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| Thread ID: 69054 | 2006-05-20 06:58:00 | Substituting for dot matrix printer?? | Billy T (70) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 456393 | 2006-05-20 06:58:00 | Hi Team I have been sent a scientific instrument from the US for performance testing and evaluation, but on unpacking I found that it specifies the use of a dot-matrix printer to produce its diagnostic and test result outputs. Just to confuse matters a little, there is a photo on the front cover of the manual showing it set up with what sure looks like an inkjet to me. The instrument has a dedicated microprocessor of similar capabilities to a Z80, but probably a good deal more powerful than that. The interconnecting lead is standard parallel port to centronics, so is it likely that the output would be printable by an inkjet, or a laser like the HP6L? What I am thinking (hoping) is that there should be a simple operating mode built in to these printers, otherwise they wouldn't be able to print out data from the computer bios etc prior to the loading of windows and its drivers, so hopefully that mode can also respond to standard printer language as used by dot-matrix types. Any ideas? Cheers Billy 8-{) :confused: |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 456394 | 2006-05-20 07:07:00 | any chance of some pics | Overdrive_5000 (4950) | ||
| 456395 | 2006-05-20 07:43:00 | Can't think why it wouldn't work. Only reason I can come up with is most modern inkjet printers are USB? How old is the design? | cbfb (10428) | ||
| 456396 | 2006-05-20 09:00:00 | Last time I saw something like that it plugged into a COM port on my computer. It was used for measuring data on nitrogen levels and the people came to my place to get the data off the device. I have no idea what it was or how it worked. I certainly got the interface working and that was Win98SE O/S. I actually went to MSDOS. Gave them a floppy with the results. Any more info? |
Sweep (90) | ||
| 456397 | 2006-05-21 10:33:00 | any chance of some pics Pics of what? This machine doesn't interface with a computer at all, and the spec simply says: "Dot matrix impact printer with ribbon cassette and dual motor operation for printer head and paper advance." I have a Canon S750 inkjet that is centronics/parallel as well as USB, and a couple of older Canons that are parallel port only and are configurable for printing direct from DOS, though I'd have to dig out the manuals to check how to do it and the printhead may have dried up since last used!! I guess the big question is whether or not the instructions for a Dot matrix will also drive an inkjet, I mean. who uses a DM printer anymore? Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 456398 | 2006-05-21 10:39:00 | We have a dot matrix printer lying around somewhere... one noisy bastard that one. I was under the impression that all printers are PostScript compatible (atleast to some extent), and have been for a while, thanks to the miracles of Adobe. I'd say there's a chance of it working, given it a try? |
Growly (6) | ||
| 456399 | 2006-05-21 11:41:00 | After thinking about it, there is a possibility that I have an old DM in my garage somewhere. I know I have one of the wide-carriage DM printers (now there's a museum piece) and thinking about it remided me that i used to have its baby brother as well. Anyway, I'll try the S750 and if worst comes to worst I can always pick up a cheap DM from somewhere. Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 456400 | 2006-05-22 06:16:00 | ... all printers are PostScript compatible (atleast ... I wish. :D Postscript cost an extra $2000 for printers not too long ago. Then HP had a $1000 cartridge for the early LJs ... Adobe didn't give PS away. I've used Postscript a lot, even on dot-matrix printers, but that's using Ghostscript to produce the codes for various non-PS printers. PS isn't a simple., common, always works, protocol. It's a programming language which needs a powerful processor. Most printers for quite a few years (even the more sophisticated dot-matrix) had a simple TTY emulation mode, and the various "ESC-2" etc Epsons, and other manufacturers' inkjets were the same. My approach would be to plug a parallel interface printer in and try it. :D A so-called "Win-printer" which requires a Windows OS to provide the processing won't work. I know you can send plain ASCII text to an HP Laserjet, and it will print OK. It would probably even handle the old IBM "graphics". This is probably all you need. |
Graham L (2) | ||
| 456401 | 2006-05-22 07:55:00 | My approach would be to plug a parallel interface printer in and try it. :D A so-called "Win-printer" which requires a Windows OS to provide the processing won't work. I know you can send plain ASCII text to an HP Laserjet, and it will print OK. It would probably even handle the old IBM "graphics". This is probably all you need. I have an HP6L to spare that I can try, along with the Canon S750 and a couple of Canon BJC610/620 types so out of that lot I should be able to get an answer, one way or the other. First I must build my Power Strip! Watch this space.......... Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
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