This may be a silly question, but what do you guys think of this program. I heard a mention of it here recently and just went and looked at the there site. I was impressed with what I saw, so any feed back I'd like to hear it.
Thanks, and for those who don't know either, here's the link. Go take a look!
Vmp is the best buy for a software program...if you want to cut nice vinyl letters.. I replaced an 8000 dollar program with VMP...and I m happy with it. As is with all programs....there are some things missing...according to me.And so it will be with others Get a demo disc from VMP..try it.. Its free!!!..the only thing you cannot do...without purchasing...is cut. Easy to learn....as well what are ya waitn fer?
Posted by Jeffrey Vrstal (Member # 2271) on :
I'm with Michael on this one. VMP is a great program. Yes, there are some quirks but very easy to overcome. It will be the best $500.00 bucks you'll ever spend on sign software. Try the program. If you have questions feel free to e-mail me or call me. I'm not a rep for them, just a guy that uses it every day.
Posted by Steve Shortreed (Member # 436) on :
Always nice to read good things, and see a link to an actual Letterville Merchant. Special thanks to Shaun at Future for looking after his users in Letterville.
Posted by Chuck Gallagher (Member # 69) on :
I've got the disk coming soon I hope. I couldn't believe the functions it has for the money. I'm using signmate elite right now and it doesn't have some of the functions VMP does plus it was three times more money. What a deal! Thanks future.
All others that are looking for software need to see this.
Without a doubt that was the best $500. I've spent in a very long time. The program is excellent, as well as the fonts, and the font detective is really a time saver. The customer service is beyond excellent! Extremely helpful! It took me a little time learning to vectorize in VMP, but once I got it, I'm hooked and rarely use my other software!
[ April 20, 2002, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: Pat Foley ]
Posted by Chuck Gallagher (Member # 69) on :
Thanks Pat,
I'm looking forward to my demo coming soon!
Posted by Rich P (Member # 1789) on :
Wow. that does look like a good buy... does anyone know how this program compares to SIGNLAB...........? I am still looking for a new program........... Rich
Posted by Del Badry (Member # 114) on :
Ive had a demo copy and have tinkered a bit with it, and really do thinks its top notch....
It wont run my ol' gerber gsx plotter, so i havent taken the plunge to use it full time......
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
iam a corel user...and vmp pro is a lot like corel. i got the demo, and if i didnt cut right from corel i would buy it.
Posted by david drane (Member # 507) on :
I've been using it a couple of years and found it to be very satisfactory. Rich, I also have Signlab which I also use often and find it doesn't hurt to have a backup system. Some jobs just turn out better and can be done faster on VMP. Posted by Rich P (Member # 1789) on :
Dave,...... What does SIGN LAB offer that VMP does not have ?. Still torn.... Just ordered the DEMO DISK.......... Rich
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Does VMP have a "fillet" function or "round corners" function to aid in weeding vinyl??? Thanks.
Todd
Posted by Shaun Morrell (Member # 1581) on :
Hi Todd
Yes! it's called Speed-Weed and it places a horizontal line across your cut files without cutting through the strokes of letters etc.
This makes weeding much easier and a lot faster...
Thanks everyone
Shaun Morrell FUTURE CORPORATION LTD
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Thank you Shaun, that sounds handy....a lot like the powerweed feature in Signlab.
But what I'm really talking about is the ability to asign a specific radius to sharp corner points of lettering, thereby rounding the pesky sharp corners a bit....this makes weeding easier, and you have less trouble with those sharp corners peeling up off after application. Hope I am clearly stating this feature. Posted by Shaun Morrell (Member # 1581) on :
Hi Todd
Yes I understand what you mean... Not sure exactly how Signlab does this, but it'd be very easy to do by adjusting your plotter's offset... which would effectively round the corners off.
Perhaps your offset is set too much the other way and that's why you are experiencing this problem in the first place. I've seen it happen myself and it's easily corrected on a permanenet basis by adjusting this setting on the plotter itself.
I'll speak with our programmers and see what else can be done as a feature for the next version of VMP...
Thanks,
Shaun Morrell FUTURE CORPORATION LTD
Posted by Michael Boone (Member # 308) on :
In regard to rounding...I would like to see this feature included in an update. My Signus program had such a feature. It was useful for creating graphics where abuse would occur. Examples include...truck doors where constant washing is a factor,transoms of charter boats where lettering is abused by fish and harsh washing,over the road trucks,etc leading edges of graphics with sharp points are a good source for failure to begin. In Signus..the user selects the desired radius,which corners are rounded...in regard to inside or outside...and which angles are to be included.. this works mighty slick when shadows are created...the long skinnie points are eliminated
Posted by david drane (Member # 507) on :
Hi Chuck, Why not run VMP alongside Signlab, just as a backup system if nothing else, which it will easily do. I think we are all afraid of change. For special effects and outlines etc. VMP will run rings around Signlab. You will probably get hooked and end up running Signlab as the backup. Work this out for yourself also:- 5,000 fonts (@ $20 each) that won't clog up your hard drive. What could you possibly lose in your investment. By the way Michael Boone, would you know how I can get back on the VMP user's group as I have changed ISP's and I can't seem to get into Yahoo to change my email address.
Posted by Jeffrey Vrstal (Member # 2271) on :
Yesterday, 4-24-02, I received an e-mail from another letterhead wondering about problems with fonts not sizing correctly in VMP. I ran a couple of tests and found that this was in fact the case and could not figure out why. I forwarded the message to Shaun Morrell at VMP, not really expecting an immediate answer but more as a "heads up... what's this?" question. I figured that he would turn it over to tech guys and eventually respond. Did not happen that way. BOOM! Answer came back very quickly and it actually made sense too!
Another reason that this is a great program. I can't imagine ANYONE going wrong with this software. It will pay for itself over and over and over again very quickly. I've alway felt like a knucklehead when it came to trying to keep up with computer stuff. In the early days, keeping up meant spending WAY too much money for stuff that is so disposable now. For example... You can buy a color scanner for $70.00 or so and it works fine. Back then, I bought my first scanner, GREYSCALE, for about $1500.00. I am so happy that someone came out with something that (for once) is worth so much more than the $500.00 you have to spend on the program.
Thanks to Shaun and all at VMP. Here was the quick answer to my Wednesday problem...
Dear Jeff
Fonts and Windows are a difficult problem when it comes to actual size. The reason being that fonts are not measured by their physical size but their bounding size and how they relate to each other when they're typed out. Plus you have issues relating to hinting by Windows (making a font look better at a small size) then anti-aliaising which smoothes the edges of the fonts to make them look better, then you have issues like the font size in the Advanced section of the Display Settings in Windows which can really changes the appearance and size of fonts without our intervention. Plus the user can override other settings that effect fonts in Control Panel etc.
We decided to measure a fonts height by the capital letter T of all our fonts - so if you have a T set at 2.0" it should be 2.0" in height - however it's width depending on what's around it etc. etc. etc. may not be what you expect.
The best solution is to go to the Text Menu and uncheck Enable Screen Fonts and work in wireframe (F9) and use the Dimension Tools as shown below to really see a fonts true size - better yet convert it to curves - group it and set the size this way... to be absolutely sure of the size as curves are measured much more accurately...
Also if you do have your Fonts set to Large Fonts in the Advanced section of the Display Settings in Windows you will get extremely wrong measurements - this should really be set to Small Fonts for true accuracy and correct Kerning..
Shaun Morrell FUTURE CORPORATION LTD. www.future-1.com Posted by Shaun Morrell (Member # 1581) on :
Hi Jeff
It’s funny how quickly these things get sorted out. Our programmers have already changed the VMP Size Tools for the free update about to come out V2.50C.
What it does now is let you switch between a fonts Capital Letter size and it’s Physical Size (size it would cut out as if measured from the extreme left to right and top to bottom - allowing for lower case g’s underhang etc.) all with one click.
It displays one size in red and one in black with a help note next to it…
I just wanted to say thanks for raising this one as these things can easily be overlooked. The great thing about this change, is it’s also added a new feature which means that a rotated item can now have its dimensions altered while rotated without effecting the rotation or skewing or stretching the object.
In the mean time, please don’t forget that the Size Display along the top row of tools does display the items Physical Size (Cut File Size) whenever Text or Objects are selected in Object Mode…
Thanks again,
Shaun Morrell FUTURE CORPORATION LTD
Posted by David Kilgore (Member # 110) on :
Hey Tod, thanks for that post on the fillet option. I've been doing this for 30 years so of course the computer part of it is still kinda new. Though I've had my Graphix Advantage program for about 7 years I didn't know about this option
Thanks again, fun to learn something new!
Dave
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Hey David, glad I could finally help someone myself
The "filet" option is a huge feature for vinyl cutting in my opinion. I can't imagine a sign program without it.
Michael Boone described it's usefulness very well. With this function, you have far less "razor sharp" ends curling up on you after the application. Have fun with that "filet" option.
Shaun: I think I got a free demo disk of that program once in the mail...I read about it and thought, "No way can a sign program do all this stuff [well] for only $500". And I'm sure I threw it away. I mean, heck, all these other guys want to "rape" you for $3,000.
This is why I have always designed all my artwork in CorelDraw or Illustrator and imported the final art into Signlab Basic (plus the effects module which allows corner rounding). So, heck...I've got $950 into a very..very basic version of Signlab 5.....which I always thought wa a ripoff, considering Corel and Illustrator can do everything Signlab does....and far easier...except for actually cut the vinyl. I already had these other programs for my full-time job anyway.
Posted by Shaun Morrell (Member # 1581) on :
Hi Todd
OK – I’ve checked with our guys and we can have this feature in without any delay. What I need to know is what distance from the sharp corners to the beginning of the radius (rounded corners) would you like?
We can also make this a setting (adjustable) as well, so would you prefer the measurement to be a percentage of say the text’s height or an absolute measurement e.g. 0.125” – let me know and I’ll have it in for V2.50C
Thanks,
Shaun Morrell FUTURE CORPORATION LTD
Posted by Michael Boone (Member # 308) on :
Here's my input to the rounding.. I would like to be able to select the radius. Ideally...if I can select ANY radius up to 1/2 the stroke of the letter....I can not only round to my liking..I can also create entirely different fonts by using this. Serafs can be diminished this way. Square letters take on a whole new look. whatever you can do..Shaun...I, for one, will appreciate.. thanks...
Posted by Tony B (Member # 935) on :
I'm a little late on the thread but I'll jump in. My name is Tony and i'm a vinyl master pro a holic. Ok with that said, I have been using it well over a year now and find that it does everything I need it to. It's my only program and for me it does the job quite well.I have a van lettering job posted at the portfolio section done with VMP.
The only thing that I would like to see is being able to open more than one file at a time. (like Corel, etc) For example, I have a client who I have done work for and has changed the company his trucks are leased to.I have all the local trucking companies lease info(DOT#'s etc)pre deisgned He now just needs the new leased to decals. It would be nice to open his file (with his logo) and open the pre designed "leased to whoever trucking co" and copy paste it into the same file as his logo, then save it as whatever i want.
The way I do this now (while working in the program) is to open VMP again (so now I have 2 VMP's running at the same time) and copy & paste that way. Having this option would be a definate plus.
I's great to see the VMP company people here and all the changes being made to take care of the customer. That's what I call customer service!
Posted by Shaun Morrell (Member # 1581) on :
Hi Guys
OK – we now have rounding (filet) put in. It’s in the Speed-Weed module and it works by setting an angle and then the radius distance – does the trick and works on any object – not just text. Just apply your settings to any cut-file and you’re done.
There will be a V2.50C beta download available for anyone who’s interested that includes this new feature and many more – just e mail me your details to vmpbeta@future-1.com and I’ll send you all the details plus all the updates and fixes.
The biggest fix is in import/export and open/save – much more reliable and compatible… plus you can now export as PDF to e mail people your designs (for them to look at only)…
Thanks
Shaun Morrell FUTURE CORPORATION LTD
Posted by Bill Biggs (Member # 18) on :
I have vinyl master pro had it for quite a while, it doesn't plot to my gerber sprint plotter, so I still use sign lab mostly, but I have used the clip art and corporate logos enough to pay for my 500 bucks I spent. And it will export an ai file out of it. Maybe eventually I will need to get a plotter that will run it. Sign lab is getting so expensive, Gerber has always been, and gerber stuff just doesn't work as well as sign lab in my opinion. Maybe Joe and Dave are right to just stick with corel. Bill
Posted by Mark Fuller (Member # 2128) on :
Chuck
I am with Bill on the Corel thing.
Started with Gerber, moved down to Casmate, slid over to Scanvec, played with Signmate, dabelled with Co-cut and laughed at people using Corel.
I may be guilty of working with Adobe Illustrator, BUT THERE AIN'T NUTHIN i CAN'T DO WITH MY COREL!
A surprised convert.
Mark
Posted by Rich P (Member # 1789) on :
what takes the demo cd so llong to come............ ? Sign Labs was here in 3 days...........
Posted by John Thompson (Member # 2750) on :
Their demo comes all of the way from Australia. Any company who will go through the expense of sending a Demo all of the way from Australia by mail has got to be a decent company in my book. I got it after a couple of weeks and we are in the process of getting it right now we are getting ours fro www.ssky.com instead of from Vinyl Master Pro though because we deal with SSK all of the time. By the way it is $499 form them also.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Shaun -
You guys have me stunned! Whoever heard of a sign software company that will take requests online and actually implement them within days into their software!?
That's incredibly impressive! I emailed you, but want to post it here too: Please send me a cd to demo! If the radius corner (fillet) works...I'll be buying a copy in short order.
Oh yeah, the other thing: Does it work with Windows XP? My Signlab 5 doesn't.
Thanks.
Todd
Posted by John Thompson (Member # 2750) on :
I have a question for Shaun if he is reading, How soon is the newer version going to be available to the public? Should I wait before buying in order to get the newest version? I use Vinyl Express Master, a Flexi productand it is a piece of #$%! and now my saving up for Signlab is outta here too.
Posted by Shaun Morrell (Member # 1581) on :
Hi John
Hope you got my e mail - As mentioned it's already been released to our beta testers and if anyone else is interested they can write to vmpbeta@future-1.com and request the download link for V2.50C.
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5,000 fonts (@ $20 each) that won't clog up your hard drive. What could you possibly lose in your investment. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)