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From: jgreco@archimedes.math.uwm.edu (Joe Greco)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: C64 as printer buffer
Message-ID: <3760@uwm.edu>
Date: 3 May 90 05:01:43 GMT
References: <1990May2.234250.2626@uunet!unhd>
Sender: news@uwm.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Lines: 22

In comp.sys.cbm article <1990May2.234250.2626@uunet!unhd>, jwm770@unhd.unh.edu.UUCP (Jonathan W Miner) wrote:
:I recently replaced my old C64 with a new 286 clone.  I'm using the same
:printer (a Centronics GLP).  What I would like to do is write software
:that would turn the C64 into a printer buffer.  Anybody have any ideas?
:I'm not worried about the actual code, I can handle that.

Not terribly difficult, except for one consideration:  there is only one
readily accessible parallel port on the 64 - the user port.  This means
either a hardware kludge to provide two ports from one, add a second port
on the expansion slot, or (most elegant but untried) remove the keyboard and
gain TWO parallel ports (total of three) :-)

The most I've done along any of these lines is using a 64 as a "Centronics
Parallel" to "CBM Serial" translator.  I'll testify that the code isn't
hard, if you have a book in front of you that details Centronics handshaking
and pinouts.

I'd probably go for the keyboardless option.  Pop a ROM cart. in the
expansion slot and you have the only print buffer on the block with a VIDEO
DISPLAY (consider the possibilities.)

... Joe "I've used a 64 for lesser things" Greco