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From: jhs@mitre-bedford.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari8
Subject: Re: Need printer info
Message-ID: <8608210205.AA05041@mitre-bedford.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 21-Aug-86 09:29:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: mitre-be.8608210205.AA05041
Posted: Thu Aug 21 09:29:40 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Aug-86 21:12:52 EDT
References: <8608201414.AA16966@ENTERPRISE.BBN.COM>
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Organization: The MITRE Corp., Bedford, MA
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Most of the standard printers like the Epson, Panasonic, Okidata, etc. will
work if you have a Centronics interface.  I bought an 850 interface and both
printers that I hooked up worked right the first time.  The P: R: Connection
is another good choice of interface.  If you are interested in cheap
interfaces, I understand that the joystick ports can be used as an 8-bit
parallel output if you are good at writing driver software.  All you need
there is two DB 9-S connectors and maybe a simple external circuit to provide
some sort of handshake via the Trigger input(s).  There have been some
articles on this but I don't have references.  An excellent local source of
help (if not too busy) is Paul Swanson, 663-4463 (BBS on 663-4221).  Paul is
located in Billerica, MA.

If you don't want to tie up the joystick ports and you have an 800XL, I can
give you schematics for a general-purpose interface via the parallel bus
connector.  If you DON'T have an XL, you can always buy one for $69.95 if you
act quickly!  (Toys R Us has them at that price right now.)

Good luck!

-John Sangster
jhs@mitre-bedford.arpa