Firmware and software

[Grimboso]

Heya guys!

New user to 3d printing here! Amazing site, learned so much here since I found it this week! Read it all I have 2 kids, 1 and 3 so escaping to my basement ”office” after bedtime is my ”self-healing” time I am in charge of finance and all things money att a local (I live on small island) Cloud, copy and IT service provider and I know nothing about cloud and IT but a lot about talking nonsense about nothing and how to have two hour meetings about something that probably would fit on a post-it. ”Golfclap”

Now enough about me

I have a stock 3dp-12 and recently got into printing. So far I have only printed small tools and rough parts for fun, but once I started dabbing in more precise items such as the cable chains and QoL upgrades for the printer I realized a lot of the shortcommings.

After reading a lot I finally found this forum where there is quite some info about the hictop printers.

First thing I am going to do is upgrade to Marlin from Hictops nasty firmware that does not save settings!
So you recommend 2.0 or 1.1.9bf? I found Roberts great work and posts very helpfull, but I only understand enough to know I dont understand anything yet, but I want to start on the ”right” track straight away.

I want to use the new multi-point bed leveling thingy. And have the printer automatically ”use the saved values” as per G28-”something I didnt quite understand .
As I understood it the Z height will then adjust when traveling in X/Y directions IF the bed is uneven? Also both above firmwares had something called babystepping which I guess is a way to fine-tune the z-offset (is this then saved for next print?).

Second question:
Hictop manual said to use a cura version from somewhere between ancient greece and ancient rome. I accidentally used the latest one and it worked fine, but had so many options. I’ve seen some here reccomend 15.04 or something like this. What do you recommend a pinapple with hands to start using? I am guessing the old one as many guides use it!

I am also using a rpi with octoprint that I somehow got to work, and it top wanted some ancient cura-slicer-profile which I didnt give it. Octoprint has some cool festures like timelapses and stuff, but also places to put in custom gcode. Do any of you use it?

Thanks for all the work you put in to help people like myself do stuff we probably shouldnt! (Like build a house when the last thing you built was a cutting bord in school. It’s a fucking plank!)

[Roberts_Clif]

Hello and welcome to 3D Printing Forum.

[Roberts_Clif]

So you recommend 2.0 or 1.1.9bf?

Choose either they are both pretty equal.

I want to use the new multi-point bed leveling. As per G28.
As I understood it the Z height will then adjust when traveling in X/Y directions If the bed is uneven?
Babystepping which I guess is a way to fine-tune the z-offset (is this then saved for next print?).

Bi-Linear bed leveling is one of the simplest.
Baby stepping does not save between prints.
Though it comes in handy when you need a quick adjustment on the fly.

Second question:
I accidentally used the latest one and it worked fine, but had so many options.
Seen some here recommend 15.04

I use Cura 15.04.6 because is is so simple to configure.
Though you like myself will find the some models do require better/Newer versions of Slicers.

I am also using a Raspberry Pi with

Octoprint has so many plugins you will have hours of fun reading about them.

[Roberts_Clif]

First thing I am going to do is upgrade to Marlin from Hictops nasty firmware that does not save settings!
So you recommend 2.0 or 1.1.9bf? I found Roberts great work and posts very helpful, but I only understand enough to know I dont understand anything yet, but I want to start on the ”right” track straight away.

I struggled with my used Hictop purchase and finally found Chip Luck's firmware here and have continued to upgrade his initial version to what I am using today Marlin 2.0.0 alpha.

No still have not upgraded to Marlin 2.0.x release, to many other priorities and my time is too limited.

[Roberts_Clif]

First you should download the Original Firmware from Hictop

Need to know information Arduino IDE

And a sample

This is some information you will learn, However the Firmware Links should be configured and ready to flash
an original Hictop.

[queenmari]

First thing I am going to do is upgrade link to Marlin from Hictops nasty firmware that does not save settings!
So you recommend 2.0 or 1.1.9bf? I found Roberts great work and posts very helpful, but I only understand enough to know I dont understand anything yet, but I want to start on the ”right” track straight away.

I struggled with my used Hictop purchase and finally found Chip Luck's firmware here and have continued to upgrade his initial version to what I am using today Marlin 2.0.0 alpha.

No still have not upgraded to Marlin 2.0.x release, to many other priorities and my time is too limited.

The decision depends on your specific needs and the hardware configuration of your printer. If your 3D printer has a 32-bit board and you want to benefit from the latest features and improvements, Marlin 2.0 is a good choice. However, if you prefer to stick with a proven and stable version with a large community of users, Marlin 1.1.9 is a solid option.

[Roberts_Clif]

I have upgraded thru 10 different Marlin 2 versions scene making my first Marlin 2 leap with my 4 Hictop 3DP 3D Printers.
An have assisted 14 different users upgrade their Hictop printers into version 2's of Marlin with great success.

An all this was done because of Chip Luck post of an old version of Marlin that he had posted on this forum.
This allowed me to abandon whatever version of software was on my first Hictop 3DP11 an expand to my newest installed Marlin 2.0.9.2

I do have 4 other version that have been configured to work with Hictop 3D Printers though have never installed them as of this date.
Have no time and my 3DP printers are running so perfectly did not see the need, maybe was waiting for some big leaps to finally flash.