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Spectrum Centronics interface

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Lee Osborne

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Aug 23, 2019, 6:09:34 AM8/23/19
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I'm just about to acquire an ancient dot matrix printer, and I'd like to connect it up to my Speccy +2 (grey case). Does anyone out there have a Centronics printer interface they'd be happy to part with? Ideally I'm after one that can be configured to work with Tasword.

Please let me know, eBay doesn't seem to have any.

Lee

Bruno Florindo

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Sep 4, 2019, 8:06:37 AM9/4/19
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I don't have one (anymore), but this is the one I used to use with my Speccy +2 (grey case) back in the day:

https://www.rewindgames.com/zx-lprint-iii-interface-used-loose

Lee Osborne

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Oct 5, 2019, 7:35:55 PM10/5/19
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I've just got hold of a Kempston Interface S, and found the software for it online. I've successfully got LPRINT and LLIST working in 48K mode (the software crashes the machine in 128K mode).

I tried following instructions to configure Tasword Two to work with it, but no luck so far.

Duncan Snowden

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Oct 7, 2019, 9:10:28 AM10/7/19
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On Sat, 5 Oct 2019 16:35:54 -0700 (PDT)
Lee Osborne <losbo...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I've just got hold of a Kempston Interface S, and found the software
> for it online. I've successfully got LPRINT and LLIST working in 48K
> mode (the software crashes the machine in 128K mode).

Ah, now that rings a bell. I don't think it was the Interface S I had,
but it was a Kempston, and the incompatibility with 128K mode probably
explains why I connected my printer to the RS232 port even though I'd
already shelled out for a parallel interface. In recent years, I've
often wondered what the hell I was thinking, but that'll be it.

--
Duncan Snowden.

Lee Osborne

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Oct 25, 2019, 6:01:13 AM10/25/19
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I gave up on trying to get Tasword 2 to work with the interface, and adopted a better solution. I got hold of Tasword Plus Two, complete with instructions, and a QL serial-to-Centronics lead. Turns out the QL serial ports are wired exactly the same as the 128K Speccy RS232 ports, and it works like a charm. COPY works and everything!

Lee Osborne

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Jan 16, 2020, 6:52:09 AM1/16/20
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Sadly my Kempston printer interface has died, just after I managed to configure Tasprint to work with it! That handwriting style font is a charmer!

So...I'm after another Speccy Centronics interface, if anyone has one. They seem rarer than hen's teeth these days, probably because about 99.9% of Spectrum owners only played games on them, and I suspect very few were sold in the first place.

Please help me!
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