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| Thread ID: 58714 | 2005-06-09 19:13:00 | Connecting parallel to USB | Neptune417 (8136) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 362556 | 2005-06-09 19:13:00 | Had to replace old laptop - got new Acer Extensa 2300 at Dick Smith. Was told I also had to replace old printer that had parallel cable only since my new laptop has no parallel ports. I didn't want to do this as the printer I had worked just fine with my old laptop, but since I was told there was no other option I bought a new Brother that also had scanner/fax and gave my older scanner (that DOES have USB but why have two) to a mate of mine. Several weeks after this passed through Palo Alto California and by pure chance found a parallel-to-USB cable that works just fine. If interested look at Inland-Procucts.com, item # 08305 "USB Parallel Converter" $USA 39.95. I am rather irritated as you can imagine. Is it common knowledge in NZ that one CAN use a cable such as this to connect a parallel to USB? If so, are they available in NZ? Any limitations for doing so aside from speed? Thanks Neptune 417 |
Neptune417 (8136) | ||
| 362557 | 2005-06-09 19:31:00 | :eek: Dick Smith sell them. I bought one from them 2 years ago. |
4bes (2848) | ||
| 362558 | 2005-06-09 20:02:00 | yep use them at work for laptops with no lpt port | beama (111) | ||
| 362559 | 2005-06-09 21:46:00 | Not all printer drivers will recognise them however, as they are a "virtual port". | godfather (25) | ||
| 362560 | 2005-06-10 00:44:00 | They just wanted you to buy a new printer form them ether that or the were stupid | sambaird (47) | ||
| 362561 | 2005-06-10 00:48:00 | I have used one to attach an old printer to a USB print server, I was most impressed, it worked flawlessly. It scared the heck out of me, as I was expecting it to fail miserably. -Qyiet |
qyiet (6730) | ||
| 362562 | 2005-06-10 03:03:00 | They are more likely to work with an "old" printer than a more modern one. ;) It's very easy to emulate the traditional printer interface. Modern printers which spend more time talking back to the computer (and cleaning their print heads :D) than printing give more problems with USB-parallel converters. | Graham L (2) | ||
| 362563 | 2005-06-10 09:32:00 | The have to use some converters with many Macs (since they don't have parrallel ports). Theys eem to work fine, although the manufacturer specs generally list the printers they have been tested with. Don't think we paid $40 for it more like $20. Many NZ Wholesalers stock them. The only trouble with most parallel port only printers, these days are that they are relatively slow compared to new ones. |
gibler (49) | ||
| 362564 | 2005-06-11 02:33:00 | The speed of a printer has very little to do with the type of interface. Even 4000 line per minute "real" line printers used the parallel interface. It's good for 100kB/s or more. It's fast enough for just about any mechanical printer. The photographic printers on some early supercomputers needed a fast interface. Any speed lack relative to "new ones" is due to the fact that an old printer is an old printer. Many old fast printers were expensive printers. In fact it was the "two out of three" dilemma. You could have: fast, high quality, reasonable price. Pick any two... :thumbs: |
Graham L (2) | ||
| 362565 | 2005-07-13 13:03:00 | Well does this work with electronic equipment? I have a program that upgrades a machine at work and my new laptop does not have a com port. The software can not be changed to use USB or even LPT port. So would this virtual port or usb to com port adaptor work? Help please, I haven't been able to upgrade the system for a month now. |
phad (8322) | ||
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