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From: grr@cbmvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Random observations from The Commodore Show
Message-ID: <1458@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 23-Feb-87 23:15:15 EST
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1458
Posted: Mon Feb 23 23:15:15 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 26-Feb-87 23:18:55 EST
References: <5734@amdahl.UUCP>
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 27
Keywords: San Francisco Commodore Show new products observations

In article <5734@amdahl.UUCP> kim@amdahl.UUCP (Kim DeVaughn) writes:
>
>     The upgrade to Digi-View is now set for "about a week or so".
>     Again, they improved alot of things.  Best news (for me) was that
>     Tim confirmed that the Digi-View *will* work on the A2000 parallel
>     port!!!  "Just barely", as he said.  The connector does still
>     provide the power pin, but CBM wanted to keep the available current
>     the same as will be available on the A500, so there is a current
>     limiting resistor that provides "barely enough".  I'm glad CBM
>     wasn't so stupid as to remove it entirely (and I really wonder
>     what Compute! meant when they said the ports were now "industry-
>     standard" ...)

The "Industry Standard" i.e. IBM PC printer connecter does not have *any*
power pin.  Our goal was for the user to be able to plug a genric Centronics
compatible printer into the A500/A2000 using a generic PC printer cable and
not have any problems with fried systems, printers or cables.

After a lot of painful deliberation, we put a very low value "pullup resistor"
on the "Auto-Feed" control line.  This can't be a real "power pin", since some
printers have a dip-switch that grounds this line.  Anyway, there is enough
power there for low-powered devices like the Digi-View.  We did discuss the
Digiview power requirements with Tim before making a final decision...
-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)