Re: [NTLK] [FAQ] PrintPack cable specs

From: Paul Guyot (pguyot_at_kallisys.net)
Date: Fri Aug 31 2001 - 09:20:15 EDT


>I posted once or twice ages ago re: an email thread between myself and a
>tech support person there (I was trying to figure out if any of the newer
>printpack cables might possibly work).

I haven't found the e-mail you posted, but I got a reference to it
(http://www.newtontalk.net/archive/mar2000-apr2000/1980.html). I've
also found a message from Gary Moody on the subject
(http://www.newtontalk.net/archive/mar2000-apr2000/1974.html).

>It's not just a cable, there's a chip and buffering and "things" going on
>(not super technical, but that's the info I got :).

It's basically what I needed to know.

>IIRC, the only ones that should work are the Apple branded PowerPrint, and
>the GDT Powerprint ones. Any Infowave ones won't work. And there was (I
>think I remember) one other model of GDT that wouldn't work.

I haven't found anything regarding this.

>Paul, I recall you once said you saved all the digests etc;

Well, I did before my disk crashed ;)
Fortunately, the parts I'm missing are on the NewtonTalk.net server.

So here is the current version of the FAQ:

---
IIB8) What kind of printer can I use?

There are basically three ways to print things from a Newton.

First, you can print with a serial connection (or an AppleTalk connection or via IrDA if you have a MP2x00/eMate 300). For this, you need a driver. The NewtonOS has drivers in the ROM which appear in the list when you select "Choose Other Printer" from the print dialog. There are also drivers written by Apple which can be found on UNNA for the SW4500 & 6500 and the HP IrDA printers (NewtonOS 2.1 devices only) http://www.unna.org/unna/apple/printing/ [I know there's a non working one for Epson printers, but is there any other driver around?]

Apple also released a PrintPack which includes a serial/parallel adapter and which can print on several parallel printers (for the list, cf the documentation of the software which can be found on UNNA http://www.unna.org/unna/apple/printing/PrintPack2/) Without the hardware, this PrintPack is useless. The serial/parallel adapter includes a processor and was manufactured by GDT Softworks (which later became InfoWave) for Apple. This company also manufactured compatible cables, the pre-V.4.X cables. A regular serial/parallel adapter will certainly not work.

Finally, you you can also print using a PC and Newton PC-Print by Alexander Kunzer: A.Kuenzer_at_bkr-software.de ---

Paul -- Home page: http://www.kallisys.com/ Newton-powered WebServer: http://newt.dyndns.org:8080/

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