Amaya XTS Versus Amaya Bravo

[Carolyn]

Hello all, I know it has been sometime since i have been here. But I would like to get some input from those that actually use the equipment. I am considering purchasing either the bravo or xts. Please tell me your likes and dislikes about the machines. I had a big red before and well just could not seem to get the hang of it. Hoping that Melco has done some good upgrades with the machines and software. How difficult is it to learn to digitize using the new software?
Thanks for your input it is much appreciated.

[MJ]

I'm relatively new (a year) in the Melco world, but have been embroidering/digitizing for almost 10 years. I purchased a Bravo machine and recently traded it in for the XTS. For me, the Bravo had too many limitations--didn't have a large enough sew area for large jacket back designs, which I do a lot of. The operating system that comes with the Bravo is AOS Lite, so it doesn't have many of the features of the regular OS. I could not get the quality of results that I needed with the Bravo. Some of it may be that I've been using Brother digitizing software for years, so a lot of the files I stitched out on the Bravo were digitized on Brother software. I like the XTS much better than the Bravo, though, and am getting better quality than before. I'm using DesignShop more to do my simpler digitizing, but as mentioned earlier, if you have to work with Truetype fonts often, be prepared for some craziness and unreliability.
Personally, I think the newest version of AOS -- Version 10 Flex+, still has quite a few unresolved "bugs" in it -- especially in the use of anything to do with Truetype fonts! I've worked extensively with the techs at Melco and they are totally aware of the problems, but they just stopped responding to me because they have no solutions!
Just some of my thoughts....
MJ, Everything Embroidered

[Greenwing]

I am not defending Melco on this but the difficulty a issues with True type fonts is for the most part not a melco problem.

True type fonts are a vector file and if you are printing a vector font you can lay the color down any way it gets the job done.
BUT if your going to convert them to stitches they must be done a very specific way. The folks creating these fonts are only concerned with how they print not how they convert to emboridery.

[Posh LittleThings]

Jerome I think they are referring to other issues, my software crashes with a lot of features, and with TTF I completely understand that they are not perfectly digitized, but other softwares are way better at it. I do have a lot of complains with the software, and it bothers me that they know of the issues and they don't have answers after so long. In my case I have to purchase a different software in order to use their batch convertor, which I dont think is fair for the money we paid.

[MJ]

Yes, I was not talking about TT fonts not stitching out well -- I cannot use TT fonts at all because AOS Ver 10 will crash every single time I load a file with a TT font in it. I've sent Melco numerous files that will not load into AOS Ver 10 and they concur that there are problems, but have offered no solutions yet.
I am not expecting perfect results when stitching out a TT font, however, they shouldn't be crashing the software every single time. I purchased the machine and software because they were supposed to be able to work with TT fonts. When I had AOS Lite Version 9, I had absolutely no problems loading a file with a TTF, so it appears to be an issue with AOS Ver 10.

[MJ]

To add credence to what Jazmin said -- Brother's PE Design software, which I've been using for 10 years, does a heck of a job converting TT fonts, and it doesn't cost as much as Designshop.

[Greenwing]

I Am a retailer of PE design your right it works as well for true type fonts.
As far as the program crashing with truetype fonts are you using designs from PED?

I have had Huge issues with DS crashing using or even saving in any home embroidery format (PES, HUS, VIP ect...)

It is one of the big Issues I have with DS.

Melco says there is no issue.?..

I don't have version 10 as I have been told there is no need for it with an XT..

I do by far prefer DS to PED in the editing and control of designs, and Digitizing. I have been teaching PED for about 10+ years. DS Pro+ is well worth the $ for the Business user a home user may find the expence unjustified.

[Posh LittleThings]

No, I dont see why in the world a software that cost this much has to have those flaws, even EMBIRD that cost $160 can do a perfect batch convertor, don't get me wrong I love DSP+ for digitizing, and yes it crashes when converting to other formats, I sell digital files so it's a big issue for me, and Melco have said to me that thye are aware of these issues and that they are working on them (for over a year). And yes I assume it's not easy job, but I am telling you there is a software out there that cost $160 that does the job. It is ridiculous that they can't fix it. I have never tried PD Design, but I've seen the work of a fiend of mine who uses it and her letters are perfect! I jsut think, that if you cant fix something or deliver a software that is estable and relaible, then do not sell it at the price you offer it or do not maket it like it does what you already know it does not do. and yes that is Melco's fault.

[MJ]

These are the specific issues that I'm having, which have been confirmed by Melco and are not a fluke (happen every single time).
I'm using regular DesignShop and AOS Ver 10 Flex.
First in DS, when using a TTF, and you tell it to put in any type of underlay(s), you get weird results. Meaning, some letters have underlay, some don't, and some even have an underlay type that you didn't even specify! DS doesn't crash, you just don't get the underlay you specify. It seems to corrupt the file, because then I start having weird results when using the "arc" or "straight" features of text. I give the command to be on an arc, but it shows up straight (or vice versa). Now I have used TTF in a file and did NOT specify ANY type of underlay, and that did load successfully into AOS. I read in an earlier post about someone who makes their own underlay for every single letter in a font, then uses that. But for such a powerful software, should we have to create our own underlay for every letter ourselves? I really think that all of us need to continually report problems to Melco, and not just put up with the bugs and quirks -- otherwise it's not a big enough problem for them to do anything about!

Now the crashing problem I have is with AOS Ver 10. When one of these files is loaded into AOS, it will crash every single time. Then I have to delete the "Jobs" folder, otherwise AOS will not work at all (because it's trying to load the previous design)
(Now, these are files that are totally created in DesignShop -- NOT Brother PE Design, which I also use.) So I figured out that once I get the text the way I want to, the only way to load it into AOS is if I convert everything to wireframe first. Then it opens fine, but still does not have the proper underlay. But Melco didn't even give this as a "workaround" idea--they said "We know this is a problem and sorry, but have no workarounds at this time." And just left it at that. (Then ofcourse, you can't convert the wire frame back to text, which causes problems if you want to edit it). The reason this whole TTF thing is a big problem for me is that I have clients who I've done work for years that have to have the TTF that they've always used for their items.
I haven't even tried any file conversion yet, but it sounds like the software has an issue with that also. I'm trying to use the Melco (hardware and software) more and more to gradually utilize it for a certain type of orders, (large back patches) and still use my Brother for other types of orders.
I totally agree that DS is a much more powerful software when it comes to digitizing, which is one of the reasons I purchased it. But I have to say that I'm not thrilled with the response from Melco (and I've been very polite with them).
Thanks for listening!
MJ, Everything Embroidered

[levelbest]

MJ - first, what version of 10 are you running - please post.

On the underlay, have you tried turning continious underlay off? I was thrown by why someletters had what I specified and some not, and when I unchecked that box, things worked as expected.

On the second point - when one of what file is loaded? Just a plain TTF file with underlay?

Just trying to understand as I am running 10 and don't seem to be having the same issues. Would love to test and see if I too can reproduce.

[MJ]

John,
I have OS 10 Flex+.
No, I did not turn off continuous underlay--I will try that.
Second point -- any file I create with TT font text that has underlay. The files are mostly large text letters on an arc (I make a lot of biker back patches).
Thanks! MJ

[MJ]

John!
I love you! LOL
I turned off Continuous Underlay and I was finally able to load it into AOS!!! I guess it doesn't like the continuous underlay with TT fonts! Ofcourse, that's the one thing I didn't try!
I only tried one file so far, hopefully it works all the time now!
I guess I should tell Melco where the problem seems to be coming from.
Thanks soooooooooo much!!! This will make my life much easier.
MJ, Everything Embroidered

[MJ]

Aaaarrrgggghhh! I spoke too soon! I tried another file, removed the continuous underlay, and it wouldn't load. I removed the underlay, and it loaded, but only half the letters even showed up!
John, could I send you a file to see if you can load it or if you see anything else weird about it?
Thanks, MJ

[Posh LittleThings]

MJ,
But you still love John, right?
LOL!

[levelbest]

Sure... send me the file! I'm curious to see if I have the issue. Amayausers at levelbest dot com.