So, having figured out what I can do with my ancient Cricut, I've picked up a very used but still (apparently) functional Cameo 1. There are plenty of horror stories about the early Cameo's not working with new PCs and Windows 10. The PC I attached it to is several years old (although the Windows 10 is recent, and keeps updating itself).

I was half afraid to download the current Silhouette software for it, for fear it would disable it like some of the Cricut software did to some of the old Cricuts. But I did download it. Actually I downloaded it on a PC that isn't attached to the Cameo first to check it out. It's much more user-friendly and fuller-featured than the ancient Cricut software I use (yes, I know the new Cricut software is much better).

Either way, it's almost a wash, since I design my cutouts in CorelDraw anyway and export them to SVG files for printing on the Cricut. And I might wind up doing that on the Cameo. Though Silhouette has a $40 utility that lets you print directly from CorelDraw (or Adobe Illustrator) to the Cameo, even - reportedly - the Cameo 1.

So I downloaded the software again to my workshop PC. I attached the Cameo to my workshop PC according to some third-party instructions, and it worked great. In fact, the Silhouette software was so happy to find a Cameo on the other end of the USB (2) cord that it gave me a bunch of free patterns on a sort of primitive "cloud" directory on their server. I can supposedly store graphics I create out there, too.

Gee, maybe when it's too cold to work in the workshop, I can do my patterns in the house, upload them to the "cloud," then go to the workshop to download and cut them. More on that in days (or maybe weeks) to come.

At any rate, the short version is that Silhouette built a ton of features into software that is free to Silhouette owners and drives almost any model Silhouette. I still plan to learn the ins and outs of my old Cricut Expression, now that I've got it working again, but if I ever upgrade either model, I will keep in mind the company that didn't treat me like a bastard child when I tried to use a perfectly functional machine with the software that was supposed to drive it.

Well, the workshop is just TOO cold to do much in today. I brought my recently purchased Cameo 1 into the basement and tried it on the computer that is driving my Cricut. I don't have any silhouette mats yet, so I loaded a piece of cardstock onto a Cricut mat and tried that. It cut very nicely. Good. Then I swapped it out and put the Cricut back on the system to make certain I hadn't messed up the software for that thing. It still works. Next, I'll order some mats for the Cameo and move it back to the workshop.

Since I can cut SVG files with either device, that will keep me from having to run in and out of the house when I'm working on a project.

We'll see. . . . .

I just tried hooking the Cameo 1 to a newer computer. It didn't work, which I'd been warned about, since the original firmware isn't compatible with some new computers (including most computers that came with Windows 10 installed).

A nice person at Silhouette America gave me instructions that made it work (below). After I got it working on this computer, I took it back to the computer I use to run the Cricut to make certain it still worked on that one as well. It did.

So a company that happily supports an 8-year-old device and doesn't treat you like a loser for trying to keep it going. Go figure.


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The current version of the software does support all Cameo machines. However, there is a possibility if you run a Windows 10 operating system that the Cameo 1 machine will need a special firmware update to be able to successfully connect with Windows updated USB port drivers. I will provide these steps below if needed:

The following steps will update your Cameo 1 firmware. Once updated, this new firmware should resolve the connection issue noted above.

⚠ NOTE: These steps require a blank SD card and a compatible SD card reader. A basic SD card with 2GB capacity or less, is required. If you do not have these, you will need to obtain them in order to proceed with this firmware update process.


1. Please click here (https://www.silhcdn.com/m/s/cc300.zip) to download and save the zip file to your computer
2. Unzip the "cc300" folder by right-clicking and selecting "extract all"
3. Select a destination on your computer you wish the file to extract to (defaults to the current location of the zipped file)
4. Save the extracted "cc300.mhx" file onto a blank SD card (the "cc300.mhx" file may be in an unzipped "cc300" folder that was created when you extracted the previous folder)
IMPORTANT: There cannot be any other files or folders on the SD card
5. Ensure the Cameo 1 machine is unplugged from power and the computer
6. Place the SD card into the Cameo 1 machine's SD reader slot
7. Press and hold down the left and right arrow keys at the same time
8. While holding down these buttons, plug the power cord into the Cameo 1 machine (the machine will turn on)
9. Once "Boot Ver1.00" is displayed on the LCD, release the buttons.
10. The update sequence will start automatically. Please wait a few minutes until the LCD displays, "Write Finish."
11. Unplug the AC adapter
12. Remove the SD card
13. Connect the Cameo 1 to the computer and AC adapter
14. Power on the machine

If this process is not successful in resolving the connection issues with your machine, or if you are unable to continue with any of the steps listed above, please retry the steps from the beginning. You may alternatively contact our support team (https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/contact) for further assistance.

For additional help and tutorials, please visit:
▸ FAQ - http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/faq
▸ Blog - http://www.silhouette101.com
▸ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/SilhouetteAmericaInc
For faster support during business hours (M - F, 9a - 4p MT)
please visit http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/contact and select Chat