If you have access to a dealer for all three, you should go and try them out. I have several Janomes and love them but others will say the same thing for the other two brands! Yes, dealer support is very, very important. Make sure there is someone on site who can do repairs and classes are a must too! I'm fortunate to have a first class dealer who is wonderful person as well. I must travel over 2 hours to get there but don't have to go often and he sells me accessories (at a good discount) by mail when I want them. There is a closer dealer but I didn't like how they said some bad things about other brands. But the three brands you're looking at are all very different. Personally, I did not care for the Brother machines, yet they have lots of bells and whistles and tons of fans. I liked Bernina but the machine I was most interested in had bobbins that cost $3 each. Ouch! So take your time and find the machine that's right for YOU. You need to find a machine and dealer that click with you. I had been prepared to buy a Brother, then a Bernina, but ended up with a Janome. As I said I have other Janome machines so it's a brand that I'm comfortable with.

New embroidery machine owner here. I just received the Brother PE 770 for my birthday. I was going to buy it in the Spring and go halves with DD, but she was sneaky and bought it for my birthday. I still have to get some supplies before I start up but I wanted to let you all know that this thread of conversation has really helped me understand the machine embroidery world (I skimmed the entire thread over a few days). Thanks to all who contribute.

I have had my Janome 10001 for several years and love it. Still learning it by trial and error. Yesterday I embroideried on burlap for the first time, used coats and clark all purpose thread.
I have purchased balsa wood and plan to embroidery on it in the near future. [ATTACH=CONFIG]504329[/ATTACH]

I am looking for some help with 5 D embroidery program anyone able to help me? I downloaded 6D that was free on the Pfaff web site, I already own 5D, this was to enable you to view the designs right on your computer without going through 5D viewer, works great, BUT now when I down load designs it does so as 6D and 5D will not open these designs/????

Did you download 6D organizer, pro, or the explorer. What you have is 5D organizer, if its the free program that came with the machine. Mine came with 4D orgainzer and then I bought 5D Pro, I took off the 4D just to make things easier on myself. Not sure where you are located but if you have a place close that does this they could help. My LQS is great with both machines and software. I have the 6D explorer but it doesn't affect how my designs open. Have you check either viking or phaff's website on the software to see if there are any tips to help you out

Romanojg, I have 5D and all of he modules, I down loaded 6D that was a free download and it was the viewer, so any designs I have in folders can be viewed without using the viewer in 5D. That is really nice, but seems to have confused 5D any designs I down load now have the 6D logo..... Will check Pafff web sie that is where I got it.....maybe I missed a step....

Maggie_Sue, it might say 6D but the file extension is still the same so you shouldn't have any problems using any of your designs. I know on Viking's web site they have two links at the bottom, one is trouble shooting if its software and the other is the machine. You could email them. My local store here is Bella's Fabric in Suffolk, VA. They have wonderful teachers and staff. You could always call them and tell them you want to talk to one of staff that's good with the 5D and 6D. The good thing is the file extension hasn't changed so you are still good. I have 5D Pro, I told them I wasn't upgrading to 6 until I felt I had learned enough from 5. Right now we are creating blocks in EQ7 and then digitizing them in 5 and 6D, I'm the only one with 5. I downloaded 6 and I get the logo too.

The 6D explorer allows you to set what attributes you see too, which is great. Check both machines websites out since they both have the same software.

Thank you romanojg, for that information. I just may try calling your store when I have a day off during the week. Seems like that would be very helpful.

i just got though making this for my end table. This is the first table runner that I have made with embroidery. Then I did free motion quilting with ruler first time.

I have a Brothers PE500 and I love it! 4x4 but it has been great for my first one. I have done quilt blocks, coasters, onesies, bibs, quilting and cup cozies. I love it! I will say after buying a CD of 35,000 patterns....I had to transfer to a thumb drive due to my new notebook doesn't have a DVD or CD drive on it! Seems the Windows 8.1 and newer computers have drop box and they don't have the drives anymore but I can still transfer the many FREE and paid for designs to my machine. Anyone else have a Brothers PE500?