| What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #373470] |
Tue, 11 September 2018 09:57  |
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Originally posted by: cb meeks
I don't remember the exact model number of my laser printer (not near it at the moment). But, not only does it have WiFi it also has a legacy parallel printer port which I believe is a Centronics 36 pin connector.
So I was thinking, would it be possible to get a DB25 to Centronics-36 cable and use that printer from the Apple IIe?
If so, what card would you recommend? I see those Grafstar cards on eBay aren't very expensive.
Also, I know nothing about what kind of driver that printer would need. I *assume* it has some kind of generic driver or protocol over that connector that the Apple IIe can use. If not, might be kinda fun to write one.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!
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| Re: What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #373471 is a reply to message #373470] |
Tue, 11 September 2018 11:20  |
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Originally posted by: cb meeks
On Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 9:57:53 AM UTC-4, cb meeks wrote:
> I don't remember the exact model number of my laser printer (not near it at the moment). But, not only does it have WiFi it also has a legacy parallel printer port which I believe is a Centronics 36 pin connector.
>
> So I was thinking, would it be possible to get a DB25 to Centronics-36 cable and use that printer from the Apple IIe?
>
> If so, what card would you recommend? I see those Grafstar cards on eBay aren't very expensive.
>
> Also, I know nothing about what kind of driver that printer would need. I *assume* it has some kind of generic driver or protocol over that connector that the Apple IIe can use. If not, might be kinda fun to write one.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
UPDATE, the printer I have is a Lexmark MS415dn.
Thanks!
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| Re: What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #373474 is a reply to message #373471] |
Tue, 11 September 2018 13:54 |
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Originally posted by: Thomas Harte
On Tuesday, 11 September 2018 11:20:24 UTC-4, cb meeks wrote:
> On Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 9:57:53 AM UTC-4, cb meeks wrote:
>> I don't remember the exact model number of my laser printer (not near it at the moment). But, not only does it have WiFi it also has a legacy parallel printer port which I believe is a Centronics 36 pin connector.
>>
>> So I was thinking, would it be possible to get a DB25 to Centronics-36 cable and use that printer from the Apple IIe?
>>
>> If so, what card would you recommend? I see those Grafstar cards on eBay aren't very expensive.
>>
>> Also, I know nothing about what kind of driver that printer would need. I *assume* it has some kind of generic driver or protocol over that connector that the Apple IIe can use. If not, might be kinda fun to write one.
>>
>> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks!
>
>
> UPDATE, the printer I have is a Lexmark MS415dn.
>
> Thanks!
If it's any help at all, the manual — http://publications.lexmark.com/publications/pdfs/2007/ms415 /UG/EPS/MS415_UG_en.pdf — confirms that you have a standard parallel port and offers up that the printer accepts both PCL (5 and XL) and PostScript (including Macintosh binary PostScript) input.
So that's as generic as it's possible for a laser printer to get; you still might not easily get much from a program expecting a line printer rather than a page printer, but PublishIT at least does PostScript output.
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| What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #373488 is a reply to message #373470] |
Tue, 11 September 2018 21:00 |
Polymorph
Messages: 206
Registered: October 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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One of the more prolific and well supported parallel cards is the the Grappler+.
Another option would be an Epson APL parallel card which was also very prolific back-in-the-day.
But of the two I would recommend the Grappler+.
There are numerous clones of both cards floating around which *should* work just as well. You'll be able to pick these because they'll generally have an identical board layout without the brand names silk-screened on the board.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Mike
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| Re: What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #373504 is a reply to message #373470] |
Wed, 12 September 2018 08:21 |
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Originally posted by: cb meeks
On Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 9:57:53 AM UTC-4, cb meeks wrote:
> I don't remember the exact model number of my laser printer (not near it at the moment). But, not only does it have WiFi it also has a legacy parallel printer port which I believe is a Centronics 36 pin connector.
>
> So I was thinking, would it be possible to get a DB25 to Centronics-36 cable and use that printer from the Apple IIe?
>
> If so, what card would you recommend? I see those Grafstar cards on eBay aren't very expensive.
>
> Also, I know nothing about what kind of driver that printer would need. I *assume* it has some kind of generic driver or protocol over that connector that the Apple IIe can use. If not, might be kinda fun to write one.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
Thanks everyone! I will be on the lookout for the Grappler+. Seems to be pretty cheap.
Thanks.
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| Re: What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #373826 is a reply to message #373825] |
Fri, 21 September 2018 09:25 |
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Originally posted by: Anthony Adverse
On Friday, September 21, 2018 at 11:24:31 PM UTC+10, Anthony Adverse wrote:
> I just noticed there are LaserjetII drivers around. PCL4 you might be able to use those to drive it to some degree, your lexmark is PCL5. Your mileage may vary depending on your applications.
sorry my bad, just noticed its a IIe you've got.
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| Re: What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #373827 is a reply to message #373826] |
Fri, 21 September 2018 09:36 |
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Originally posted by: cb meeks
On Friday, September 21, 2018 at 9:25:20 AM UTC-4, Anthony Adverse wrote:
> On Friday, September 21, 2018 at 11:24:31 PM UTC+10, Anthony Adverse wrote:
>> I just noticed there are LaserjetII drivers around. PCL4 you might be able to use those to drive it to some degree, your lexmark is PCL5. Your mileage may vary depending on your applications.
>
> sorry my bad, just noticed its a IIe you've got.
Well, I have a couple of IIgs's but I prefer the IIe. But thanks.
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| Re: What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #374207 is a reply to message #374204] |
Sun, 30 September 2018 16:56 |
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Originally posted by: cb meeks
On Sunday, September 30, 2018 at 3:53:05 PM UTC-4, Anthony Adverse wrote:
> How'd you go with your printer? Other question is what are you printing from? Appleworks.... I find myself in a similar situation now having gotten my hands on a clone. My bonus is I have an oldish Kyocera with parallel and serial ports on it, that does an eposn lq emulation..
>
> A
I got my Grappler + card the other day. It didn't come with the cable so I've got to make one. I'm not sure what software to use on the IIe to print.. Any suggestions?
Oh, one neat project might be to make a mouse card using one of my protoboards. Anything good I can test with that if I make it?
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| Re: What card do I need for my modern laser printer? [message #374213 is a reply to message #374204] |
Sun, 30 September 2018 20:33 |
Hugh Hood
Messages: 678
Registered: November 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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On 9/30/2018 2:53 PM, Anthony Adverse wrote:
>
> How'd you go with your printer? Other question is what are you printing from? Appleworks >
If you're planning on printing from AppleWorks 5.1, you'll find built-in
printer drivers for both the DeskJet/LaserJet/PCL 5 models, and also
drivers for the Epson MX/FX/RX models.
Plus, you can set up a 'custom' printer driver, and enter your own codes
for whichever printer you would like to support, provided it accepts
7/8-bit ASCII. These are not fancy drivers, of course. Basically - Bold
/ Superscript / Subscript / Underline / Italic / different CPI's /
different fonts / fixed width vs. proportional -- those kind of things.
My LaserJets are attached via a serial connection to my Apple II's, but
parallel is fine as well. Over the years I've become a PCL 'junkie', as
it never ceases to amaze me how I can harness it from within the 'lowly'
Apple II to do amazing things.
If you're printing from PublishIt! 4, for best results you'll need a
printer that speaks PostScript and is attached either serially or via
AppleTalk. PublishIt! 4 won't print in PostScript over a parallel
connection, unfortunately, as it's hard-coded to depend on status
messages being sent back from the printer.
FWIW, I still do useful work with AppleWorks 5.1, and although I did a
lot of useful work in PublishIt! 4 20 years ago, I would not consider
using it today for day-to-day projects.
Hugh Hood
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