Although a null modem cable connecting the Model 100 serial port to a PC can handle some tasks, there are times I need a printer. For instance- PRINT and SHIFT-PRINT from the panel, LPRINT and variants from a BASIC program, a .CO that uses any of the printer rom routines such as assembly listings from ZBGASM.CO with /LP.
My printer (a DMP105) is probably broken beyond repair and I can't get ribbons for it anyway. This was my plan B: I used a Arduino Nano clone (AliExpress $2-$3), a foot of 26 conductor IDC ribbon cable, a crimp-on 2x13F and a USB jumper. The 2x13F goes in the Model 100 printer port. The USB goes to a PC running a terminal program such as PuTTY. The Nano is in the middle and its sketch (Arduino-speak for program) handles the handshake and parallel to serial conversion and yields a 9600b stream that's the serial replica of the M100 printer parallel output. On the PC the "printer" output and be viewed, scrolled, saved, and printed. Not quite the same as a dot-impact printer but quieter and faster and it doesn't need ribbons. If anyone wants to give this project a try I can provide a materials list, a sketch listing, a wiring diagram, and pixs. GH 3/12/25
