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From: chan@encore.UUCP (Jerry Chan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Printer Owner Confused
Message-ID: <2151@encore.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Nov-87 20:47:41 EST
Article-I.D.: encore.2151
Posted: Thu Nov  5 20:47:41 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Nov-87 13:03:38 EST
Distribution: na
Organization: Encore Computer Corp, Marlboro, MA
Lines: 61
Keywords: Toshiba, NEC, IgiveUP!

!!! HELP !!!

I have been having problems getting my printer to work properly;  up to
now I have suspected the parallel printer port, but now I am not so sure.

CONFIGURATION:

	* AT clone
	* NEC GB-1 graphics board w/parallel port used as COM1
	* Toshiba P321SL

SYMPTOMS:

	* When I hook up my printer w/parallel cable, space characters are
	  incorrectly printed.  So far I have seen this behavior as shown
	  from the following table:

		Expected	Actual
		Character	Printed
		Sequence	Sequence
		---------	--------
		] ] ] ] 	]"]"]"]"
		M M M M 	M"M"M"M"
		m m m m 	m"m"m"m"
		= = = = 	="="="="
		n n n n 	n!n!n!n!

	  These are the observed problems; there may be more which I had 
	  not run across.  Needless to say, this wreaks havoc when trying
	  to print out any document, esp. graphics printouts.

	* Swapping out the GB-1 board w/a monochrome Hercules-clone board
	  w/printer port, same printer, same cable, *everything* works fine.

ACTIONS TAKEN SO FAR:

	* Returned GB-1 graphics card to NEC for service *twice* -- they
	  returned it the first time w/no problems found, and the second
	  time they swapped it out on my request (no problem found the second
	  time either).  Swapped board has identical problem.

	* Swapped cable w/another IBM-centronix cable; no changes.

	* Performed an operation on cable (hardwired all grounds
	  together on centronix side -- somebody tell me if I did a
	  No-No;  I didn't see any problem w/doing this and thought
	  that a bad ground may have been the culprit) -- no changes.

Does anybody have any clues?  The confusing thing is that NEC insists that
the board works, but the setup doesn't work w/the NEC but works with spare
Mono board / printer port.  NEC seemed to suspect the cable, but I checked
the pinout on the AT side and they correspond to the pinout on the centronix
side (after the operation :-);  still no change.

I am stumped...  help, please?  Pretty please ???

   +----------------+  Jerry H. Chan                linus--+
+--+-------------+  |  Encore Computer Corp.       necntc--|
|  | E n c o r e |  |  257 Cedar Hill St.           ihnp4--+-encore!chan
|  +-------------+--+  Marlboro MA 01752           decvax--|
+----------------+     (617) 460-0500             talcott--+