Knit and Sew

DesignaKnit USB Cables

 
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DesignaKnit communicates with your knitting machine via a cable between your computer and the knitting machine. Soft Byte developed during the development of DesignaKnit also a set of cables to connect your computer to your knitting machine. These cables use a serial port of your computer.

The Silverlink 4 provides both serial and USB connectivity.
All other cables are only available in the serial variant. In order to attach a serial cable to a USB port, you currently need a qualified USB to serial converter.

We have developed a set of cables that interfaces directly to a USB port without the need of an additional USB to serial converter. The cables have the same functionality as the Brotherlink cables with the same number. The difference (apart from a complete new design) is that you no longer need a serial port on your PC. You now hook up your knitting machine to your PC via USB.


Brotherlink USB

DesignaKnit Versions
DesignaKnit 6 (6.11 and above)DesignaKnit 7 (7.14 and above)DesignaKnit 8DesignaKnit 9

32 bit Operating Systems
Windows 98Windows MEWindows 2000Windows 2003Windows XPWindows VistaWindows 2008Windows 7Windows 8 & 8.1Windows 10
64 bit Operating Systems
Windows XP x64Windows Vista x64Windows 7 x64Windows 8 & 8.1 x64Windows 10 x64Windows 11 
Windows 2003 x64Windows 2008 x64Windows 2008 R2 x64Windows 2012 & 2012 R2 x64Windows 2016 x64Windows 2019 x64Windows 2022 
* DesignaKnit 6 and 7 don't run on 64 bit operating systems.

PC ConnectivityPower
Series A USB connectorDerived from USB

Diagnostics
LED GreenPC sends data to the knitting machine
LED RedKnitting machine or IK option sends data to the PC

Documentation
Brother English Nederlands Français Deutsch
Passap/Pfaff E6000 English Nederlands Français Deutsch
Passap/Pfaff E8000 English Nederlands Français Deutsch
Test Program / Drivers English Nederlands Français Deutsch
Application Notes English Nederlands Français Deutsch

Available Cables
ProductDescriptionNotesKnitting machines
BL1USBBrotherlink 1 USB Application Note  KH940, KH950i, PPD(KH900,CK35)
BL3USBBrotherlink 3 USB  PPD (except BL1USB)
BL5USBBrotherlink 5 USB Application Note  KH970, KH965i, KH950i, KH940, KH930
BL6USBBrotherlink 6 USB  BL3USB+IK
BL7USBBrotherlink 7 USB Application Note  FB100
CartridgeUSB stitch pattern cartridge Application Note  KH900, KH965, HK970, KH270, CK35
EL1USBE6000Link 1 USB*** Application NotePassap/Pfaff E6000
EL3USBE6000Link 3 USB Application Note Application NoteEL1USB+IK
EL13SwE6000Link 1/3 Switch Application Note  EL1USB, EL3USB, EL1 serial
E8L1USBE8000Link 1 USB Application Note  Passap/Pfaff E8000
E8L3USBE8000Link 3 USB Application Note  E8L1USB+IK
SLUSBScreenlink USB  punch card & non-electronic machines
*** Win_Crea users, click here for additional information.

Below you find a table that provides cable options per knitting machine.
Please consult the table to work out which USB cable is appropriate for your knitting machine.

Machines and USB cable options
BrotherUSB CableUploadDownloadInteractive KnittingSerial CableKnitKingErka
KH900CartridgeCartUtilCartUtilYes, IK option required CompuKnit ST 
 SLUSBNoNoYesSL  
KH910SLUSBNoNoYesSLCompuKnit IIErka 80
KH930BL5USBYesYesYesBL5CompuKnit IIIErka 85
 BL1USBYesYesNo   
KH930MBL5USBYes?Yes?YesBL5  
 BL1USBYes?Yes?No   
KH940BL1USBYesYesYesBL1CompuKnit IVErka 90
 BL5USB**YesYesYes   
KH950SLUSBNoNoYesSL  
KH950iBL1USBYesYesYesBL1  
 BL5USB**YesYesYes   
KH965CartridgeCartUtilCartUtilYes, IK option requiredBL4CompuKnit V 
 SLUSBNoNoYesSL  
KH965iBL5USBYesYesYesBL2 or BL5CompuKnit V cx 
 BL1USBYesYesNo   
 CartridgeCartUtilCartUtilYes, IK option requiredBL4  
KH970BL5USBYesYesYesBL5CompuKnit V Star 
 BL1USBYesYesNo   
 CartridgeCartUtilCartUtilYes, IK option required   
KH270CartridgeCartUtilCartUtilYes, IK option requiredBL4  
CK35CartridgeCartUtilCartUtilYes, IK option required   
FB100BL7USBFB100 UtilityFB100 UtilityNo   
E6000EL1USBNoYesNoEL1  
 EL3USBNoYesYesEL1+SL  
E8000E8L1USBNoYesNo   
 E8L3USBNoYesYesE8000Link  
OtherSLUSBNoNoYesSL  
** enables you to knit model only

Users, who have a knitting machine and want to use the PPD too, have on top of the table above, also the options in the table below.
Please consult the table below to work out which USB cable is appropriate for your knitting machine + PPD.

Machines + PPD and USB Cable options
BrotherUSB CableUploadDownloadInteractive KnittingSerial CableKnitKingErka
KH900BL5USBYesYesYesBL1+SLCompuKnit ST 
 BL1USBYesYesNoBL1  
KH910NA    CompuKnit IIErka 80
KH930BL3USBYesYesNoBL3CompuKnit IIIErka 85
 BL6USBYesYesYesBL3+SL  
KH930MBL3USBYesYesNoBL3  
 BL6USBYesYesYes   
KH940BL3USBYesYesNoBL3CompuKnit IVErka 90
 BL6USBYesYesYesBL3+BL1  
KH950NA      
KH950iBL3USBYesYesNoBL3  
 BL6USBYesYesYesBL3+BL1  
KH965BL3USBYesYesNoBL3CompuKnit V 
 BL6USBYesYesYesBL3+SL  
KH965iBL3USBYesYesNoBL3CompuKnit V cx 
 BL6USBYesYesYesBL3+SL  
KH970 (*)BL3USBYesYesNoBL3CompuKnit V Star 
 BL6USBYesYesYesBL3+SL  
KH270BL3USBYesYesNoBL3  
 BL6USBYesYesYesBL3+SL  
CK35BL5USBYesYesYesBL1+SL  
 BL1USBYesYesNoBL1  
* In KH940 mode

Terminology:
Upload: transfer patterns from the knitting machine to your PC
Download: transfer patterns from your PC to the knitting machine
IK: DesignaKnit Interactive Knitting
CartUtil: driver program for Cartridge
  

Last Modification: Feb 28, 2025 (c) Copyright 2000-2025, Jos Timmermans