USB Print Problems
I just got my MK3 in today and was trying out some test prints after calibration. All of the prints that came with the sd card came out OK. As soon as I tried printing USB through prusa's slic3r or simplify 3d nothing came out right. I tried going through quite a few settings and was pulling my hair out.
Attempted to export to the SD card and print the same gcode from there and it came out fine. The below is the same gcode out of simplify3d. Top is from a SDcard print, and the bottom is from a USB print.
I tried upgrading to the latest beta firmware and still have the issues.
Re: USB Print Problems
Check out the Octopi threads. The Mk3 is not currently reliable over USB. With the 8 bit controller, it can't handle all the new features (linear advance, etc.) along with reliably reading the USB serial input buffer. It loses some and things go haywire (often a layer shift).
There is a special version of the firmware (143e?) that removes linear advance that seems to help. For any print that I need to reliably finish, I use SD card for now. I still use Octopi for some prints that are running slower (i run PETG pretty slow), and it mostly works. I've only lost a few prints to layer shift.
Re: USB Print Problems
Related question:
Can the MK3 be a target via USB to write to the SD card, then use the SD card as a source to print from?
I am almost certain the answer is NO, but I am going to ask in case there is a easy way to do this specifically?
And why is this not a capability? Wouldn't this be a pretty commonly used method, instead of constantly swapping SD cards back and forth all the time needlessly?
I am seriously considering a wifi enabled SD card, as the Octoprint functionality seems to be more limited and significantly more messy than I had anticipated from the information that was avalible, and the recommendations from the community to go that direction.
Re: USB Print Problems
Writing to SD card over USB is doable, but incredibly slow - mainly because the firmware writes the contents of the file line-by-line, waiting for a USB message roundtrip between each. Also you can't write to USB while the printer is actively printing.
Re: USB Print Problems
Well, even via USB connection speed is still only 115200, which is low. 1MB file will theoretically take over 10 seconds to transfer. I tried to play with pronterface and upload to SD, but it asks for 8.3 format name and here's first problem: .gcode extension isn't in 8.3 format... Then at transfer it throws a bunch of errors regarding checksum...
in short, useless. It's way quicker to remove SD, put it into PC, copy and put it back to printer.
Again i will write the same as i did couple of times before: the biggest miskate Josef made is that he didn't use ARM MCU.
Re: USB Print Problems
Well, even via USB connection speed is still only 115200, which is low. 1MB file will theoretically take over 10 seconds to transfer. I tried to play with pronterface and upload to SD, but it asks for 8.3 format name and here's first problem: .gcode extension isn't in 8.3 format... Then at transfer it throws a bunch of errors regarding checksum...
in short, useless. It's way quicker to remove SD, put it into PC, copy and put it back to printer.
I use Toshiba FlashAir SD to transfer gcode files to my printer. It is a normal SD card with build in WiFi/file server. The printer sees it as a standard SD card - very easy to use, long filenames and power recovery works 😉
Have a look at my models on Printables.com 😉
Re: USB Print Problems
Check out the Octopi threads. The Mk3 is not currently reliable over USB. With the 8 bit controller, it can't handle all the new features (linear advance, etc.) along with reliably reading the USB serial input buffer. It loses some and things go haywire (often a layer shift).
There is a special version of the firmware (143e?) that removes linear advance that seems to help. For any print that I need to reliably finish, I use SD card for now. I still use Octopi for some prints that are running slower (i run PETG pretty slow), and it mostly works. I've only lost a few prints to layer shift.
So you are still having problems using octopi? I had a pizero on the way hoping that would help me solve the problems.
I watched a layershift print and it seems to reset the print head on the x axis until it hits the stops and clicks a bit then resets and goes back to printing.
I am at pretty much 100% usb failure rate
USB
Same File NonUSB
Re: USB Print Problems
Well, even via USB connection speed is still only 115200, which is low. 1MB file will theoretically take over 10 seconds to transfer. I tried to play with pronterface and upload to SD, but it asks for 8.3 format name and here's first problem: .gcode extension isn't in 8.3 format... Then at transfer it throws a bunch of errors regarding checksum...
in short, useless. It's way quicker to remove SD, put it into PC, copy and put it back to printer.
I use Toshiba FlashAir SD to transfer gcode files to my printer. It is a normal SD card with build in WiFi/file server. The printer sees it as a standard SD card - very easy to use, long filenames and power recovery works 😉
What version FlashAir do you have? W-01/02/03/04?
Re: USB Print Problems
Well, even via USB connection speed is still only 115200, which is low. 1MB file will theoretically take over 10 seconds to transfer. I tried to play with pronterface and upload to SD, but it asks for 8.3 format name and here's first problem: .gcode extension isn't in 8.3 format... Then at transfer it throws a bunch of errors regarding checksum...
in short, useless. It's way quicker to remove SD, put it into PC, copy and put it back to printer.
I use Toshiba FlashAir SD to transfer gcode files to my printer. It is a normal SD card with build in WiFi/file server. The printer sees it as a standard SD card - very easy to use, long filenames and power recovery works 😉
Is there a thread that details this specific cards use for this purpose? Are there any reasons to choose this card specifically? Which version are you using specifically?
Are there any caveats to its use?
I don't see many people using these, yet they seem to be the "best" solution for our particular needs to allow the MK3 to operate as intended with its feature sets uninterrupted.
Are there any other options to consider that have both read and write ability?
How difficult is it to access the card?
Can we simply mount it in a file browser "permentently" and drag and drop?
Re: USB Print Problems
I use Toshiba FlashAir SD to transfer gcode files to my printer. It is a normal SD card with build in WiFi/file server. The printer sees it as a standard SD card - very easy to use, long filenames and power recovery works 😉
What version FlashAir do you have? W-01/02/03/04?
The Toshiba FlashAir card I use is 16GB W-03 with firmware update from Toshiba site. I set it up to allow file and web access.
It can then be used like a file server (share) and in the web browser.
I only use it in the file browser - files is accessed as a share and can be dragged, dropped, copied, moved renamed and deleted as normally would a file share.
The file access to the SD card is total independent of the printer, has nothing to do with the firmware. I you want to copy file when the printer is printing, just do so...
When first setup it is very easy to use and the PR firmware has support for it.
Is there a thread that details this specific cards use for this purpose? Are there any reasons to choose this card specifically? Which version are you using specifically?
Are there any caveats to its use?
I don't see many people using these, yet they seem to be the "best" solution for our particular needs to allow the MK3 to operate as intended with its feature sets uninterrupted.
Are there any other options to consider that have both read and write ability?
How difficult is it to access the card?
Can we simply mount it in a file browser "permentently" and drag and drop?
There are other cards with wifi support, but I have no experience with them. I choose Toshiba because it is a brand name with support and there is a lot of fake SD cards on eBay. I wanted a reliable solution and it has worked for over a year now.
Earlier I used Repetier Host and was considering using Octoprint, but this simple solution works better for me.
I think there is a thread over at the MK2/MK2S forum where others has experiences with Toshiba.
One downside is that the printer has to be on for file transfer to work, as it gets power from the LCD display. Transfer speed is slower than writing directly to SD, but a lot faster than over serial USB.
If would be great if PR had included a pre configured SD card like this with the printer. 😀
Have a look at my models on Printables.com 😉
Re: USB Print Problems
Area51, thanks much for the details. Very helpful...ordering one as soon as I can.
Re: USB Print Problems
https://shop.prusa3d.com/forum/user-mods-octoprint-enclosures-nozzles--f65/flashair-wifi-sd-card-setup-and-drive-mapping-t13693.html
And
https://www.prusaprinters.org/easy-wireless-printing-with-flashair-sd-cards/
Hope that helps but I can’t vouch for the content. Maybe over the weekend I will see if I can get one up and running as it is a pain sneaker netting the sd card
i3 Mk3 [aug 2018] upgrade>>> i3MK3/S+[Dec 2023]