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Uploading & Downloading with BrotherLinks

Brother KH970 - errors uploading & downloading

Problem description: When uploading or downloading to the Brother KH970, the CB-1 reports that the FB100 is not connected, or there is another unexpected error.

This could be because the wrong main icon on the CB-1 display has been chosen. The correct icons to use are the 5th and 6th ones:

        LOAD DATA
        FROM DISK
(for downloading)

SAVE DATA
  TO DISK
(for uploading)

Brother KH970 - downloading lace

Problem description: The downloaded lace pattern is blank.

After downloading, the CB-1 asks which carriage to use: select the knit carriage and not the lace carriage.

DesignaKnit 9 (and DesignaKnit 8 with the Lace Tool enabled) download lace patterns in a separated form, ready for interactive knitting. You will be following knitting instructions from DesignaKnit, not from the CB-1. If you select the lace carriage, the CB-1 will try to interpret the downloaded pattern as unseparated lace and separate it a second time, resulting in a largely blank pattern.

Brother KH270, KH965, KH965i, KH970 - Memory full error

Problem description: When downloading to these machines, the progress bar completes, but the knitting machine displays an E on the console when LOAD, STEP, or EXEC are pressed. Uploading works.

The machine memory can be filled by just one very large pattern that was downloaded previously. Delete all or some patterns from the knitting machine memory and try again. The 888 procedure can be used to delete all 900 series patterns. When DesignaKnit works out whether a pattern or batch of patterns will fit into the knitting machine memory, it assumes that the memory is otherwise empty.

(This problem doesn’t exist for other Brother machines and for the PPD. For those devices, any previously existing 900 series pattern numbers are automatically erased and replaced by the newly downloaded patterns.)

Damaged pins in knitting machine or PPD connector

Problem description: A variety of errors when uploading or downloading via the 8-way FB100 port on the knitting machine or PPD.

Inspect the connector on the knitting machine or PPD. There is a group of 8 pins which the DesignaKnit cable plugs onto. See whether any pins are wobbly. It could be that the whole group of 8 pins is wobbly, or just one of them. Any wobbly pins should be re-soldered by a knitting machine engineer. (You might find that a knitting machine with wobbly pins can work with a PPD but not with DesignaKnit. This is because the PPD cable’s connector holds the pins differently and exerts sideways pressure on them and this can compensate for any bad electrical connection.) If any of the pins are badly bent, that may also prevent communication.

You can test whether this is the cause of a problem by rigging up some elastic or tape to pull the cable sideways gently while you are trying to upload. It’s best to experiment with uploading rather than downloading so that the knitting machine memory doesn’t get corrupted by an unsuccessful download (which would require the 888 procedure - see above.)

Using any Link - check for worn needle retaining bar

Random mispatterning can be caused by a worn needle retaining bar (or sponge bar).

To return to Cable Specific Points, click here.

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Cable Link Manuals

The latest versions of the DesignaKnit cable link manuals are available here.

Fixing memory corruption for the PPD cartridge

Using the 888 procedure to fix memory corruption

Problem description: When downloading to Brother KH930, KH940, KH950i, KH965i, or KH970, the progress bar either does not start or gets stuck during the download. Uploading may also fail to start, or corrupted stitch patterns may be uploaded.

Corruption of the knitting machine memory can be caused by interrupting a download once the progress bar has started. If the Cancel button is clicked, the download is halted at that point, and the knitting machine memory may need to be fixed before another download can be started.

The Brother KH970’s CB-1 console can detect and fix corrupted memory just by powering off and back on.

For other machines, perform an 888 operation to clear the memory of the knitting machine. This will erase the 900 series pattern numbers. When the Ready light is on, key 888 on the knitting machine and press Step or Memory. Wait for half a minute or so until you hear a beep. Turn the machine off, wait a few seconds, then turn it on again, wait a few seconds and turn it off. Try the download again. If ever downloading gets stuck, it is a good idea to use this 888 procedure, because the data which has arrived in the knitting machine memory will be incomplete and might confuse the knitting machine and prevent it from correctly accepting a further download. When investigating a cable link problem with Brother machines, it is better to experiment first with uploading rather than downloading for that reason.

Problem description: When downloading to the PPD in any mode, the progress bar either does not start or gets stuck during the download. Uploading may also fail to start, or corrupted stitch patterns may be uploaded.

The PPD can detect and fix corrupted memory when powering on. If you suspect that the memory is corrupted, turn the PPD on, wait a few seconds, press the STEP key, wait another few seconds, then turn the PDD off again. It should then be possible to download without problem.

If ever downloading gets stuck, use this procedure, because the data which has arrived in the PPD memory will be incomplete and might prevent it from correctly accepting a further download. When investigating a cable link problem with the PPD, it is better to experiment first with uploading rather than downloading for that reason.

Using PPD cartridge II or III - ensure correct mode

It may be necessary to connect the PPD to a television to ensure that the cartridge is in the correct mode for the knitting machine. If the cartridge is in the wrong mode, uploading and downloading will not work.

Using any Link - do not coil up

Any excess length of cable should not be tightly coiled but should be arranged loosely away from other cables, in order to avoid electromagnetic effects.