Hi keepeminstitches. V.5 of which series? I have an Aurora 430 w/V.5 Editor Lite. Editor Lite came with the machine and I realize it is just a "get you started" program, but I now know that there is Editor Plus, Designer Plus, etc. This is V.5 of which one or is it none of these and totally different? And what is the price. Bernina anything is so pricey that it's hard for a person on a fixed income to afford anything.

Thanks

Hi, texasrose

It's V.5 of Bernina's embroidery software which I think is produced by OESD. I now have Designer Plus. I do know it was very expensive. I started with Editor, then went to V.4 of Designer Plus (I have a receipt saying that was around $1300, but that was to switch from Editor to Designer Plus with the newest version at the time which was V.4). Then the upgrade alone to V.5 later was a lot more, so much so that I paid in two installments of about $266 each. That being said, I don't know if prices vary from dealer to dealer so you can shop around. It's a very expensive hobby for sure, and I've been so tempted to buy the artista 730 machine but just can't justify it at this time.

Happy sewing!

I just bought a Bernina 430 with the embroidery add-on. Wasn't actually looking for an embroidery machine, but it seemed like a useful and potentially fun diversion. So, I am a total newbie.

After familiarizing myself with the machine itself and playing around with the preset patterns in EditorLite, however, I'm coming around to the view that what I really want to do is use patterns based on scanned images. For that, I gather, I really need to upgrade from the Lite. I gather the upgraded versions are pretty pricey, and I guess my question is... Are there alternatives? I did some web research, but I can't find a lot of detail on whether some of the third party software will export files that can then be read into Editor Lite. Maybe because I'm not even familiar enough with the lingo, I'm not sure I'm searching on the right things...

Is the Bernina software that much better if you are using a Bernina machine? Is it decent software in terms of the user interface as compared to third party stuff? I don't really mind spending the money to upgrade, but would seriously like to avoid having someone tell me three months from now "you dummy, you could have bought this $30 software that does everything yours does."

I am a newbie to the machine embroidery world as well. It is my impression that the newer, higher end Berninas have such a restricted format (.ART), that only its software can save as or convert to the .ART format. Therefore, even though there is likely good capable software out there at a reasonable price, chances are, you could not get it into a format that the Bernina machine can use. Please let me know if there is any other software (besides Bernina's) which will do this.

I use Bernina's software and it will open any embroidery design format and then convert it to the .art format for use in my machine.

I have a 730. I am starting to look at embroidery programs. Which is best? I think I may want to download personal designs. I live near Kansas City and was trying to find someone to scan in a design for embroidery for me and could not find anyone that provided that service.Do I only need newest program or is it an upgrade that I have build on original design program?
Also same question, Does it have to be a Bernina Program and /or should it be and why?