Backstory: I am upgrading from the Cricut Explore Machine and the Cricut Design Space program. My main intent for the machine was to cut items bigger than the basic 12x12 cutting mat offered by the Cricut. I sublimate and use HTV on apparel and cut custom window vinyl and banners for clients and local businesses. I have been using this machine and program for over 4 years.
I received the machine in understandable time. Especially with the holidays and the amount of pre-orders claimed. Aesthetically, the machine looks great. It looks sleek with the back lit touch buttons and the general shape of the machine. The functionality of the machine seems to work as intended. Today, 2/6/2021, was the first day I have been able to set some time aside to open it up and start getting to know the Cameo Pro and Silhouette Studio. The main goal today was to print/cut a graphic for a tee. It was a memory t-shirt with a heart in the center and some wings wrapping around. Not that much detail when it came to the outline cut for the machine. At least that is what I expected. 3 hours into troubleshooting I can say that I feel drained from the annoyance of the machine. Again, I am comparing to the Cricut Explore. The Cameo Pro is definitely louder. It sounds like an 80's robot that sings with it beeping and bopping. It obviously takes up more space, but with that in mind, a stand would be extremely helpful. Especially for at home crafters and small businesses like myself with limited amounts of space. The loading feature can be such a headache sometimes. I should have looked up the "proper" method to load the mat but I assumed it was a point-shoot situation. I was not able to manage the large mat and push the load button simultaneously. And the auto loading feature sometimes does not register. I would say for me at least 80% of the time if would properly work. I would always feel like the mat would hook onto something when I would try to load the mat as well. This would cause sections of the edge of the mat to fold inward, and not load properly . Or the right adjustable side would feel like it would allow the mat to go further in than the stationary left side. Resulting in the mat loading only one side or completely crooked. My biggest obstacle was the Silhouette Studio program. After a few hours of reading peoples tutorials and watching how to videos, I felt fairly confident I could get the job at hand complete. The initial setup was fast but connecting via bluetooth was a pain. I am using a Xps 13 2 in 1 with plenty of specs to connect properly to the machine. The computer would find two Cameo Pros. A desktop option and the machine option. Connecting to one or the either would not work, and connecting to both did nothing as well. I needed to have it wired in order for me to get the software to register the machine in general. When I was able to cut, the machine would not read the registration marks. I would print, and then send the graphic but the machine would fail to read the registration marks. At times I could not cancel the cut or reset the settings. I would have to close the program completely in order for me to reset the queue and settings for another cut. I was able to come across someone's review regarding this as well when it came to what was on the current page and what the cut setting were. The final straw was when I tried to test the cut when I would get the mat to load correctly. At first the test cut made the small heart shape and letter L perfect and in the right direction. It was when I tried to test cut again that the smaller heart shape was cut correctly but the L shape went the opposite direction off the grid and cut into the mat. Like the software bugged during the test cut and it caused the two shapes to cut in complete different directions. It was at this point that I felt confident all of these complications were not from the user but were from the products.
I am sure the best features of this machine is to cut areas bigger than the 12x12. But I feel like I am having to sacrifice user friendliness for bigger cut space. The machine can be complicated at times mechanically and the software seems to bug out causing so much wasted time. I am sure once I invest more time into the machine and program things will become easier. But it definitely is not an easier options when it comes to how straight forward Cricut makes cutting items. Im sure in a few weeks I might be willing to entertain giving the machine a higher rating, but 2 seems to low just in general. So for my first experience with Silhouette Studio and the Cameo Pro, I give it a 3.
