What is the best software and reader/writer box to upgrade to?
 

My desktop is 10 years old. It is now having issues w/booting. I was going to have another one built to my specs (serial port for the original reader/writer, dual boot w/Win 7 & XP partitions). DH suggested finding out what to use w/a new laptop (he wants his own computer - he would get my old laptop and I would get the new). So what are the best reader/writer boxes that don't require a serial port? Will they work w/Husqvarna Viking 3D Embroidery software? Do I need another embroidery program? I don't do a lot of embroidery, but I'm hoping to do more. The desktop and the laptop are about the same cost, initially. So, I'm trying to decide what makes more sense, both cost and long term usability wise. Thanks for the help,
Dolly in MI

I think serial ports have been changed to USB now?

some of the old embroidery programs for the Huskqvarna do not work on the new windows formats. My 1+ has to have a windows 96 or older. It does not matter if you have the right port or not if the program will not run on the new computer. To make my reader writer to work on a new computer I would have to buy a whole new embroidery program and then Huskqvarna will not guarantee that that would even work.

The Amazing box would work. The Viking cards are the same size as Brother/Babylock. Some of the older Pfaff programs have been made to work on newer computers. It was called PCD Win. USB only.
I have a dedicated offline computer with XP for sewing and crafting.

I'm using Babylock Cardworks (no longer made) now Amazing Designs. It takes a Pfaff card. The Amazing box writes HUS . We had an Ellure as well as my 2170.

http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...itable+card.do

You can probably pick up a cheap XP laptop now and keep it offline just for the embroidery.

This is very true about old software, which is why a lot of people are switching to floriani for lifelong upgradews, and no dongle(reader/writer box). If you need that for your embroidery machine the problem is your system is so outdated you will likely have to purchase new software. Companies only update software to work on specific OS for so long, and once microsoft stops supporting that OS more than likely there will be no further update for ones that ran on that OS. Before you buy anything if you are dependent on a card writer, I would see if there is a generic one that you could use and maybe look into floriani. If you are going to buy floriani software, I would do it at an event because it is discounted greatly. I just went to one and I have already invested into my software so didn't purchase, but if I had no software I would have been so willing to buy

I agree, I bought my 5D Pro at an event so it was greatly discounted. A few months later I went to a Floriani event and was intrigued by the software and loved the no upgrade fees. I like my 5D but to go to 5D its like a 1000, so that isn't happening. I told my teacher until she can teach me most of what 5D has to offer there is no reason to upgrade. I may eventually if I have extra money get the Floriani software to put on my pc as well. I work in the IT field and we are also trying to figure out what we are going to do with alot of XP pcs here at the hospital. Alot of the programs we use here havn't upgraded to 8 yet so we still have 7 on most of them, which I do like. They old software, most won't work on anything after XP and started off with Win 98, there isn't a 96. Alot of the newer software starting with Vista and maybe XP has a thing where it says it can run your software as if its running on the version it needs but of the few emb programs I've tried that with it doesn't work. I had retired my XP laptop and brought it back for this reason. The good thing is that HP is starting to bring back pc's with Win 7 on it because so many people have issues with 8. 8 now comes with a free upgrade to 8.1 which makes it easier to use, supposedly, I haven't used it so I'm not sure.