What's Up With PhotoVcarve?

[wmgeorge]

So what was the Alternative software? If it was Photoshop you can generate a STL file from that plug in, Export out and Import into VCP. I have already did the Import from some other software and cut a file from it. I doubt if PS corrupted your HD.

I did get a sample file into Mach3 from PVC and it seems to be fine in a simulation run and also it opened in a toolpath simulator to do a preview of the tool path without issues. When I was trying to use my GRBL machine I had extreme issues with a lot of software that was suppose to work and did not. I soon dumped all of that project and went back to a commercial machine.

I may try running that trial file tomorrow but it has to warm up here a bit, to expensive to heat the shop when its 5F degrees outside!

[martin54]

4) Aspire well I guess you can imagine what I think about that. How in the world do folks justify that kind of $$? I guess you're pros and write it off as a business expense but for us hobby types $1500+ is a lot of money. I am still getting over my Vcarve Pro upgrade because I upgraded my machine to XL (30 inches w x 18 h).

Different circumstances for me because I am running a Business & Vcarve would limit the type of work I could do for my customers, that obviously means that I would have to turn work away not only losing me money but customers who may buy from me in the future.

There do seem to be quite a lot of Hobby Users on the Forum so I guess each individuals needs are different, if I were a Hobby User then I might very well still be running Aspire, use to do a lot of fishing as a Hobby & spent an absolute fortune on fishing tackle, far more than Aspire costs. I also know a lot of people who spend far more money than that on their chosen Hobby

Having said all that like Xxray I wouldn't mind seeing PVC undated either , maybe update the tutorials as well, as far as Post Processors go I would contact support & ask them if they could help with a suitable Post for your machine, as has already been said they have helped others & there seem to be more & more people running machines like yours.

[Xxray]

I am probably an advanced hobbyists, certainly not into production or derive a significant portion of my yearly income from CNC.
I enjoy making things, half the stuff I ever made is still hanging on a wall and more is added all the time. I like thinking up things and turning it into reality on a machine in wood, corian, plexiglas and more.
Certainly have had alot of failures and bonehead ideas that didn't pan out, doesn't discourage me a bit - If you don't swing, you'll never get any hits.

So with all of that said, Aspire is a good value for me.
$2k isn't chump change but it isn't going to make or break me either, I often make twice that a week on my jobs. For sure have blown more $$ for less of a return, should not judge the needs and wants of others vs your own.

[wmgeorge]

Aspire not a hobbyist priced software program but believe me IF I had a commercial shop or needed it to do a money making job I would purchase in a heartbeat. Some people go to a bar and blow money, this way at least my wife knows where I am at!

Very impressed with the Vectric line of products, they do things the right way.

[BDM]

So I guess I am the OP(?) Here is what has transpired since my original post.

1) I tried the alternative and I have to say it may be the worst piece of software I have ever used. Really Really bad. Not to mention that it kept setting off my antivirus and my system drive got corrupted in the process. Days worth of work recovering from that.

2) I did manage to carve one of the PhotoVCarve tutorial images so I do have a sense of how it works. Pretty clunky but it does the basic stuff I guess. Still having a hard time with the $150. The tutorials are ancient and barely work on an updated machine (Windows 10)

3) The back end issue is a bit troubling. I tried what looked like a generic g-code generator and my machine choked. Multiple invalid commands at the front. I finally found one that generated my machine can digest but I have no idea why. None of the Shapeoko or even GRBL machines are listed in the generator.

4) Aspire well I guess you can imagine what I think about that. How in the world do folks justify that kind of $$? I guess you're pros and write it off as a business expense but for us hobby types $1500+ is a lot of money. I am still getting over my Vcarve Pro upgrade because I upgraded my machine to XL (30 inches w x 18 h).

5) That said I do own Adobe CC and the support there is for 3D printers. Don't have one of those yet but a couple of the packages only supporting printing the pictures and not carving them. Photoshop added it to have more reasons to justify the 3D features and it is only for printing. No carving in PS that I know if.

So I am still mulling it over as I rebuild my damaged machine. Not feeling good about PhotoVcarve but haven't found any other decent photo carving program out there.

1) Lesson learned the hard way.
2) You said you wanted to do lithopanes, PVC does them easily, not sure what more you were expecting or needing from the program? If $150 is a show stopper for you, you're probably in the wrong hobby. With many bits costing $40-50 and up and knowing they will break, the software cost of PVC is the LEAST of my concerns. And just so you know, PVC is the still the same price that it was when I bought it in 2010. Not sure why the tutorials barely work on Win 10, since they run in your browser?
3) Again, have you ASKED Vectric support which one to use or could they provide one? They bend over backwards for their customers, so that shouldn't be the deciding factor on whether to buy it or not.
4) Probably the same way that my friends spend $500 on a new driver each year for golf or $10000 for a new trap shotgun and none of them are professionals. I get by on my old set of clubs and an old pump gun, but if they're happy and have the money, go for it. Since you're never forced to upgrade Vectric software, the cost of Aspire over a long time period isn't much. There are a lot of people here that still use really old versions of the software and are quite happy with what they can do. I only have Cut2D, Cut3D and PVC, but it still does everything I want to do for the time being and if I want to move up, it's only the difference in cost, so it's a great deal.

[MarkJohnston]

I haven’t had a day job for a long time. After I sold my company at an early age I have done a lot of different things to bring in extra money but I’m primarily retired now even though I don’t care for the label. I purchased my machine in 2009 and started with Aspire software and have updated every time Vectric had an update. I truly appreciate the valve that Vectric puts into every update. I’m what you call a hobbyist.

I couldn’t agree more that what we spend our extra money on is very personal and must provide us with a reason to keep on moving every day and something to think about when we go to bed at night. I have spent hours designing things with Aspire, its very addictive and enjoyable.

I like doing 3D type work and it gets the most expressions on the faces of the people or organizations that I give my work to and for me it’s the most rewarding.

Mark

[Mark]

Hello johnelle,

Please find the attached post processor.
Please copy the file to the "PostP" folder of PhotoVCarve trial edition.

This is usually located at "C\Program Files (x86)\PhotoVCarve Trial\PostP"
(Assuming a 64 bit edition of Microsoft Windows).


Once you have copied the new post processor, exit the application and restart it.
The new post processor will be labelled as "Grbl (mm) ( .gcode)" / "Grbl (inch) (*.gcode)"
in the list of post processors. Please give this a try with your machine.

I hope that this helps.

Cheers,

Mark.

I hope that this helps.

[wmgeorge]

Looks like he/she is not coming back. I did read back about six months or so and see the requests for updated or a new PP has been asked several times in the past few months. Yes I think PhotoVCarve is due for an update or refinement tweaking.

[BDM]

Looks like he/she is not coming back. I did read back about six months or so and see the requests for updated or a new PP has been asked several times in the past few months. Yes I think PhotoVCarve is due for an update or refinement tweaking.

Now that you've said this about three different times, what exactly do you think PVC should be able to do that it doesn't already do? Making a PP for a new machine that comes out is trivial, but I wouldn't waste a lot of development time making one for every machine in existence just in case someone might purchase my lowest cost product. And if you were running a small business like Vectric, how much time and money would you devote to a product that you have to sell 13 copies of to match the cost of your flagship product? I know where I'd be devoting my resources and I think most people here would agree that is where they want the resources to be devoted to.

[wmgeorge]

Looks like he/she is not coming back. I did read back about six months or so and see the requests for updated or a new PP has been asked several times in the past few months. Yes I think PhotoVCarve is due for an update or refinement tweaking.

Now that you've said this about three different times, what exactly do you think PVC should be able to do that it doesn't already do? Making a PP for a new machine that comes out is trivial, but I wouldn't waste a lot of development time making one for every machine in existence just in case someone might purchase my lowest cost product. And if you were running a small business like Vectric, how much time and money would you devote to a product that you have to sell 13 copies of to match the cost of your flagship product? I know where I'd be devoting my resources and I think most people here would agree that is where they want the resources to be devoted to.

With your view point, why indeed update anything except Aspire because that's where the money is? Programs are updated on a regular basis for bug fixes and just plain usability features. They usually charge for those and its called an Upgrade. Just like the upgrade from 8.0 or 8.5 in VCP to 9. That is where they make the money to keep the business going, its also called progress staying ahead of the completion. Would you still use VCP if it was the same as it was in 2009, in this case it was Jan 20, 2006 with PhotoVCarve according to my Help menu. I am using other software which seems to do the same as PVC but also creates a STL file that can be Imported into VCP and can used to make a LithoPhane or a 3D model.

[BDM]

You can already import PVC files into Cut2D, VCP and Aspire, so I'm not seeing why someone would need to make an STL file first before doing that? Might be handy if you're into 3D printing, but PVC wasn't designed with that in mind.

And again, most new features in VCP or Aspire are driven by customer wants, or wishlists that we're always making on this forum. I have not seen a lot of demands for improvements in PVC and you still haven't told us what you think PVC should be able to do that it can't already, other than the program is "old". Make the business case for adding these new features (whatever they are) and I'm sure Vectric would take note of it.

[mtylerfl]

I can't think of much in need of upgrade or change to PVC, since it performs the task very well for what it was designed for already!

But, there is one item that could be a possible consideration for a future upgrade...A lithophane simulation View/Preview.

This could help folks visualize the end result before actually cutting it. The brightness level of the preview simulation could be made relative to the depth of cut and thickness of material. A realistic preview could be useful for experimenting with different depths of cut, etc.

There is already a tutorial for Aspire that allows the user to simulate a lithophane preview:

http://support.vectric.com/tutorials/V9 ... lithophane

Perhaps those (or similar) steps can be coded within PVC and rendered by the user with a click on a Simulation Preview button!

[wmgeorge]

You can already import PVC files into Cut2D, VCP and Aspire, so I'm not seeing why someone would need to make an STL file first before doing that? Might be handy if you're into 3D printing, but PVC wasn't designed with that in mind.

And again, most new features in VCP or Aspire are driven by customer wants, or wishlists that we're always making on this forum. I have not seen a lot of demands for improvements in PVC and you still haven't told us what you think PVC should be able to do that it can't already, other than the program is "old". Make the business case for adding these new features (whatever they are) and I'm sure Vectric would take note of it.

My other software I just purchased as it was just updated, can export STL files (or DXF ) which can be used for anything, not limited to VCP or Aspire. The other software I just purchased can lighten and darken the image, change contrast, crop,
(using either the standard square shape but with designs like a heart, star or other ) rotate, show previews projected on among many other things a cylinder, bowl, metal or just a rectangle. The STL files can be used to make a Lithopane as I am sure you know. Of course it can be Imported into VCP.

So I hope that answers your questions. Yes I think a software product that has not been updated in 12 years, is old. But since I do not need as I have purchased another software program that does what I need, so I really do not care. If your happy that's all that counts.

Vectric is a wonderful company with great support I think VCarve Pro is great and IF I had a use for Aspire I would purchase in a heartbeat.