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Excellent choice in my opinion, Mike. I wish you luck with it, and hope that it fulfils both your expectations and your needs. Kev

I think I may have mentioned that I was considering a purchase. After reading this and other threads here and on LSP, and after vacillating between the Cameo 4 and the Portrait 3, I've gone for the latter. It looks like it will do what I need it to, it's smaller, and I wasn't sure the extra features and facilities on the Cameo were worth the price difference. Looking forward to trying a few masks. Thanks for all the helpful advice. 👍

That happened because its summer 🌞🌞🌞we will came back all in winter ❄️❄️❄️

Thanks for the help everyone. 👍 I think I've got enough generally to make a decision (between Cameo and Portrait), but if you think of anything else I may not have considered, please chime in.

I think you’ll get more satisfaction using it that way Mike, I can envisage quite a lot of frustration trying the Bluetooth way on different levels. Mine sits alongside my PC and is “permanently” connected but not used that often. Max

Thanks chaps. Basically it can't sit permanently next to the computer; it could sit temporarily near enough to plug a USB cable in, so I think the next solution is to store it and set it up only when actually cutting. Does that sound viable?

I honestly don't think that arrangement is ideal, Mike. Bluetooth has a very limited range (estimates seem to vary, but 10m is commonly given), and generally doesn't penetrate obstacles as well as radio waves or wi-fi, for example. It might work, but given Dave's account of his flaky Bluetooth experience, I reckon you'd be better off sticking with USB if you can. I certainly know what it's like to not have any room though, as a lack of it was the primary reason I chose the Portrait over the Cameo. Kev

Awesome! Good luck with it. I've just amended your post so it shows the image inline (your link was using bbCode, which the forum software no longer supports). Kev

O.k., I made the jump ... let's see how I fare. Wish me good luck. A big THANK YOU to everyone for your helping comments once again.

Many many thanks for the getback gentlemen, that is already very valuable information. The protrait is just for quite a few of the reasons you all stated also my current primary option. That it cuts about as fine as the cameo is an important bit of info for me. Now I just need to find out, if it really cuts fine enough. I'll just go ahead and make a jump for the portrait and see how it works. Many thanks for all the good comments.

Mike, I have 2 of the 5 or 6' extension cables along with the printer cable on mine. It loops back around things out of the way. The direct path from the computer to the cutter would be right across my chair. 🤣

Thanks Dave. The PC does have Bluetooth on board, so that may be better The issue is I have no room near the PC to put another peripheral, so I'll have to work it out.

It's about 6'. I'm using it with a desktop that doesn't have Bluetooth on the motherboard so it's a dongle plugged into the front of the case. Another thing, it will only work with being connected to one PC at a time. If you have multiple PCs, only one computer's Windows can be connected. I realize I don't know your situation, but having it upstairs seems to make a lot of trips up and down. For what I've used it for, it doesn't take long for it to cut and I usually prefer to make sure it starts out ok. This from the Support reply email. HTH Your Bluetooth connection can only be established with no other connections to the machine. This means we need to first, ensure your USB cable is not plugged in to your machine or computer. Second, please go to your Bluetooth Device menu on your computer and ensure the Silhouette machine is not paired. If that isn't successful, then please verify your computer meets the minimum requirement for Bluetooth compatibility, Bluetooth 4.0 support, by visiting http://www.bluetoothandusb3.com/how-to-confirm-bluetooth-version-of-computer Follow these steps to locate the LMP version currently on your computer. To operate the Silhouette machine via Bluetooth connection, the LMP should be 6.0 or above. This will indicate a Bluetooth 4.0 support. Dave

Thanks everyone for your comments - all helpful. Dave, roughly how far away was the Cameo 4 from the PC? Under my current plans, the PCC is downstairs and the cutter will be in the room directly above - but perhaps I need to rethink that.

Mike, I have a Cameo 4. Connections are USB and Bluetooth. I had a struggle getting a connection with Bluetooth, even sending an email to Support. After a reply from Support and going through everything again, I finally got it to connect and be recognized. At a later time it didn't seem to want to connect so I have given up on Bluetooth and I'm using USB with an extension cable. With USB it works great, no connection issues. IIRC, USB is necessary if the firmware has to be updated. Dave

Mine’s a Cameo 2 Mike, I bought it I think 8 years ago and it does everything that I need. I had a problem with it last year but found it was the power supply that was faulty, easily rectified. My advice would be to definitely go for the Cameo 4. My wife makes greetings cards and she also uses it for her crafting activities.

Thanks Kev, this is all useful info. I do still need to take a more detailed look at footprint, and how siting it elsewhere will work. As for the Cricut, I've just seen the thread you refer to; that's Cricut out of the equation as far as I'm concerned.

I only have a Portrait 2, and I don't believe it has Bluetooth. I'm using it via USB, which works well enough. I'm not sure if the Portrait 3 has Bluetooth as standard, but if it does, it's probably your best choice for the combination of convenient footprint and connectivity options. That said, if you'll be siting the device somewhere where there's room for the larger Cameo, then perhaps that device's extended performance and features will be more attractive, especially given that Bluetooth takes away the need for it to be within cable's reach of your computer. The big difference with the Cricut, as I understand it, is that it doesn't come with any software that you run on your computer. Rather, you have to use their cloud-based software and services to run the device. And they recently made some changes to that functionality that limits the way you can use it - I can't remember exactly what they were now, but I've posted about it elsewhere in the forums. In short, I'd stick with the Silhouette product over the Cricut range. Kev

Thanks @Mozart Max, that's useful. I thought some of the blurb on some sites must mention it, but I couldn't find a clear statement in a technical spec. Perhaps I wasn't looking hard enough? I'm really looking at just the Cameo 4 and the Portrait 3. I gather from various posts that you're quite happy with your Cameo, and a friend from my club has a Cameo 1, so I'm leaning towards that; but Kev has said on this forum that he's happy with a Portrait as that meets his needs, so I'm trying to work out what my needs actually are and whether a Portrait will meet them, taking into account things like maybe doing masks for other people (not commercially); or "renting" cutter time out to my granddaughter who's into all sorts of crafts. Silhouette seems more popular than Cricut, I may well look at them as well. At the risk of drifting off-topic, anyone have any thoughts on that?

Mine’s an older model Mike so USB is the only mode but I believe some of the newer ones also use Bluetooth. I’m really surprised that it’s not mentioned in any of the blurb or ads though. Kev I think has a Cameo 4 so he’ll doubtless chip in with some info about his. What’s on your shortlist? Max PS, just found this: The Silhouette Cameo 4 Digital Cutting Tool features cutting edge technology, operating three times faster than the Cameo 3. The ultimate DIY machine for creative craft projects, this can be used to cut over 100 materials, including paper, cardstock, vinyl, and fabric up to 12 inches wide.The Cameo 4 model has an increased cutting force of up to 5kg, and offers Bluetooth wireless connectivity with increased range. This is also compatible with PixScan technology.

I'm considering a purchase, and what I'm not really finding in the various descriptions of machines on the retailers' or manufacturers' sites is a positive statement about connectivity. Perhaps I'm missing it, or perhaps it's so basic one shouldn't have to ask, but nevertheless I will. Quite simply, can anyone who owns one or is otherwise in the know please tell me how the cutters on my shortlist, the Silhouette Cameo 4 and the Portrait 3 (is that the current model?), connect to a Windows PC: - USB? - Bluetooth? - WiFi? Or any/all of these? [Edit] I ask because space considerations would make it more convenient to site the cutter somewhere other than next to the PC. Thanks.

That's different! Very well imagined.

Yes, good in Dorset too!! 😁 Max

Hello bushande. The sizes that you are talking about are absolutely right on the limit with what is possible for I think any cutting machine, 3 to 4mm is the smallest that I’ve cut in 7 years of using my Silhouette machine. It can cope slightly better with more square letters and numbers like “T”, “E”, “1”, “4”, “7” etc but any number involving a curve or “centres” cause problems, with "B" and “8” possibly being the most demanding and “S” being challenging. I always cut multiples of these small areas so that I can pick the best. This is a Spitfire that I did some years ago when I was fairly new to masking making, the letters are 3 to 4mm high. You can judge for yourself which work better than others, and experience has shown me how to improve some of the less than satisfactory parts here. Hope this helps a little. Max

I'm still here, but I'm afraid I'm one of those who haven't checked in that often. Perhaps if I do I may be enthused to buy a mask-cutter instead of yet more "stash-fodder".