Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hpfcdc!rjn
From: rjn@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Bob Niland)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: hp2608a
Message-ID: <5570233@hpfcdc.HP.COM>
Date: 1 Jul 89 13:52:02 GMT
References: <2918@helios.ee.lbl.gov>
Organization: HP Ft. Collins, Co.
Lines: 23

re: "I've got a venerable 2608a line printer attached to an HP1000."

> It's got some kind of a parallel interface on it, labeled "26099-60002".
> It looks Centronics-like (anyone know if it is?) on the printer connector.

That's a differential parallel interface, "DataProducts longline" as I
recall.  Only the HP1000 and HP3000 ever had a host interface for that.
It is definitely NOT centronics.


> I'd like to move this printer to some other system if it's salvageable,
> anybody got any ideas?  I have a vague recollection that at some
> time in the past there were HPIB-compatible versions of this printer
> around == there wouldn't be a conversion kit available, would there?

There used to be an HP-IB interface, but the 2608A was discontinued at least
five years ago.  Also, the HP-IB protocol was what we now refer to as "AMIGO
block mode".  Documentation on how to implement a driver might be very hard
to come by.

Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland        rjn%hpfcrjn@hplabs.HP.COM           3404 East Harmony Road
                  [hplabs|hpu...!hpfcse]!rjn          Ft Collins CO 80525-9599