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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:AMIGA NOTES
Notice:Join us in the *NEW* conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:HYDRA::MOORE
Created:Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5378
Total number of notes:38326

1088.0. "Parallel Printer Cable" by FORTY2::MCCARTNEY (This ain't no party...) Tue Jan 19 1988 09:04

    Hi,

    I have an existing NLQ dot matrix printer purchased for my previous
    computer, an AMSTRAD CPC-464 CP/M machine. The printer is decent enough
    and I would like to connect it to my AMIGA A500. The printer is more
    or less (less rather than more, I suspect) Epson compatable. The
    problem arises with the connecting cable. The AMSTRAD printer has a 36
    way parallel interface that is described in the manual as Centronics
    compatable. As you will all know the AMIGA parrallel port is 25 way.

    I can't find a cable over here to connect the two and I don't know of a
    dealer who builds cables so I've decided to take the plunge and build
    the cable myself. What I need to know is what pins to connect to what
    pins. The pinout of the printer and the AMIGA are as follows,

    Printer
    -------

    Pin	    Function
    1	    Data Strobe (active low)
    2	    Data 0
    3	    Data 1
    4	    Data 2
    5	    Data 3
    6	    Data 4
    7	    Data 5
    8	    Data 6
    9	    Data 7
    10	    Acknowledge (active low)
    11	    Busy
    12	    Paper Out
    13	    Select
    14	    Not Connected
    15	    Not Connected
    16	    OV
    17	    Chassis Gnd
    18	    +5V OUT
    19	    GND
    20	    GND
    21	    GND
    22	    GND
    23	    GND
    24	    GND
    25	    GND
    26	    GND
    27	    GND
    28	    GND
    29	    GND
    30	    GND
    31	    Input Prime (active low)
    32	    Fault (active low)
    33	    GND
    34	    Not Connected
    35	    +5V OUT
    36	    Slot In (active low)
    

    AMIGA
    -----

    Pin	    Function
    1	    Strobe (active low)
    2	    Data 0
    3	    Data 1
    4	    Data 2
    5	    Data 3
    6	    Data 4
    7	    Data 5
    8	    Data 6
    9	    Date 7
    10	    Acknowledge (active low)
    11	    Busy
    12	    Paper Out
    13	    Select
    14	    +5V Power
    15	    Not Connected
    16	    Reset (active low)
    17	    GND
    18	    GND
    19	    GND
    20	    GND
    21	    GND
    22	    GND
    23	    GND
    24	    GND
    25	    GND

    I'd be very greatful if someone could tell me what pins go where as I'd
    really like take build the cable myself, rather than pay some fantasy
    amount to a dealer. I should say that my knowledge of electronics (even
    at this lowly level) is very limited.

    Many thanks in advance,

    Colin.
    
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1088.1LOWLIF::DAVISThat's not a BUG, it's a FEATURE!Tue Jan 19 1988 12:486
Colin,
  I had the same problem.  My EPSON also has a 36-pin Centronics port on it.
I just went to my local dealer and bought a cable for $9.95.  Works great!
They said that it was the same as an IBM parallel printer cable.

						...richard
1088.2MEMORY::BERKSONWhat's that in the road - a head?Tue Jan 19 1988 12:583
    re .1: Where can I buy an IBM parallel printer cable for $9.95?
  
         mitch
1088.3Bad Printer Cable??JANIS::DONAHUETue Jan 26 1988 12:275
	Help!  I finally got a printer cable that goes from my Amiga 500
	parallel port to the connector on my Panasonic 1091i but whenever
	I connect the two together the printer goes offline and none
	of the FF or LF buttons work.  If I remove the connector from
	the Amiga the printer comes back online.   Any ideas?
1088.4EVER11::EKLOFWe're everywhere.Tue Jan 26 1988 12:469
Re: .3

	Try turning the computer on.  My KXP-1091i behaves the same way with
the computer off.  If I turn on the computer, everything is fine.  (My Gemini
10X did the same thing, so I 'spect it's related to the Amiga, rather than the
printer.)

Mark

1088.51091 printer driver?ESD66::SOVIESSDDTue Jan 26 1988 13:5012
    	I have a Panasonic 1091 and I built my cable from a 
    	transactor magazine article, my 1091 acts the same way
    	when the amiga is off .... I think it has something
    	to do with the signal "READY" on the 1091.
    
    	I have a question for you 1091 people out there.
    	
    	Is there a printer driver made up for the 1091 or are
    	you using EPSON, or GENERIC?
    
    	Dean 
1088.6Same here/ use EpsonTEMPE1::ARBUCKLEWIZARDTue Jan 26 1988 16:447
    
    	My Panasonic 1080i acts the same way you've described.  
    Power on, trouble gone.  I'm using the Epson settings and
    haven't run into any mis-cues so far.
    
    						Don
    						 ~
1088.7Canon does it tooCIMNET::KYZIVATPaul KyzivatTue Jan 26 1988 17:397
My Canon also acts that way.  I thought my printer was broken when I first
hooked it up and tried to run its local diagnostics with the amiga off.  I
thought until now that this was an idiosyncracy of the Canon, but perhaps it is
part of the centronics protocol.  (It is centronics which is used on the
parallel port isn't it?)

	Paul
1088.8Still doesn't go onlineJANIS::DONAHUETue Jan 26 1988 20:203
I guess I have a bad cable or bad parallel port.  When my amiga is on, the
printer does not come online.  I noticed that the 5V pin was being used,
connected, so I snipped it hoping it might help - didn't.
1088.9IBM cable and EPSON driver for PANASONIC 1092iLEDS::MOORETom Moore NKS1-4/E4 291-7195Wed Jan 27 1988 01:0148
	I have an AMIGA 500 and a PANASONIC 1092I printer($299.00).
	I also was concerned about getting the right cable.  I
	picked up a IBM parallel cable ($10.00) and I traced out
	all of the active signals. The only one that worried me was
	the "AUTO FEED" input to the printer.  The printer needed a
	logic high but +5 is not the best choice.  I went ahead
	anyway and have had no problems.  I use the EPSON driver and
	the printer comes online whether the conputer is on or not. 
	Works great.  Below is the way I remember the cable is
	connected.  

	I wish CBM would tell us the standards they are trying to
	conform to like the Centronics parallel port. My next
	challange is to figure out how to effectively use the
	downline loadabel founts.  When you want to cancel a
	printout usually the printer has it already has it in its
	buffer. 

	-Tom-

    Printer PANASONIC 1092i			AMIGA
    -----------------------			-----
    Pin	    Function		    PIN	    FUNCTION	
    1	    Data Strobe low)	    1	    Strobe (low)
    2	    Data 0		    2	    Data 0    
    3	    Data 1		    3	    Data 1
    4	    Data 2		    4	    Data 2
    5	    Data 3		    5	    Data 3
    6	    Data 4		    6	    Data 4
    7	    Data 5		    7	    Data 5
    8	    Data 6		    8	    Data 6
    9	    Data 7		    9	    Data 7
    10	    Acknowledge (low)       10	    Acknowledge (low)
    11	    Busy		    11	    Busy
    12	    Paper Out		    12	    Paper Out
    13	    Select		    13	    Select
    14	    Auto feed (low)	    14	    +5V Power
    15	    Not Connected	    15	    Not Connected
    16	    GND
    17	    Chassis Gnd		    Body    Chassis Gnd
    18	    +5V OUT
   19-30    GND			   17-25    GND
    31	    Input Prime (low)       16      RESET
    32	    Fault (active low)
    33	    GND
    34	    Not Connected
    35	    Not Connected
    36	    Not Connected
1088.10MEMORY::BERKSONWhat's that in the road - a head?Wed Jan 27 1988 08:363
    re .9: Where did you get a printer cable for $10?
    
      mitch
1088.11re 3ESD66::SOVIESSDDThu Jan 28 1988 10:3014
    
    RE:3
    
    I have a Amiga 1000 and I noticed there seems to be a difference
    between the 1000 and the 500 ( maybe the 2000 also )  Both
    Amiga's DB25 serial ports are almost identical except for 'RESET'
    the 1000 tas reset on pin 25 and the 500 seems to have reset
    on pin 16 which is ground on a 1000. 
    ( Disclaimer: I don't have a 500 manual, there could be other changes)
    DB25 pin 25 Reset is connected to my 1091 Centronics
    connector pin 31 which is named 'PRIME'
    perhaps your IBM cable has these signals jumbled.
    If Prime is held 'LOW' then the printer is in a 'HARD' reset and
    will never work.
1088.12FORTY2::MCCARTNEYLets go chair surfing !Mon Feb 01 1988 10:5015
    re .1

    Hi Richard,
    Took your advice and bought and IBM parallel printer cable at some
    place in London and it works great, text, graphics, NLQ the lot. Looks
    like the printer was Espon compatable after all. Anyway that seems to
    eb the solution, if you've got a 36 pin, centronics port on your
    printer just buy an IBM parallel printer cable. Mine only cost #7.50
    (thats pounds).

    Thanks,

    Colin.
    
1088.13LOWLIF::DAVISThat's not a BUG, it's a FEATURE!Mon Feb 01 1988 11:333
Glad to hear that Colin.  Happy printing!

					...richard
1088.14MEMORY::BERKSONWhat's that in the road - a head?Mon Feb 01 1988 12:104
    Applied Progressive Electronics (see 1107.2) sells IBM printer cables
    for $12 plus tax. 
    
      mitch
1088.15Don't use my cable insturciontsANT::JANZENTom LMO2/O23 296-5421Tue Sep 13 1988 21:0212
    Hi
    In the previous .15 of this note, I gave some instructions for building
    a cable. 
    
    DON'T DO IT@!!!!!
    It brought down DF1:.
    I'm going to cut the unneeded pins.  YOu should buy a cable.
    DF1: seems to have recovered after disconnecting the printer cable.
    This cable was a straight-through 1-1, 2-2 etc. cable with mass-
    terminated components.
    I'm sorry if this caused any inconvenience.
    Tom
1088.16cut pin 16? or route to printer pin 31?ANT::JANZENTom LMO2/O23 296-5421Tue Sep 13 1988 21:306
    Hi again
    Pin 16 is important to cut.  It's INIT.  The amiga drives it (IORESET).
    The printer pulled it down to ground.
    I'm on the air again. DF1 is OK.  I'll go back to verifying the
    printer.
    Tom
1088.17it's still unshieldedANT::JANZENTom LMO2/O23 296-5421Wed Sep 14 1988 14:3621
    I am not responsible if you blow up your computer or your printer
    or cause interference or anything else by following my instructions.
    For an Amiga 500 to an Epson LQ500:
    Radio shack 276-1533 36-position flat cable connector
    276-1559 D-Subminiature 25-pin male solderless connector
    278-772 25 conductor ribbon cable, 6 feet. 
    Cut pin 16 of the DB25P, or disconnect it permanently some other
    way.  This pin is the IO_RESET pin of the Amiga, and the Epson
    pulls it down so that DF1 won't work (or some other things, I
    imagine).
    Connect them all together.  Make certain pin one of the DB25P is
    connected to pin 1 of the centornics connector with an ohmmeter.
    You can use pliers in the big opening position to squeeze the
    connectors around the ribbon cable.  Make certain the cable is nicely
    lined up with the contacts.  The individual wires should 
    sit in the "V" shaped contacts before and after crushing.  The contacts
    cut the insulation and make contact.

    This is unshielded and could cause more interference even if the
    printer isn't running.  
    Tom