already. I have just received the new drivers and will let you know if they make a difference.