PnC with the Cameo and MTC vs. Sil Studio

Boogie

Hi!
I know this has been discussed in length, but I"m hoping to get a good answer here now that we have the Cameo Plug In.
I'm wondering if I can get instructions on how to successfully do PnC with the Cameo and MTC. Is it just the same as the Sil SD (now that the Cameo has its own plug-in)
If you use the Sil Studio to do PnC with the Cameo, why?
I'm really hoping to get good PnCs with MTC. I don't want to have to learn Sil Studio, BUT, if it makes a big difference in the PnC, I will...........
Thank you so much!!!!!!
xoxoxoxoxo
Susan

juliefes

Here is the note I posted in another thread here.

Using suggestions posted at the MTC Forum, my Cameo produced a perfect print and cut project from the MTC software. I am also grateful that I can do this from MTC, and not have to go through the trouble of doing it from the Silhouette Studio. I am thrilled to finally have a machine that will do perfect print and cut projects! Here are some important things I learned from my experiments with cutting around a printed image on 8.5"x11" paper.

1. Place the MTC virtual mat in Landscape mode.
2. Set the printer orientation to Portrait mode.
3. Add a simple basic shape to the screen.
4. Calibrate the machine for accurate cutting by going to Cut Project With, and selecting Silhouette Cameo. This should only need to be done once. Click on Calibrate DPI. Click on Cut 6" Square. After it is cut, measure the cut, and enter the width and height measurements in the boxes provided. Click on Calculate resolution. Click on Apply. Delete the shape you used.
5. Go to the File menu, and select Print Options. Check the boxes for Show paper on mat, Print Registration Marks, Show Reg Marks on Mat, and select Silhouette Cameo Reg Marks.
6.Place the design in the upper left corner of the virtual mat while in Landscape mode, leaving at least a 3/8" margin at the top and left side of the virtual mat to allow room for the registration marks.
7. Delete all empty layers by clicking on the trash can icon in the lower right corner of the screen.
8. Print the design to printer using photo quality to make the registration marks dark.
9. Place printed design on a Silhouette Cameo mat with the square registration mark in the upper right corner of the mat. (Some say that print and cut projects will not work with mats made by other companies, other say it doesn't matter.) The black arrow on the mat should be pointing toward the back of the machine.
10. Select "Load Cutting Mat" from the Cameo LED screen - important, as Print and Cut will not work using the Load Media setting.
11. Make sure that the left edge of the mat is lined up with the raised line on the cutter farthest to the left.
12. Show only the cutting lines that will cut around the outside of your projects, while hiding all others.
13. Select the Print and Cut option from the MTC Cameo plugin window.
14. Make sure that the blade depth is set appropriately for the paper you are cutting. I set mine on 2 for cutting printer paper. Set speed for 10, and pressure no higher than necessary. I used 7 for printer paper. Your settings may vary.
15. Click on Start to cut your project.
16. If your machine is properly calibrated, if the cut lines are well placed around the printed image, and if all other steps have been followed carefully, you should end up with a nicely cut project.

nelda

I use simialr steps to juliefes (except I have the printer set to landscape as well) and get PnC in MTC that as good or better than Sil Studio. It is importnat that you get rid of empty layers, it does something wonky to the reg marks. You should not need to learn Sil Studio.

CarefreeSadie

Thank you Julie. That makes perfect sense and I have saved it to use later when I get home.

juliefes

Interesting, Nelda. When I tried setting my printer to landscape, the crop marks printed out on the wrong side of the paper and my Cameo would not recognize them. I have not yet tried print and cut using a full 12x12 design. I hope it works as well as my 8.5x11" experiments.

I didn't know about getting rid of empty layers. Thanks for that tip. Perhaps my failed attempts at Print and Cut were due to this. Hard to say without more experimenting. Time is so short, with so much to do!

Boogie

Wow!!!! Thank you so much!!! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all of the detail!! I'm so excited to get my new Cameo!! :)
Now I just have to sell off the other cutters that I will no longer need! ;) (I suppose I did put the cart before the horse, but I could not resist the OMC 25% off coupon! LOL!)
Again, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!
xoxooxoxoxoo
Susan

DukeFan

I use MTC for everything I do except PnC.

The PnC in Sil Studio is so easy and literally has like 4 steps.

I'd be happy to walk you through it if you want.

Boogie

@DukeFan! Thank you so much!! It would be nice to know how to do it just in case....... I suppose I should not "fear" new software. It is just nice to know that I can get excellent results with MTC!! :)
Thanks!!!!!
Susan

rw75

I personally only do a print and cut on my Cameo using Silhouette Studio Designer Edition software. The steps are so easy in that software and the print and cut is always spot on. I never had any luck doing a print and cut with MTC (even with the Cameo plugin), I also like that I can make the registration marks so much smaller in SSDE so I have much more use of my 8.5 x 11 inch paper. I do however use MTC for lots of other things when it comes to my Cameo but for print and cuts I only use SSDE.

jeepers94

I agree,I have better pnc with SSDE.The results with MTC have been hit or miss.
With SSDE, it has always been right on.

juliefes

I was told that I should calibrate my cutter in SSDE, then the Print and Cut might be accurate. When I tried it in SSDE, the cut was 1/2" off. Guess I better calibrate it! I did the calibration in MTC. Guess you have to do it for each software.

DukeFan

I've never calibrated anything, and mine works just fine, and I just have the regular Studio software, not designer edition.

DukeFan

So those of you who have SSDE, is it worth using my $50 Plum District coupon on, or do I even need to go there since I have MTC?

juliefes

I have SSDE, and it was well worth using my Plum discount coupon, because I have so many GSD and Studio files that I would love to use in MTC.

juliefes

Every cutter is mechanically different, as is each printer. Getting them to work together may require calibration as my configuration did. It is not a difficult process, but necessary for some.

rw75

juliefes: I have never had to calibrate my Cameo with SSDE. I just apply the cut lines and the registration marks and print and cut. Perfect results every single time. Now that being said there was one time when the print and cut was off, but I soon learned my error, I zoomed out of my 12 x 12 inch mat (I use the letter size for print and cuts on my 12 x 12 mat because I only have a normal size printer) and low and behold I had a tiny cutting file touching the tip of my mat (I usually have lots of images off of my mat so I can do a print and cut of what I am working on, and when they are done, I move them off the mat and place the other items on the mat). As soon as I moved that item completely to the side and not touching my mat, I got a perfect print and cut on my letter sized paper on my 12 x 12 inch mat. Perhaps that is what happened to you as well as I just do not understand why you would have to calibrate the Cameo with SSDE since the registration marks read exactly where your image is.

DukeFan

So with SSDE, o can export my studio purchased files to MTC? Is that correct?

KarenP

With particular versions of SSDE you can "save" studio files as SVG file type and import in MTC.

DukeFan

How do I get the right version?

nelda

So with SSDE, o can export my studio purchased files to MTC? Is that correct?

Check out juliefes' tutorial, it takes you through the steps. Only SSDE ver 1.9 and 2.0 (Win) can export to svg.
http://forum.make-the-cut.com/discussion/22167/tutorial-svg-from-ssde-v1-9-or-2-0-0-to-mtc

DukeFan

I have the Cameo CD and haven't installed it yet - have been just using the version I had installed from my SD.

If I install with it and then purchase the SSDE license, I wonder if that will work - sure would love to use those files in MTC!

susan_ID2293

DukeFan, - the cd that shipped with my Cameo was 2.0.0. That is the one Julie is referring to in her tutorial. She and others have tested that after installing it, and then purchasing the Designer upgrade she could save to SVG.

Does anyone know if Silhouette ever puts it on sale?

DukeFan

I don't know if Sil does, but there are other places where it can be purchased at a discount.

DukeFan

Next question, if I install the Cameo cd, that won't mess up my shapes in my library, will it?

jeepers94

"Only SSDE ver 1.9 and 2.0 (Win) can export to svg."


They are up to 2.4d. It also works,of course!

KarenP

@Jeepers94 v2.4d of SSDE does not save as SVG if that is what you are saying.

jeepers94

Yes,I know.I was called away while reading this.I came back 10 minutes later and
forgot you were talking about saving as svg,and not using svg files.

juliefes

When I installed from the Cameo CD, it did not mess up my libraries

DukeFan

Thanks, Julie!

nelda

@DukeFan, I bought it on Black Friday for $30 from Silhouette America. So they do occassionally put it on sale. And as Julie said, your libraries are intact, you can use them with both versions of the programs on your computer.

Boogie

Thinking about this. If I don't have the Designer Edition of Sil Studio, I am limited to the types of files I can use, right???
xoxooxxooxo
Susan

juliefes

If you don't have the designer Edition you can open or Merge GSD, Studio, and DXF files, and you can trace picture images. If you like cutting from Make The Cut, then none of those file types will import into Make The Cut.

If you have SVG files, you can import them into Make The Cut and cut to your Cameo or other MTC-supported cutters.

If you have both MTC and SSDE, then you can share files between the programs, which can be very handy.

Boogie

Yep. That's what I thought! Thank you for confirming, Julie. I will not be upgrading my Sil Studio. So, now I know that I will be using MTC exclusively. Not a bad thing! LOL! I'm used to MTC, so my learning curve should be a little shorter. I'm hoping to try some test cuts either today or tomorrow and maybe try PnC next week.
Thanks to everyone for all of the great information/feedback!!!!
xoxoxooxoxooxoxo
Susan

JosieJ

oh my gosh.... julesfes.... thank you so much. I've had my Cameo a month and haven't had a successful PnC yet. I was so frustrated, but I followed all your steps to the "T" and wowza... there it is. Now, I'm going to have to come back and do them all each and every time b/c I can't figure out what I was doing differently that wasn't working, but who cares... it worked now and that small victory will keep me going for quite awhile. Thank you all!! You are an invaluable resource!!

chaniilove

just did my first mtc pnc with your instructions @julesfes! thanks so much! came out darn near perfect, and just as well as my ss pnc did, which took 5 tries to get to do as well so that is awesome!

shayeah

Thank you for the instructions I tried and failed to do a pnC with my cameo too I copyed and pasted your instructions and will try again