I have only been collecting for a short while and I shutter to think about coverting all to a new format. Good luck to you and your new adventures.

When i download the designs i just get them in husq.& i don't have a problem!!My buzzjust changes them??CaROLYN

Sorry, that is my fear on getting a different machine because of all the problems mine is having. I have only worked with pes and my PED-Basic and if I couldn't use that I am afraid I'd lose all the designs I have collected.

I have the Viking machines, and you can use HUS, VIP, VIP3, and even the PES is recognized by the machines. I don't believe that I have ever seen SHV offered as a format. Does this machine use the floppy, or the jump drive? My friend that died has both the Designer 1 (floppy), and the SE. The family is still trying to sell her machine, and the SE only had about 28 hours on it. Good luck, and I hope some of the information offered will be helpful to you.

I have a Husqvarna Viking Designer 1 and have 4D software and that format use all files: hus, pcs, pes, sew, xxx, vip, jef, dst.

I have a designer 1 and it uses the floppy to transport designs from my computer to my machine. It isn't enough to download HUS format because the machine cannot read this.Designer 1 requires a disk that is formatted. I do not know if this is true about the machines that have been upgraded to use a memory stick (thumb drive).
You can either get ALL the Viking the software installed on your machine (cost is considerable) or be sure you have the "Reader-Writer" program installed when you buy the machine.
The only program I have found to format the floppy disk and save in the SHV file format reliably is Catalog Express. It is a wonderful program that can not only format and write the disk for my machine, it can save/convert designs in many design formats, catalog your saved designs in folders and print a copy of the design you want to stitch with a color chart and centering mark. The upgraded version can do some re-sizinging and rotating of designs etc.
I love my Designer 1! Although I have only been sewing for 7 years, it has been with me for most of them. It has had 1000's of hours of use and has required only lightbulb changing during it's regular cleanimg sessions.
I have attached the link to the software for you.

Good Luck!
Jennifer
www.ArtGiftsEtc.com

Your new designer should also accept HUS and it should come with basic software to enable transfer of designs to the machine, which means it should convert designs to the correct format.

Check with the dealer and ask them to demonstrate this particular feature for you, they should be willing to oblige if they want your business.
Hugs n roses, Meganne

Before purchasing the Designer I ask about the internal workings, plastic vs. metal.

I have the Husqvarna Designer 1. When I save files for the machine, the format is .hus. I have to use Studio 3D to view and save to floppy for use in the machine. That is when the hus becomes readable by the embroidery machine.

I would ask Embird comp.about this problem. This is an excellent program and very affordable.

I have the Pfaff Creative (1st cousin of the Huskevarna)vision with the 4D Pro suite it converts most formats into vp3 automatiaclly on save. To download a differant format I open the design and am prompted to save in vp3, but can save in most other formats. The other formats won't open when the memory stick is put in my machine. Works great. In fact just upgraded to the Huskevarna 5D, that has just come out. Is easier to use and more user friendly. You might ask your dealer about this.
Mary

You would only need to convert your designs as you use them, certainly would not need to convert them all and put them on floppies, just write the designs to a floppy as you need them. You can use the same floppy over and over to take the designs to the machine. You can also upgrade a D1 to a USB port and use a stick now as floppies are harder to find in the stores. Any Viking software will convert designs to an SHV format, and the more recent versions will convert many formats to SHV so you would not need to lose your designs. I have a D1 that I kept when I bought the SE because the D1 is a wonderful sewing machine, not just embroidery. I actually prefer to sew on the D1 and use the SE for embroidery only. Hope this is clearer than mud.