Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!ncar!boulder!pikes!udenva!isis!csm9a!japplega
From: japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy
Subject: Re: Problems with Epson printer
Summary: Tandy's are not IBM compatible
Message-ID: <1136@csm9a.UUCP>
Date: 9 Jan 89 02:54:30 GMT
References: <3853@alvin.mcnc.org> <193300085@trsvax>
Organization: Colorado School of Mines
Lines: 44

In article <193300085@trsvax>, jim@trsvax.UUCP writes:
> 
> Earlier, igloo.UUCP!andyross said:
> " .. I think I've heard or read
> " that Epson printers use one of the lines to force all CR's to also give a
> " line feed. This line even overrides any DIP switch settings in the printer.
> 
> I can't find this in my FX-85 manual and have never heard of it. But we
> were trying th get a Texas Inst. printer to work with PrintMaster(tm)
> and were using the FX-80 printer driver and had a very similar effect.

Tandy 1000 series computers are advertised as IBM compatible... unfortunately
as I and others have found out after the sale: THAT IS FALSE ADVERTISING!

The Tandy 1000 series is designed to be compatible only with Tandy peripherals
They use a different HD interrupt... a different monitor scan rate... a
different joystick interface... a different floppy disk cable configuration...
(and the cheapest disk drives that Teac makes [both my original drives died!])
A very non-standard (and sub-standard) keyboard that has caused me considerable
interface problems... AND 

A non-standard parallel port WHICH not only requires a special Tandy cable
but ALWAYS outputs a hardware LF on every CR.  Tandy provides a program called
lf.com that patches DOS to overcome this problem but programs that use the
Tandy wonder bios STILL output a LF on pin 14.

To use an industry standard printer on a Tandy non-standard computer carefully
cover pin 14 with a piece of tape (on the printer end of the cable).

If you haven't guessed it I am not a satisfied customer... In fact I will
never buy another Tandy computer and take great pleasure in warning my students
against buying Tandy computers!

I love Fast Eddy Juge's mottos:
"Sales, lousy Service, no real Support"
"Tandy, In business to take your money"
"Tandy, There are so many better values"

			   - Joe Applegate -

    ======================STANDARD DISCLAIMER============================
     All views and opinions are my own and do not represent the views or
     opinions of the Colorado School of Mines, whatever they might be.
    =====================================================================