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Help wanted with HP-IL/IBM-PC interface [message #79197] Sun, 02 June 2013 23:11 Go to next message
dukelow is currently offline  dukelow
Messages: 10
Registered: May 2013
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Junior Member
Message-ID: <651@noscvax.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 21-Oct-84 18:20:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: noscvax.651
Posted: Sun Oct 21 18:20:11 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 22-Oct-84 07:05:57 EDT
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center
Lines: 60



I have recently acquired an HP-110 with assorted peripherals. As an
aside, I am relatively happy with the entire system except that the 110
is a little harder to lug around than I had hoped. So far, though, I
think that the capabilities make it worth it (for me).

The system components that I have include:

	1) ThinkJet printer (HP 2225B)
	2) Disk drive (HP 9114)
	3) HP-IL Interface card for IBM PC/XT (HP 82973A)

All of these components can be interfaced via the HP-IL bus and
software is provided to access all components in the loop using either
the IBM or the HP 110 as the controller. My preferred mode of operation
is to use the XT in my office as the controller to access the HP disks
(both internal and external to the 110) to transfer files for portable
processing.

Moving on toward the problem: It turns out that you can access any of
the peripherals from the XT even without the 110 in the loop. It also
turns out that the ThinkJet printer is much quieter and produces nicer
quality output than the Epson that I am presently using with the XT,
so...

The device driver provided by HP is easily hacked (just use debug to
change the device name) to make the printer on the HP-IL bus into the
standard system printer.  Unfortunately, the printer codes used by the
ThinkJet are not Epson compatible. Fortunately, there is an "Alternate
Controls Mode" in the ThinkJet that looks like it is at least very
close to Epson compatible.  Unfortunately, the only way to enable the
"alternate controls mode" appears to be to send a series of HP-IL
control codes.  There is no information as to how this might be done
from the IBM.

A call to HP's hot line (800-HPCOACH) did not produce the desired
result. They claim that the IBM interface board hardware doesn't
support general HP-IL control functions. Now that may be true, but
having been involved in hardware design this sounds like an unlikely
way to design such a board. HP is not known for openness when it comes
to using their hardware in ways that they hadn't intended. I am willing
to disassemble their driver software if necessary, but that sounds like
a lot of work and I don't presently have all the information I would
need. The HP-IL commands for the printer are only specified in terms of
their mnemonics.

I would appreciate any help. Such as:

	1) information concerning the truth of HP's statement
	2) direct information on programming the HP-IL interface card
	3) more information on HP-IL such as a list of control codes,
	   their meanings, and translation from mnemonics to binary

Pointers to the above are, of course, are welcome.

					Thanks,

					Bob Dukelow
					dukelow@nosc
Re: Help wanted with HP-IL/IBM-PC interface [message #80899 is a reply to message #79197] Tue, 04 June 2013 00:01 Go to previous message
markp is currently offline  markp
Messages: 10
Registered: May 2013
Karma: 0
Junior Member
Message-ID: <1785@tekig1.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 31-Oct-84 11:17:01 EST
Article-I.D.: tekig1.1785
Posted: Wed Oct 31 11:17:01 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Nov-84 05:49:27 EST
References: <651@noscvax.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 27

[1S0101100000]

If you want more informatinon on the HP-IL, there are several documents
that you can get hold of. The first is a book that is (or maybe I should
say was, my information is about 1 1/2 years out of date) published by
Osborne/McGraw-Hill called "The HP-IL System: An Introductory Guide to the 
Hewlett-Packard Interface Loop". All of the rest of the documents are from
HP. "The HP-IL Interface Specification" and "The HP-IL Intergrated Circuit
User's Manual" provide information on the HP-IL "standard" and a spec. on
a CMOS IC that HP designed to control the HP-IL. All of the documents are
avalible in what HP calls the "HP-IL Interface Kit". I would think that you
could find more information by contacting the nearest HP Field Office.

Also, the January 1983 Hewlett-Packard Journal, the April 1982 Byte, and
the June 1982 Digital Design mag's have several articals on the HP-IL.


			Hope that I Have helped!!

-- 
 "dignified and dependable"                               
				Mark Pease
				Tektronix, Inc.
				PO box 500 39-170
				Beaverton, Oregon 97077
				(503) 627-3559
				...tektronix!tekig1!markp
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