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From: scott@max.u.washington.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: Anadex printer to C64
Message-ID: <8256@max.u.washington.edu>
Date: 10 Oct 89 18:48:52 GMT
References: <2181@tutor.tut.fi>
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle WA
Lines: 62

In article <2181@tutor.tut.fi>, eal@tut.fi (Lehtim{ki Erkki) writes:
> I have Anadex Silent Scribe matrix printer and i like to connect it to
> Commodore-64.
>
> Can anybody tell me what do i need? Which port, serial or extension?
> Which kind of connection cable should i make? Do i need Expansion Card?
> Anything else?
>
> Erkki
 
To connect a printer to the C64, it all depends on the type of
connecting port of the printer. Some printers are C64 ready so a simple
direct connection is all that is required; for this your will only need to         
purchase a serial cable with DIN type connectors. However I doubt     
that the printer you mentioned is a C64 ready printer. Instead, it is more 
likely that your printer has a Centronix or RS-232 DB connection port.
In that case, you will need to purchase a printer-interface for the C64.
Usually the printer-interface comes with a Centronix connectors, so
if your printer is a RS-232 DB type connection, you need to purchase
an adapter cable that connects your printer to the printer-interface
which in-turns connects to the computer....(lets hope your printer is
a Centronix type :) )
 
After having made the connection between the computer and the
printer, now comes the task of setting the right configuration switches 
in your printer and in the printer-interface.
Most printer comes with a feature that lets it emulater different
types of printers that have become very popular, most notably    
Epson and IBM. Once you chose the desire printer emulation (whether is its 
own or a different type) you need to select the same emulation for the     
printer-interface. However there is a possibility
that the printer emulation that you chose is not supported by
the printer-interface. In that case, it is up to you to experiment and
find the best convination of emulation between the printer and the
printer-interface that will work.                                     
 
Little bit about the printer interface.....
There are some benefits that comes with a printer-inteface than
just needing it for the connection. Usually a printer-interface
comes with a buffer which allows the computer to dump its
data quickly, thus free the computer to do some other things, instead
of having to wait until the printer finishes its printing (Some printer
comes with its OWN buffer, this means that the buffer of the
printer-interface will become just an extension/addition to the 
total buffer available for dumping). And most of the time the cost of
the interface is depended on its buffer size.
 
 
Hardware                          Price (estimate)
========                          ================
 
DIN serial cable                  $3 to $5
 
Printer-Interface                 $35 and up
 
RS-232 DB to Centronix adapter    $10 to $15
(If you need it)
 
 
 
Sincerely,
Scott K. Stephen