Anyone still make a parallel printer?

Anyone still make a plain old generic use printer to connect to a parallel port? Last good long-term printer I had was a Canon BJC-5100. Refilled the ink cartridges and used it for years until the mechanical parts started failing.

Also, this one printed on 11x17 paper which is nice when you're doing drawings and signs.

Thanks in advance.

Bob

On Apr 29, 1:33*pm, "Guv Bob"
wrote:
Anyone still make a plain old generic use printer to connect to a parallel port? *Last good long-term printer I had was a Canon BJC-5100. *Refilled the ink cartridges and used it for years until the mechanical parts started failing.

Also, this one printed on 11x17 paper which is nice when you're doing drawings and signs.

Thanks in advance.

Bob

You got one response that said newegg had some options. The only
thing listed on newegg that's under $1000 is a Epson c88+ for
$100ish. Whether this will work for your system is a good question.

I ask this because there are many reasons why a person would want
Centronics over USB. One might be running win95, or NT4.0, and if so
drivers would be an issue. It could be the system in question doesn't
have "usb", but if it's a windows box that's unlikely as pretty much
anything Pentium and above had USB, though some system didn't come
with usb headers installed.

It could be you are looking for a non-host based printer that will
take ascii text and just print it.

We can be more helpful with more details as to what you are using and
doing with your printer.

If you need an 11 or 11+ inch printer, and Centronics, good luck
finding anything new cheaply.

Thanks for the replies, fellers. I'm usting Win 95B.

Already looked into getting a replacement program or adapting to later Windows version or using USB. I have done that in other cases with no problems. But without going into a side topic, it's not feasible in this particular case.

Have to find a parallel port printer in this case.

On Apr 30, 3:47*pm, "Guv Bob"
wrote:
Thanks for the replies, fellers. *I'm usting Win 95B.

Already looked into getting a replacement program or adapting to later Windows version or using USB. *I have done that in other cases with no problems. *But without going into a side topic, it's not feasible in this particular case.

Have to find a parallel port printer in this case.

Have you tried USB on win95b?

Hypothetically speaking win95b has limited USB support.
http://www.usbman.com/Win95%20USB%20Guide.htm

However this may not be an option for your case. I don't know. I
never tried to get USB on with win95b. I've enjoyed many wonderful
times dealing with getting USB working on hardware that was released
when win95 was new, such as the VX Pro chipset on PC Chips
motherboards. I eventually gave up and went with PCI USB.

But knowing you want Centronics, and have win95 is useful.

Question. Why go Centronics when you can go network? You might have
good reasons for not considering a network ready printer, or a USB -
ethernet print server. But it's still a legit question. Network
ready printers are normal these days, and are not unreasonable in
price. Whether they support win95 is a good question.

But there is one printer still made, that i'm aware of, with
Centronics and win95 support. That's the Epson C88+ . I'm sure there
are other options on closeout, but if you had to buy something right
away, it's really cheap and on the Epson website.

On Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:47:02 -0700, Guv Bob wrote:

Thanks for the replies, fellers. I'm usting Win 95B.

Already looked into getting a replacement program or adapting to later Windows version or using USB. I have done that in other cases with no problems. But without going into a side topic, it's not feasible in this particular case.

Have to find a parallel port printer in this case.

Try Linux and it is free. And you can dual boot with Windows or DOS.

"Guv Bob" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies, fellers. I'm usting Win 95B.

Already looked into getting a replacement program or adapting to later
Windows version or using USB. I have done that in other cases with no
problems. But without going into a side topic, it's not feasible in this
particular case.

Have to find a parallel port printer in this case.
================================================== ==

Bob - in Aug 08 I posted a request for a replacement for an old HP-6Laser.
That printer has a Centronic parallel port and is used PCL5. We identified 2
printers that were compatable, the HP 3005 and HP 4050. The following is a
kind of mashed version of the postings. Good Luck. -bill brown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warren - thank you again for your help. I thought I would bring you up to
date. We bought a used HP 4050 and a cartridge. I simply moved the serial
cable, plugged into the Serial to Parallel converter from the parallel port
on the HP 6L to the parallel port on the HP 4050. WOW! Everything worked
just like it's suppose to. It even downloaded a macro with our logo and
printed it as requested. I didn't have to change any setting.

This is what I expected the HP 3005 to do, but it didn't. The 4050 is a
little slower than the 3005 but many times faster than the 6L. We are very
satisfied with this new arrangement. Again - thank you

-bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Warren Block"
Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 7:54 AM
Subject: HP 6L printer replacement


Bill Brown wrote:

"Warren Block" wrote in message
...
Bill Brown wrote:
After many good years we finally need to replace a HP 6L printer
with something faster. Our system is a Unix SCO 5.0.6 driving a
digiport board with 16 RS-232 cables running to series to parallel
converters plugged into the parallel port of the printer.

But just one to the printer, right? Or are you driving 16 printers?

16 printers, 16 cables 16 ports, printing 16 different things. 1 RS-232
cable to 1 printer.

Yikes. If you absolutely have to stick with serial instead of going to
Ethernet, you might consider printers that have built-in serial.

The LaserJet 4050 has a 9-pin RS232 serial port. No longer made, but
there's a large market of inexpensive refurb 4050s, and they're
workhorses, easy to repair and support. Should be about half the cost
of the P3005, and a far better printer than the 6L ever was.

There's also the J4135A JetDirect Connectivity Card, an add-in card for
EIO slots that has a 9-pin RS232 port. Also no longer made, and those I
find cost as much as a whole LJ4050. Still, if you added one to the
P3005, you'd have a serial port with no conversion needed.

There are probably non-HP printers that come with RS232.

There's still the matter of either finding or building an appropriate
RS232 cable.

Did I mention that Ethernet comes with a lot of new printers for free?

Warren - THANK you for the reply. And thank you for confirming that PCL5
code should work on both printers. I will let you know what happens.

It'll be interesting to see what you work out. Good luck!

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

"IntergalacticExpandingPanda" wrote in message ...
On Apr 30, 3:47 pm, "Guv Bob"
wrote:
Thanks for the replies, fellers. I'm usting Win 95B.

Already looked into getting a replacement program or adapting to later Windows version or using USB. I have done that in other cases with no problems. But without going into a side topic, it's not feasible in this particular case.

Have to find a parallel port printer in this case.

Have you tried USB on win95b?

Hypothetically speaking win95b has limited USB support.
http://www.usbman.com/Win95%20USB%20Guide.htm

However this may not be an option for your case. I don't know. I
never tried to get USB on with win95b. I've enjoyed many wonderful
times dealing with getting USB working on hardware that was released
when win95 was new, such as the VX Pro chipset on PC Chips
motherboards. I eventually gave up and went with PCI USB.

But knowing you want Centronics, and have win95 is useful.

Question. Why go Centronics when you can go network? You might have
good reasons for not considering a network ready printer, or a USB -
ethernet print server. But it's still a legit question. Network
ready printers are normal these days, and are not unreasonable in
price. Whether they support win95 is a good question.

But there is one printer still made, that i'm aware of, with
Centronics and win95 support. That's the Epson C88+ . I'm sure there
are other options on closeout, but if you had to buy something right
away, it's really cheap and on the Epson website.


Networking was my first thought, but all the printers I'm finding on the shelf require Win2000 or higher. I've been told that the computer sending the file has to also meet that requirement. If that's not true, that would be the way to go.

Thanks Billyb.

"Billyb97113" wrote in message ...
"Guv Bob" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies, fellers. I'm usting Win 95B.

Already looked into getting a replacement program or adapting to later
Windows version or using USB. I have done that in other cases with no
problems. But without going into a side topic, it's not feasible in this
particular case.

Have to find a parallel port printer in this case.
================================================== ==

Bob - in Aug 08 I posted a request for a replacement for an old HP-6Laser.
That printer has a Centronic parallel port and is used PCL5. We identified 2
printers that were compatable, the HP 3005 and HP 4050. The following is a
kind of mashed version of the postings. Good Luck. -bill brown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warren - thank you again for your help. I thought I would bring you up to
date. We bought a used HP 4050 and a cartridge. I simply moved the serial
cable, plugged into the Serial to Parallel converter from the parallel port
on the HP 6L to the parallel port on the HP 4050. WOW! Everything worked
just like it's suppose to. It even downloaded a macro with our logo and
printed it as requested. I didn't have to change any setting.

This is what I expected the HP 3005 to do, but it didn't. The 4050 is a
little slower than the 3005 but many times faster than the 6L. We are very
satisfied with this new arrangement. Again - thank you

-bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Warren Block"
Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 7:54 AM
Subject: HP 6L printer replacement


Bill Brown wrote:

"Warren Block" wrote in message
...
Bill Brown wrote:
After many good years we finally need to replace a HP 6L printer
with something faster. Our system is a Unix SCO 5.0.6 driving a
digiport board with 16 RS-232 cables running to series to parallel
converters plugged into the parallel port of the printer.

But just one to the printer, right? Or are you driving 16 printers?

16 printers, 16 cables 16 ports, printing 16 different things. 1 RS-232
cable to 1 printer.

Yikes. If you absolutely have to stick with serial instead of going to
Ethernet, you might consider printers that have built-in serial.

The LaserJet 4050 has a 9-pin RS232 serial port. No longer made, but
there's a large market of inexpensive refurb 4050s, and they're
workhorses, easy to repair and support. Should be about half the cost
of the P3005, and a far better printer than the 6L ever was.

There's also the J4135A JetDirect Connectivity Card, an add-in card for
EIO slots that has a 9-pin RS232 port. Also no longer made, and those I
find cost as much as a whole LJ4050. Still, if you added one to the
P3005, you'd have a serial port with no conversion needed.

There are probably non-HP printers that come with RS232.

There's still the matter of either finding or building an appropriate
RS232 cable.

Did I mention that Ethernet comes with a lot of new printers for free?

Warren - THANK you for the reply. And thank you for confirming that PCL5
code should work on both printers. I will let you know what happens.

It'll be interesting to see what you work out. Good luck!

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

On May 3, 11:06*am, "Guv Bob"
Networking was my first thought, but all the printers I'm
finding on the shelf require Win2000 or higher. *I've been
told that the computer sending the file has to also meet
that requirement. *If that's not true, that would be the way
to go.

Yes, you need a driver on the PC printing to go to the network
printer. You can do some tricks, like print to PDF then print on
another PC, but I suspect you don't want the hassle.

Given that printers exist that are USB only with win98 support that
are are no longer made but 3-5 years old, network does option up your
options. For example the Canon MP530. No Centronics but it has win98
support. No longer made but you can get new ones in the box with
warranty from buy.com, Amazon.com, or a referb from newegg.com for
$60.

So thus far we have
Epson c88+ New Centronics a4 / letter
Canon mp530 - Closeout, print from network a4 / letter
?HP K5400DTN - Sites list win98 support, but no direct download of
the driver exists on hp.com



There is also the option of using something with a similar driver, a
PCL or Postscript complaint printer. If it does postscript the odds
are close to 100% that it'll work with win95.

You want a3 support, that'll be slightly more tricky. I'm not aware
of anything currently made, but there are always similar drivers.
Postscript shouldn't be an issue. PCL support might not be an
issue.

HP Business Inkjet 2800 - Centronics or network PCL 6, PCL 5c, and
postscript


Older printer

HP businessjet 2200 letter/a4 win3.1 & 95
HP Deskjet 1280 a3+ (again, not seen on hp.com but dos and nt4.0
support. One could expect win98 support, but I don't actually see
it).
HP Deskjet 9800 - didn't find the driver, but listed as having 98
support.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport... tID=c00283626

The older options are available on sites like froogle.com,
ecost.com.

Many thanks, IEP!

"IntergalacticExpandingPanda" wrote in message ...
On May 3, 11:06 am, "Guv Bob"
Networking was my first thought, but all the printers I'm
finding on the shelf require Win2000 or higher. I've been
told that the computer sending the file has to also meet
that requirement. If that's not true, that would be the way
to go.

Yes, you need a driver on the PC printing to go to the network
printer. You can do some tricks, like print to PDF then print on
another PC, but I suspect you don't want the hassle.

Given that printers exist that are USB only with win98 support that
are are no longer made but 3-5 years old, network does option up your
options. For example the Canon MP530. No Centronics but it has win98
support. No longer made but you can get new ones in the box with
warranty from buy.com, Amazon.com, or a referb from newegg.com for
$60.

So thus far we have
Epson c88+ New Centronics a4 / letter
Canon mp530 - Closeout, print from network a4 / letter
?HP K5400DTN - Sites list win98 support, but no direct download of
the driver exists on hp.com



There is also the option of using something with a similar driver, a
PCL or Postscript complaint printer. If it does postscript the odds
are close to 100% that it'll work with win95.

You want a3 support, that'll be slightly more tricky. I'm not aware
of anything currently made, but there are always similar drivers.
Postscript shouldn't be an issue. PCL support might not be an
issue.

HP Business Inkjet 2800 - Centronics or network PCL 6, PCL 5c, and
postscript


Older printer

HP businessjet 2200 letter/a4 win3.1 & 95
HP Deskjet 1280 a3+ (again, not seen on hp.com but dos and nt4.0
support. One could expect win98 support, but I don't actually see
it).
HP Deskjet 9800 - didn't find the driver, but listed as having 98
support.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport... tID=c00283626

The older options are available on sites like froogle.com,
ecost.com.