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Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!rpi!batcomputer!pwong
From: pwong@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Patrick Wong)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec,comp.periphs,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.periphs.printers
Subject: Re: HELP: How to hook up a LQP02 printer with a pc via serial port?
Message-ID: <1991Jan30.133046.15912@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Date: 30 Jan 91 13:30:46 GMT
References: <1991Jan26.225528.23394@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Organization: Cornell Theory Center
Lines: 65

In article <1991Jan26.225528.23394@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> pwong@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Patrick Wong) writes:
>Hi, netters:
>
>I have just inherited a DEC LQP02 daisywheel printer (obviously w/o manual)
>and I have been trying to get it to work with my pc via the serial port that
>the printer has.  The printer has two bands of dip switches: SP1 and SP2.
>There is a simple chart on the inside of the front panel cover of the printer
>explaining all these switches.  Therefore, I believe I set all the
>communication parameters correctly without any doubt.  (Though the chart does
>not say anything about the 2nd band of dip switches except their default
>positions.  Thus, I left them in their default positions while only setting
>the switches of 1st band).
>
>I used a serial cable (which is actually a modem cable that I use to connect
>between the serial port on my pc and a modem) and a NULL modem to connect
>to the printer.  This is based on the assumption that both LQP02 and my pc
>are DTE.  Though I can get the power light lit up (and the DSR light lit up
>if I set dip switch 6 of 1st band SP1 at up-position), I cannot get it to 
>print at all.
>
>I tried 2 different ways to send things to the printer:
>1.  I used a software to send things to the printer after setting up
>    the comm. parameters within the software to be identical to those
>    of the printer.
>
>2.  I did the followings:
>
>    >MODE COM1 9600,e,7,1,p
>    >MODE LPT1=COM1
>    >PRINT file (or COPY file PRN)
>
>
>Both methods did not result in any printing at all.  I think the cable
>that I used may not be inappropriate, although I did try also using it
>without the NULL modem in-between the pc and the printer.  So, what's
>the deal here?
>
>Please HELP !!!
>
>Patrick Wong
>pcw@squid.graphics.cornell.edu
>pwong@tn.theory.cornell.edu
>

Thanx to those who responded !! I've got it printing under Dos and WordPerfect.

Several people (jdudeck@polyslo.calpoly.edu,alpert@chovax.enet.dec.com,
amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu) pointed out that I need a X-ON-X-OFF driver
in order to make it print properly under DOS, one of them also told me
that WP can handle this flow control (and he is right!) w/o the need of
an external driver, and another one kindly sent me a copy of MAPLPT.

I talked with DEC tech on the phone and found out that the RS-232C port
on the printer is a standard one (Wow!).  Therefore, my attempt to
connect the printer and the pc with a NULL modem in-between is correct.
However, in the beginning I still could only print a few lines before
the data became scrambled (with parity error shown on the printer).
The breakthru came when nigel@cc.imperial.ac.uk told me from his
experience that he could only use up to 300 baud to print on this printer.
And, indeed, he is right!  As soon as I set the baud rate to 300, I could
print a WP document under WP5.0 w/o problem!

Thanx again to all!

Patrick