Comments for Built to Spec http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog Making Cool Stuff Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:43:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on The Cricut Seems to Be Ripe For the Hacking by Craig http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/2010/02/14/the-cricut-seems-to-be-ripe-for-the-hacking/comment-page-1/#comment-571 Craig Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:43:54 +0000 http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/?p=177#comment-571 It's possible that they have accidentally shorted a couple of the pins together when trying this, probably one that's connected to the ground or power and one of the other pins. This can break your Cricut permanently if you blow one of the pins of the micro controller (chip makers call this Electrical Over Stress or EOS). You really need to be careful when sticking little metal bits into any sort of socket, the Cricut is no exception! It’s possible that they have accidentally shorted a couple of the pins together when trying this, probably one that’s connected to the ground or power and one of the other pins. This can break your Cricut permanently if you blow one of the pins of the micro controller (chip makers call this Electrical Over Stress or EOS). You really need to be careful when sticking little metal bits into any sort of socket, the Cricut is no exception!

]]> Comment on The Cricut Seems to Be Ripe For the Hacking by Kevin http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/2010/02/14/the-cricut-seems-to-be-ripe-for-the-hacking/comment-page-1/#comment-570 Kevin Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:44:40 +0000 http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/?p=177#comment-570 Hey everyone, If it helps, I did the cartridge hack on my wife's Expression, and I can note two things: 1. The hack works, I get the george/basic shape cart. 2. The board looks pretty similar to the standard Cricut. It is a little more difficult to open I think. The board is off to one side, and the wires leading into the unit are very short, so it's hard to pivot the bottom down as much. However, it does appear to be the same board. Obviously the display is a little different, but it probably takes the same number of pins to drive, so the mainboard is likely the same. I'm guessing the carts are interchangable as well? I'm not sure on that point, but I would guess they only contain vector files, etc, and the actual allowed dimensions are controlled by the firmware in the unit. Hope this helps someone, and thanks for the hack. I bought our expressions off of Ebay for $180, with no cartridge, so this saved us a few bucks! -Kevin Hey everyone,

If it helps, I did the cartridge hack on my wife’s Expression, and I can note two things:

1. The hack works, I get the george/basic shape cart.
2. The board looks pretty similar to the standard Cricut. It is a little more difficult to open I think. The board is off to one side, and the wires leading into the unit are very short, so it’s hard to pivot the bottom down as much. However, it does appear to be the same board.

Obviously the display is a little different, but it probably takes the same number of pins to drive, so the mainboard is likely the same.

I’m guessing the carts are interchangable as well? I’m not sure on that point, but I would guess they only contain vector files, etc, and the actual allowed dimensions are controlled by the firmware in the unit.

Hope this helps someone, and thanks for the hack. I bought our expressions off of Ebay for $180, with no cartridge, so this saved us a few bucks!

-Kevin

]]> Comment on The Cricut Seems to Be Ripe For the Hacking by Kansas http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/2010/02/14/the-cricut-seems-to-be-ripe-for-the-hacking/comment-page-1/#comment-568 Kansas Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:13:24 +0000 http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/?p=177#comment-568 Almost forgot: PS I do have a disclaimer at my blog if one does make the george cart but am seriously thinking of pulling the whole post. It's just that I see over 5000 views on the message board and only two (possibly 3) people have had this problem. Almost forgot:
PS I do have a disclaimer at my blog if one does make the george cart but am seriously thinking of pulling the whole post. It’s just that I see over 5000 views on the message board and only two (possibly 3) people have had this problem.

]]> Comment on The Cricut Seems to Be Ripe For the Hacking by Kansas http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/2010/02/14/the-cricut-seems-to-be-ripe-for-the-hacking/comment-page-1/#comment-567 Kansas Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:11:01 +0000 http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/?p=177#comment-567 I have a pretty simple tutorial on my blog for making the George & Basic Shapes Cartridge. Almost everyone hasn't had any problem but a couple of people are saying after making it their cricut no longer recognizes any other cartridge. One woman first tried testing with the paperclip method so I don't think I'd say it was the homemade george but the other one strictly used the homemade cart. Resets were tried, unplugging, etc... nothing works. I've searched online and found nothing regarding this problem or a way to fix it... I came across your blog and you seem to know the "insides" pretty good, any ideas why this happened or how to fix it? I have a pretty simple tutorial on my blog for making the George & Basic Shapes Cartridge. Almost everyone hasn’t had any problem but a couple of people are saying after making it their cricut no longer recognizes any other cartridge. One woman first tried testing with the paperclip method so I don’t think I’d say it was the homemade george but the other one strictly used the homemade cart. Resets were tried, unplugging, etc… nothing works. I’ve searched online and found nothing regarding this problem or a way to fix it… I came across your blog and you seem to know the “insides” pretty good, any ideas why this happened or how to fix it?

]]> Comment on The Cricut Seems to Be Ripe For the Hacking by Craig http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/2010/02/14/the-cricut-seems-to-be-ripe-for-the-hacking/comment-page-1/#comment-461 Craig Mon, 03 May 2010 02:10:44 +0000 http://www.built-to-spec.com/blog/?p=177#comment-461 I haven't taken apart an Expression yet, but I imagine it's got a little more under the hood than the Personal. Nothing came up immediately in any searches for the component you're describing, but from your description it sounds like the Expression might use rotary encoders (here's an <a href="http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9117" rel="nofollow">example</a> of one that's sold by SparkFun) instead of potentiometers to set the size, pressure, etc. One clear indicator that it's using rotary encoders would be if the dials can be rotated more than one rotation. I don't have access to an Expression right now but I'll let you know if I get the opportunity to take one apart. I haven’t taken apart an Expression yet, but I imagine it’s got a little more under the hood than the Personal. Nothing came up immediately in any searches for the component you’re describing, but from your description it sounds like the Expression might use rotary encoders (here’s an example of one that’s sold by SparkFun) instead of potentiometers to set the size, pressure, etc. One clear indicator that it’s using rotary encoders would be if the dials can be rotated more than one rotation. I don’t have access to an Expression right now but I’ll let you know if I get the opportunity to take one apart.

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