Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ncis.llnl.gov!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!ucsd!rutgers!mailrus!purdue!decwrl!pyramid!octopus!pete
From: pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Using the printer port for input
Summary: YES you can do it. I've got code somewhere here (rummage, rummage...)
Message-ID: <485@octopus.UUCP>
Date: 21 Jan 89 06:15:00 GMT
References: <704@krafla.rhi.hi.is> <691@hgcvax.uucp> <274@laas.laas.fr>
Reply-To: pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann)
Organization: Octopus Enterprises, Cupertino CA
Lines: 23

A couple of years ago I was interested in doing high-speed data transfer
between PC's. I checked the schematics and sure enough, as someone else
mentioned, there are 8 data out lines (normal data to printer), 5 input
status lines, and 4 lines normally for control output, but you can make
them input lines (sometimes by flipping a bit, but more reliably in my
experience by making the output float. Send a zero, I think, and you
can read whatever is out there...).

I had a set of test software running, and could do 70+KB/sec between two
PC's... never got around to turning it into a product. I wonder if it was
patentable?

Anyway, I'll probably never get around to doing anything useful with it.
As soon as I can rummage a little, I'll post some code to the net. Maybe
somebody can have some fun with it...

Pete

-- 
  OOO   __| ___      Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises
 OOOOOOO___/ _______ USPS: 19611 La Mar Court, Cupertino, CA 95014
  OOOOO \___/        UUCP: {hpda,pyramid}!octopus!pete
___| \_____          Phone: 408/996-7746