Conference mvblab::alphaserver_4100

595.0. "problem with printer on parallel port" by NNTPD::"[email protected]" (noel gesmundo) Fri May 09 1997 10:42

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Note 9534.0        Garbaged print-out on Alphaserver 4100/300          4
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MANM01::JUNHERNANDEZ                                 16 lines  17-APR-1997
07:48
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    Has anybody encountered garbled print-out on a printer connected to the
    parallel port of the Alphaserver 4100/300. I've tried replacing the
    printer cable and also the printer, but the problem is still there.
    I also replaced the RIO module and the EISA/PCI module, but the problem
    still remains. The command is used to test the parallel port is "cat
    /etc/profile > /dev/lp0". However, when I tried  connecting a HP
    DESKJET printer to the Alphaserver 4100, the problem was gone. The
    previous printers I was using is Epson LQ2170 and Epson LQ1170. Both of
    these printers are dot matrix printers and these units are working fine
    when connected to Alphaserver 400.I've also tried upgrading the
    firmware using Firmware CD 3.8. Is there a known problem with dot
    matrix printers ?
    
    Thanks
    
    Jun
 

[Posted by WWW Notes gateway]

    Are you using a long or a short cable? If long, have you tried a
    shorter cable?

    I'm using the standard 6' cable. I also tried the parallel port on a HP
    Deskjet printer and it works fine. Only on dot matrix printers does it
    have problems.
    
    thanks
    junhernandez

   If the HP Deskjet is working on the parallel port with the same cable,
   that would tend to point to a problem or configuration setting that is
   specific to the (failing) printers.  As such, this appears to be more
   specific to the printers, or to the host software -- the parallel port
   hardware works as expected with the Deskjet.

   There are different ways printers can generate interrupts via the
   parallel port, and you might be seeing the result of a difference
   between the printers -- you'll need to see how the printers are
   operating, and check with the UNIX parallel port driver folks to
   see what sorts of expectations the parallel port driver has.

   (In other words, this does not appear specifically to be a Rawhide
   question now, it begins to look like a printer problem, or a printer
   compatibility issue with the particular UNIX drivers in use.)