Vigotec VG-L7 (BX20) & Raspberry?

[mcdanlj (Michael K Johnson)]

We have had various reports, both of success and failure, uploading new firmware that supports gcode to various Vigotec units.

Success:

Vigotec VG-L7 BX20 image sizing/ printable area

I did nothing special… if the Chinese Software “VigoEngraverL7” (I downloaded Version 2.32 from vigotec.cn) works (so your Hardware is ok), then just click on “Settings”, “Model Select”, “Upload Firmware” (checkbox) and you get a file dialog to pick a “.hex” file. This is the super easy way to push “Standard_Grbl_v1.1f.hex” to your controller board (and the exact same procedure to go back to “VigoEngraver_Firmware_V1.3_B20200718.hex” if you want). Wish you the best of luck! Regards, wood

Failure:

Vigo VG-L7X swap to GRBL compatible control board

OK so I cannot get the firmware to update on this device. I found the GRBL firmware and used the supplied XLOADER, carefully following the instructions but it eventually failed (after a few hours). After this, the supplied Vigotec software no longer connects and trying to update back to the supplied firmware fails - so I appear to be screwed! Can anyone help? If I need to buy a new control board, can anyone recomment one that is compatible with the 4 pin Vigo laser? Thanks.

Failure to load firmware

I am back to trying to load the firmware on my L7 which I have had for about 6 months. I try the Xloader and have 2 hex files in my folder, they are VigoEngraver_Firmware_V1.3_B20200718.hex Standard_Grbl_v1.1f.hex I have tried both many times and have only the responce ‘‘Cannot open’’ I have the correct location for the files. I have used the device as written (ATmerga328) com port 1 at the moment is free but changed to other free ports to no avail, Baurd rate 115200. Pressed uplaod and the C…

I looked at http://vigotec.cn/software/VigoEngraverL7_v2.32-B20200814.zip which contains a file Standard_Grbl_v1.1f.hex which ought to enable using LaserWeb, Kiri:Moto, or Visicut. They ship avrdude.exe for windows (twice in that .zip file!), but it looks like it actually uses avrdude to do the upload, and I would expect that on Linux on your Raspberry Pi you should be able to use avrdude for Linux. However, I don’t know what avrdude command-line arguments would be required.

Also, I don’t see any offer from Vigotec to comply with the terms of the GPL for all the GPL software they are shipping. GRBL and Avrdude at least are GPL and they are legally required to ship the source code. I see nothing in that file, and nothing on their web site, offering source code. They are happy to declare their own copyright and state “All rights reserved” for their own web site, but apparently less interested in honoring the copyrights of others.