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Printer Cable

Project: Parallel cable for printing with 'Centronics' printers.
Target : C64, C128, SX64
Time   : 30 min.
Cost   : <10 US$
Use    : Print to Centronics printers without expensive interface.


Extract

Cable which connects to the C-64's user port and to the centronics jack of a printer.

Detail

Programs supporting printing are usually designed for printers connected to the serial port. But very many of them also support centronics printers (the ones for your PC) connected to the userport. For these programs (also many Speeders support centronics printers) you need the circuitry below.

For the same reason described in 'C128D keyboard for C-64' the user port must not be connected directly to the cable.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Build the following circuit on a Vector board; if you can get it, take one designed for the userport (with 12 solder pads in a 3.96mm raster)

    The simple version (which requires no extra chips) is in the table below the picture.

    [Centronics booster]

    User port  | 25-pin SUB-D | 36-pin centronics | Signal
    -----------+--------------+-------------------+---------
     A (GND)   |    18-25     |      19-30        | GND
     B (Flag2) |     10       |       10          | /ACK
     C (D0)    |      2       |        2          | Data 0
     D (D1)    |      3       |        3          | Data 1
     E (D2)    |      4       |        4          | Data 2
     F (D3)    |      5       |        5          | Data 3
     H (D4)    |      6       |        6          | Data 4
     J (D5)    |      7       |        7          | Data 5
     K (D6)    |      8       |        8          | Data 6
     L (D7)    |      9       |        9          | Data 9
     M (PA2)   |      1       |        1          | /Strobe
    
    Notes:
  2. Connect the userport pins with the circuit according to the table above, on the other side of the circuit, connect either a 25-pin D-Sub plug (female, for use with standard centronics printer cables) or a 36-pin centronics plug (male).

Possible failures


Updated: January 7th, 1998
Created: February 11th, 1997
Status : NOT VERIFIED!

Site copyright © 1997 by Marc-Jano Knopp
This document is part of MJK's Commodore 64 & LCD Page
Brought back to life by Peter Schepers, Dec 10, 2005 because I really liked this site!