ImagewriterII to IBM Serial Port

[Jim Green]

We have noticed several messages regarding serial printer connections
and IBM PCs and Apple printers. We are hoping that someone will be
able to help all of us with the following information.

We are trying to attach an ImagewriterII printer via the serial cable
to an IBM PC. Is the cable that was previously used to attach to an
Apple IIe still acceptable? What should the pinouts be if we need to
construct a new cable? Should the protocol be XON/XOFF or hardware
handshaking ? Are there any special considerations for Win 3.1? What
printer driver should be used for Windows?

Thanks
kgb...@smtp.code3.com
or post news here.
Ken Burton & Jim Green
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[Victoria M Althoff]

In article <Dec.28.00.52....@pilot.njin.net> jmg...@pilot.njin.net (

Jim Green) writes:
>
>We have noticed several messages regarding serial printer connections
>and IBM PCs and Apple printers. We are hoping that someone will be
>able to help all of us with the following information.
>
>We are trying to attach an ImagewriterII printer via the serial cable
>to an IBM PC. Is the cable that was previously used to attach to an
>Apple IIe still acceptable? What should the pinouts be if we need to
>construct a new cable? Should the protocol be XON/XOFF or hardware
>handshaking ? Are there any special considerations for Win 3.1? What
>printer driver should be used for Windows?
>
>Thanks
>kgb...@smtp.code3.com

>Ken Burton & Jim Green

I believe that the Imagewriter supports both types of handshaking, but I think
XON/XOFF should work fine. Assuming that both the E and the PC have DB-25
connectors, the cable should be OK, too. At worst, you may need either a
gender changer, a null-modem, or both. In other words, the Super Serial Card
adheres to RS232C protocol.

As for setting up the port, match the settings on the DIP switches (see your
manual). For a driver, find out if Windows supports the NEC/ITOH ProWriter
from ages ago. (ref: the Grappler card discussion here). If it does
(doubtful) you should be in luck. But then, you may have to try every driver
you've got to get it to work. I don't know if the ImageWriter conforms to any
IBM-world standard.

Good luck!
--Dave Althoff, Jr.

[Jack Maher]

Hmmmm.... I've tried this several times, several ways, with no success.

I have tried a //e to IW2 cable from my 386 to the Imagewriter directly
from LPT1 and also from COM1 (using a DB-9 to DB-25 serial cable and a
gender bender to connect it to the //e -> IW2 cable, both with and without
a null modem adapter). Windows 3.1 includes a C.ITOH driver that has been
mentioned on this net as working with the IW2.

The best results I got were from the COM1 connection w/o the null modem
using the C.ITOH (8510?) driver. With that combo, the best I got was the
first page came out OK (not great) and subsequent pages were gibberish with
wild page advancing spitting out lotsa pages.

Have I missed something here? I have meanwhile given up on this as a lost
cause. If someone can show/tell me where I went wrong I'd be much
obliged!

[Victoria M Althoff]

First of all, abandon all hope of using LPT1: or LPT2:. The ImageWriter is a
serial printer, so you've GOT to use a COMx: port.

Second, Is there some kind of restriction on the Itoh 8510 driver that keeps it
from working with the serial port?

How about this: Try using BASIC to send data to the port. I don't know what
the command is, but LPRINT won't work...I think it is something like PRINT #1
"insert garbage here", but don't quote me (I'm from the Apple ][ world,
remember!)
Anyway, as long as you're just sending raw text (no graphics), ANY print driver
should work...the most essential ASCII functions (LF, FF, etc.) are common to
almost all printers, including the ImageWriter.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.
(good luck!)

[James Moores]

Well, I currently have my Imagewriter connected to a 486/50 and
here's how I did it.

Imagewriter -> Original Cable 25pin m -> 25pin f Null Modem Cable 25pin m
-> 25pin f Gender Changer 25pin f -> 25pin m Com 2 Port on PC

You could substitute a regular 25 pin cable for the null modem cable and
add a null modem. If you are going to a 9 pin socket, just add a 25pin to
9pin 1 foot cable to make the transition. No special cabling was required
other than the above.

In your autoexec.bat file on the PC you must put:

Mode com2 96,n,8,1,b
Mode lpt1=com2

This should enable you to print parallel to a serial printer (the
Imagewriter). If you use Windows use the CITOH 8510 print driver.

Using this set up I can print from dos and from windows without
problems.

Jim Moores
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