Use FAX machine as printer and scanner ...
Zhou Yong
Has anyone succeeded using fax machine as a printer and scanner with a PC
equipped with a fax modem? ( One can certainly do it with two phone lines,
but what I am interested is how to connect them directly. ) Do I need
some special interface and/or software to do it?
Any info is appreciated.
Yong
Andreas Beermann
I did this some time ago with a self-made 'interface' that was only a resistor and a 24V power
supply:
Computer b -------+-------------------------------------------- b Fax
|
+-+
| |Resistor 470 Ohms, 1 Watt
| |
+-+
|
|
+--- 24V power supply +
+--- 24V power supply -
|
Computer a -------+-------------------------------------------- a Fax
The problem is that no dialtone and no calling signal (ring) is generated. so either modem and
fax must be able to send or receive faxes when the connection is already established. But then
it works fine!
Andreas.
--
Andreas Beermann * Laboratoire des Systemes Photoniques / ULP - ENSPS
Tel: (+33).88.65.50.00 poste 60.81 * http://www.uni-karlsruhe.de/~up0n
andreas....@stud.uni-karlsruhe.de (24h/24h) * ...hate long sigs
Alan L. Longyear
FAX modem. You have to use a FAX and FAX modem software that
support MANUAL operations (that is manual send and receive).
Initiate a FAX manually, and then initiate a receive- manually.
should work.
Good Luck,
Alan
long...@kodak.com
John Bunting
>Hi all,
>Has anyone succeeded using fax machine as a printer and scanner with a PC
>equipped with a fax modem? ( One can certainly do it with two phone lines,
>but what I am interested is how to connect them directly. ) Do I need
>some special interface and/or software to do it?
>Any info is appreciated.
>Yong
Sure, using software like WinFax Lite, it is possible. The hard part
is generating the ring signal so the faxmodem or fax machine will
answer. It involves generating 90vac 20hz signal if I remember right.
I don't think it is worth it to use your fax machine as a general
purpose printer ...way to slow. But some people say a fax machine
works(with rather poor resolution) to scan things like schematic
diagrams into your computer. However, the huge bitmapped
fax files use up alot of your hard drive in a hurry.
computer printer ....way to slow.
John Bunting bun...@cis.net Quincy, IL
Alan R. Winstanley
<YO...@uwnuc0.physics.wisc.edu> writes
>Hi all,
>
>Has anyone succeeded using fax machine as a printer and scanner with a PC
>equipped with a fax modem? ( One can certainly do it with two phone lines,
>but what I am interested is how to connect them directly. ) Do I need
>some special interface and/or software to do it?
>
>Any info is appreciated.
>
>Yong
I use Procomm for Windows 2.1 which includes fax software.
Put the fax machine and the PC/ fax modem on the same line. Set the s/w
to fax receive.
Dial a single digit on the fax machine, to remove the dial tone. Scan in
the document as if you're copying it. It should be captured in your fax
software as a nice big bitmap. This takes some practise with the timing,
otherwise Digital Dorothy (British Telecom's pre-announced voice) tells
you to replace the handset and try again!
I haven't figured out how to print out on the fax from the s/w yet
though.
+alan-
--
Alan Winstanley email: al...@epemag.demon.co.uk Views are my own.
- Everyday with Practical Electronics Magazine -
Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1PF, United Kingdom
j...@mnsinc.com
>Dial a single digit on the fax machine, to remove the dial tone. Scan in
>the document as if you're copying it. It should be captured in your fax
>software as a nice big bitmap. This takes some practise with the timing,
>otherwise Digital Dorothy (British Telecom's pre-announced voice) tells
>you to replace the handset and try again!
I've got an old 1a2 key system with an intercom circuit in it that I was
planning to use to 'trick' my fax machine into sending a fax (my fax
machine will not send a fax unless it's connected to a live phone line
with talk battery, and the intercom circuit does a good job of simulating
a real phone line) so I could use it as a scanner.
Peng F. Mok
YO...@uwnuc0.physics.wisc.edu (Zhou Yong) wrote:
>Subject: Use FAX machine as printer and scanner ...
>Has anyone succeeded using fax machine as a printer and scanner with a PC
>equipped with a fax modem? ( One can certainly do it with two phone lines,
>but what I am interested is how to connect them directly. ) Do I need
>some special interface and/or software to do it?
>Yong
I can't find my copy of the article but I believe it was in a Oct 1995 issue
of Popular Electronics (or Electronics Now) that has a simple hardware
solution using a double phone jack, a couple of resistors and two 9V
batteries. You will of course need a faxmodem in your computer. The cover of
that issue was on "Ghost Voices" a very funny discussion thread which appeared
in this newsgroup at that time. That is how I recall that particular issue.
Kelvin Mok
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