Failed (so far) V4G control board install in old PRT ShopBot

[DonFrambach]

Brady Watson

Thank you for your instructions!

I think I needed to get the driver installed which I did before I read your post. I then followed your instructions starting with running the software in Preview Mode.

I successfully installed the firmware.

Set up the run in keyboard mode and away it went!!!

Cool.

Sure wish the PRT 4g Control Board Installation Instructions from ShopBot mentioned how to install the drivers in Windows 7. Also, the instructions made no mention of uploading the firmware! (Those were the two problems I encountered that took many hours to sort out)

[Brady Watson]

Don,
Glad you got it. You must be excited!

There used to be a message box that popped up reminding you to install firmware. Regarding the Win7 thing - most of the time this is not an issue. When I setup a new tool for a customer, I tell them to make sure it is in 'vanilla' configuration and that it has Admin rights for installing software etc. As such I don't recall having the issue you mentioned...BUT - with no standardized PC shipping with tools, there can be a lot of gray area.

-B

[coryatjohn]

BUT - with no standardized PC shipping with tools, there can be a lot of gray area.
-B

This is a potential business opportunity for an enterprising individual. It wouldn't be that difficult to purpose build a ShopBot compatible, dust resistant computer that comes ready to use and has support.

[bleeth]

John:
As far as SB is concerned you are flogging a dead horse. They have decided for their own reasons, which I will not revisit, to not offer their own control computer. There have been many posts by many people on how to take a basic computer and configure it for optimal control of a SB. It's far from rocket science. On the other hand, if you would care to build a dedicated control computer that is stripped of extraneous software garbage and offer it to those who are baffled by taking a computer, applying Black Viper configurations, and selling it to those who are technologically challenged (which works perfectly) I am sure it will be applauded by some.
BTW: I love Radar Now and use it daily.

[Brady Watson]

This is a potential business opportunity for an enterprising individual.

John, Go for it!
ShopBotters are cheap.

What Dave said.

X2

-B

[DonFrambach]

Interesting... I installed the ShopBot control software on two Windows 7 and two Windows 8 computers. On all four computers, the USB driver was not installed automatically even though I activated the check box to install the driver. The install software reported that the USB driver was installed but it wasn't. Since I had already figured out the problem, it was easy to manually install the USB driver on all four computers and the control software worked fine.

It seems to me that ShopBot should modify their install software, or at least the install directions for computers running Windows 7 or Windows 8.

[DonFrambach]

Forgot to respond to Brady Watson...

Yes, I am excited about running the ShopBot.

But, isn't EVERYBODY excited about their ShopBots!?!

[crash5050]

You really don't want to go down that road. I have been working in the computer business for the last 25 years. Too many people want you to work on the machines and don't want to pay. Once you touch that machine you own it. For example, I cleaned a lady's computer, took off all of the viruses, toolbars and spy/adware. Charged her 45.00. 4 months later she brings it back in, saying that she had already paid me to remove that stuff and it was back. SHe didn't want to pay me to do it again, I respectfully told her to take her machine to the hack down the street. Slippery slope I tell ya.

[coryatjohn]

You really don't want to go down that road. I have been working in the computer business for the last 25 years. Too many people want you to work on the machines and don't want to pay. Once you touch that machine you own it. For example, I cleaned a lady's computer, took off all of the viruses, toolbars and spy/adware. Charged her 45.00. 4 months later she brings it back in, saying that she had already paid me to remove that stuff and it was back. SHe didn't want to pay me to do it again, I respectfully told her to take her machine to the hack down the street. Slippery slope I tell ya.

Luckily for me, I settled into the software side of IT and have been happy there. No hardware selling for me. Just thought it might be an interesting potential business opportunity.