Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!gatech!udel!brahms.udel.edu!feurer From: feurer@brahms.udel.edu (Gary Alan Feurer) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Re: Should I connect printer serial or parallel? Message-ID: <18253@brahms.udel.edu> Date: 30 Jan 91 15:19:10 GMT References: <55304@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> <1991Jan30.124950.78@csc.canterbury.ac.nz> Organization: University of Delaware Lines: 36 In article <1991Jan30.124950.78@csc.canterbury.ac.nz> phys169@csc.canterbury.ac.nz writes: =>In article , stanley@phoenix.com (John Stanley) writes: =>> v087mxgb@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu (Shawn E Thompson) writes: =>> =>>> In article <6117@spdcc.SPDCC.COM>, jin@spdcc.COM (Jerry Natowitz) writes... =>>> >I have an Epson LQ800 printer that I will connecting to my not yet =>>> >received PC. Is there any performance advantage to using the parallel =>>> =>Shawn coverred just about all the points. The only other considerations are: => =>(1) that serial lines can be longer than parallel; some people need to have =>the printer more than 50 feet from the computer - then serial is a must. => =>(2) you might need the serial line for something else (e.g. a mouse, =>communications with another computer, etc). => =>(3) some spooling programs don't work with serial ports => =>Summary: Use parallel, unless you need a very long cable, or need to get data =>back from the printer (not relevant to LQ800's as much as PostScript & some =>other fancy printers). => =>Mark Aitchison, Physics, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. The above have only considered character data. If you send a lot of graphics data, the printer can easily keep up with the data sent, even at fairly high baud rates. We have printed out about 200 conference name badges using a graphics package and a serial Epson LQ-1500 printer. When the baud rate was set at 2400 baud, it took several hours to print the badges. We increased the baud rate to 19200, and all the badges could be printed in less than a half hour. --gary -- Gary A. Feurer Instructional Technology 303B Hall Education Building work: (302) 451-2751 University of Delaware home: (215) 255-5124 Newark, DE 19716 feurer@brahms.udel.edu