Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!thad
From: thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: A/B switch box
Message-ID: <35994@cup.portal.com>
Date: 16 Nov 90 09:07:54 GMT
References: <1990Nov13.173335.13387@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 20

pab@po.CWRU.Edu (Pete Babic) in <1990Nov13.173335.13387@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>
writes:

	I need to connect two printers to my Amiga with an A/B switch. Can I
	safely switch between the two printers with the power on, or can the
	CIA chips be damaged by such use?

Yes, you can safely switch between two (or more, depending on the "switch"
model) printers with the power on IF the "switch" you're using utilizes
what are known as "break-before-make" contacts.

The "other" kind of "switch" features "make-before-break" contacting and
will short two connections together during the switching process ... this
is a NO-NO.

Any switch sold specifically for printer or serial-port switching "should"
have the correct "break-before-make" contacts, but if the instructions aren't
clear in that regards, caveat emptor.

Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]