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[Alonna]

I have ventured into the world of embroidery and I would like to venture into digitizing. I have a Janome 300e and would like to make some of my own designs. I was looking at the Ispira software package. Has anybody used it? DO you recommend it? Is there another software package that would be good without breaking the bank.

[Linda]

Your choice may depend on how you get your embroidery designs to your machine. Do you have to write to a card? Do you have direct connection via a cable? Can you use floppy disks? Can you use a little jump drive?
Embird Studio is a very affordable digitizing software. http://www.embird.com/ I don't use it because I already had other software, but I do have the basic Embird program and love it.
They have a demo version you can try. There are numerous Yahoo Groups that are good for support.
Maybe someone else can comment about this program if they use it.

[fwalker1]

I have embird, and I love it. But I have a Singer Futura, which is run on the computer, so I don't have to transfer the designs anywhere else after I'm finished with them, but the program is very good for me.

[SiCK]

Janome's Digitizer 10000 is an excellent program. It talks to my 10001 perfectly.

[Guest]

lots use embird and the designs are fine,
I personally purchased the software ment for my Machine (husqvarna Viking)SE which goes with 3D software which does everying even though I haven't fiquired it all out yet.
Since you own a Janome, I would compare Janome's Digitizer 10000 to whatever program you may want instead..
the other concern would be learning to use the software, (training classes, a live person to call, web access also repair and support etc.....

[GoldenNeedleDesigns]

I personally love EMBIRD, although I have not used other digitizing software. I am only 18 and I found it pretty easy to use. Our version had tutorials that we found very helpful. I am in business with my mom, who has digitized and embroidered for over ten years. She even went through embird's tutorials to get the hang of it and she loves it as much as I do! Out of all the digitizing programs she has used she likes it the best, it even has some features that we had not seen before. I would definitely suggest it!

[TOTSY]

Janome digitizer pro is probably the easiest program i have used , great results and very quick to learn everything is in one place a much better product than digitizer 10,000. One fault with it is that on some of the russian designs it cant convert and you will get a machine error, the official reply from the soft ware designers there is a bug in the file conversion which will be sorted out the last quater of the year!!!!!!! Pretty bad if your like me and like to try out everything in the market place as this means by the time its fixed i would have owned the product for 14 months any one else had this problem??

[marji]

Hi, I got the Janome 300E and the Janome Digitizer Pro as a package deal from my very wonderful dealer, SuperStitch. I told her what I wanted to do, what training I had, and she was good enough to listen to me and make an informed recommendation. I had never used an embroidery machine before, but have been a sewist since I was a kid, learning from my mother on her old Singer. I do have lots of computer experience, designing flyers, business cards, etc. having worked in advertising for years. We chose the Digitizer Pro over the other packages because it will do more. If you have ever used Microsoft Publisher, Digitizer Pro works on the same principles. One thing I love about it is that the UNDO feature is endless. If you do something, and ten or twenty somethings later you don't like it, you can hit UNDO 10 or 20 times and go back to where you started. It is a very forgiving program. It gives you the options of using the default settings for underlay, etc. or if you want to do something on your own, you can do your own underlay, stretchiness, etc. It will do auto digitize, but you have to have a clean clipart. Auto digitize is only as good as a computer, and remember computers are all stupid machines. Auto gives you lots of jump stitches, stupid color changes, etc. It's really not that hard to digitiz it yourself, honest. Just takes a little practice. If your dealer is good, they should offer classes in the software, mine does. There are also tutorials on the Janome website. If you're going to do it, might as well spend the bucks up front and get the best program, cause you'll just wish you had anyway. And after a while you'll look at all the expensive embroidery cards and say "I can do that"--look at what you'll save in the long run, lol. Hope this helps, feel free to contact me if you need more info. Marji, new to this forum, but looking forward to having fun here.

[dsimmons]

I purchased the Bernina Artista Designer Software about six months ago. Parts of it I've found very easy to use and parts not so easy. The jury is still out if I'd recommend this expensive SW to someone else. Time will tell.

I'd certainly like to chat with others who use this software.

[amcbetsy]

I have MasterWorks, which I know from others is an excellent program. Unfortunately, the dealer stopped having classes a couple weeks after I bought the program. It does have an excellent DVD tutorial available, but it is $200, and I can't afford it just yet. I would really prefer classes if I knew someone teaching them.

[quiltersblock]

I have Viking 4D Pro and really like it. I also own a Viking Designer-I sewing/embroidery machine, which is why I went with the Viking software, starting with Customizing then to 3D and now 4D - all with full features. I have Generations but don't use it much. It was better than 3D but it's not as good as 4D. I was recently able to see a demonstration of and mess around with the new Floriani Pro software and I really like that and might add it to my mix in a year or so. It seems to have some similarities to Wilcom without that big of an expense. In some ways I found it better than 4D and lacking in others but they say they'll keep improving it with free upgrades. I suggest to anyone looking to purchase software to not only ask for demonstrations but to also ask to play around with it at the purchase site as well. And make a list of questions to ask the dealer and a list of things you want to be able to do with the software. Put them through the paces of what that software does. A good dealer will provide support for the software as well, offering classes and will have the ability to answer questions whenever you have problems. Make sure the software you choose is compatible with the machine formats for which you wish to digitize. It's your money and time - enjoy it.
quiltersblock

[Silver]

That depends on who you are, what results you want and your familiarity with your machine, computers and imaging software. I would advise anyone, unless they are already proficient with digitizing, to see if free lessons with your dealer comes as part of the price. Tutorial dvds and cds are often available but usually at an additional price.

The next important step is to see if you can get a free demo of the software you want, to try at home. Dealers are really good at making even the most difficult software look simple... just remember, that's their job. Demos are often full versions but run for a limited time (most 30 days or for so many tries).

Check the mfr. web site. Does it have one patch after another or do they offer full new versions of the program for you to download with each 'update'? It is easy the first time you need a patch but if you have to wade through dozens of patches and install them all in the right order when you need to reinstall the program it will not be so amusing. The only exception would be if you still have a dial-up connection then entire new updates may take all night to get!

Also look into when the software came out. Even tho most companies support their software for a number of years it is a real bite in the wallet to get a program that costs hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, and have the next best version come out a few months later. I have been down this road and would not wish that experience on anyone.... I still 'shudder' when I remember the look on my husband's face when I told him my 'new' $1400 program had just been replaced.

Check also to see if it is compatible with your operating system. Since many new computers now have Vista on them this has become a big issue. The 32-bit version of Windows Vista will run many of the same programs as does Windows XP but the 64-bit version of Vista may be a whole different story! Sooner or later we will all probably be running 64-bit operating systems. Unless you can find an old computer with an older versions of Windows to keep as a back-up machine most of us will be kissing most of our old software goodbye.

Also ask; Does it require a hardware key (like a usb dongle) or a software key (a number you must enter) to work? With most software keys you can only have the software functional on one computer at a time. If this sounds easy consider if your home is like mine where teens or hubby take control of the desktop or the darn thing has a 'nervous breakdown' (the computer not my hubby!) from time to time. I prefer working on the desktop but have a laptop as a backup computer. Transferring a single user key requires access to both machines tho and if something goes wrong while you are doing this you must call the mfr. of the software and wait hours or days to get a new number key. Reinstalling a digitizing program after a system or hardware failure or replacing a hard drive may also require a new key. They are not like most number keys you enter when you put a piece of regular software on your computer and can just re-enter the old number.

With the hardware keys if you lose it, break it or if it just dies you may have to buy the entire program again. The only exception is if the key dies while your warranty is in affect... otherwise the program is worthless. The advantage is you can install the software on more than one machine and just unplug the key and move it to another computer if need be. Beware people (so called dealers or on auction sites) who sell 'cracked' versions of programs. If it required a key originally and they say their version works without it then it is in all likelihood stolen, illegally hacked, software! You can get in almost as much trouble for having it as they can for selling it. If you don't think you will get caught wait until the program or Windows handy dandy 'updater helper' contacts the mfr. and 'tips' them off!

Making an expensive digitizing program worthwhile considering their cost is not an easy thing to do. Most of us just need the software to do basic designs and lettering. Rarely, unless you have a real knack for this can you make that money back.

I know this question is way out of day according to the original post date but I think it is one of the most important ones that anyone new to machine embroidery or digitizing can ask.

Silver