>Good topic, Bruce. I'm new to vitage Macs and vintage Apple printers, so >I'm looking for advice along those lines, too. > >Vintage Mac printers use a serial interface and most PC printers use a >parallel interface (although USB is becoming common). If the 'PC' >printer had a serial interface, I would suppose an appropriate serial >interface cable and printer driver could be produced, although there's >no certainty that they have been for any particular model printer. I >remember when we used to have to build custom serial cables for >PC-to-printer connections, based on the brand of PC and the brand of >printer. Standards can be a nice thing. > >I would suspect that even the level of OS release on your Mac would make >a difference as to which printer you can use. I picked up a Stylewriter >II that I have yet to get to work on any of my vintage Macs, ranging >from Mac Plus to LC-475, with OS from 7.x to 8.x. The printer self-tests >fine, but doesn't respond to the printer - various error messages >appear, depending upon which system I use. Some day I'll find the right >combination of system, OS, and cable that will let me use it. > >Fellow at my local Computer Renaissance says that the Canon bubble-jet >printers have the same engine as the StyleWriters; only the interface >circuitry is different. In fact, Canon actually was the manufacturer of >the StyleWriters. > > Sp00ky > >[...snip...] >> Now just in the past few weeks I have seen a slew of cheap old Mac printers >> in thrift shops & pawn shops, and wonder if it's time to move on. But I'm >> so printer inexperienced! Can someone take a few moments to expound on the >> relative merits of such printers as Personal LaserWriters (could have had >> one for $5 yesterday), Color Stylewriters, old Canons and Epsons, etc. etc. >> Also, this may sound ignorant but I'm confused about whether a PC printer >> such as DeskJet or Canon can be hooked up to a Mac provided you have the >> correct cable and drivers, or are printers strictly Mac or PC? >> >> Bruce (in Orlando) > >-- > Spiritus ex Machina > No matter how paranoid you are, it isn't paranoid enough. > > > >-- >Quadlist is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... > > Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | > -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | > > Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> > >Quadlist info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/quadlist.shtml> >The FAQ: <http://macfaq.org/> >Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/quadlist%40mail.maclaunch.com/> > >Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com > I also have a StyleWriter II printer which I got along with an LC 630, advertised as "free to a good home" in a local Safeways supermarket. The LC 630 now has a logic board from a Performa 5260 (left over from another upgrade project) and is happily running OS 8.1. I just use the StyleWriter 1200 chooser extension and the printer works just fine. I always make sure that the printer is turned on before trying to print and have no problems at all. The connection is via the bog standard serial cable.
David -- Quadlist is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Quadlist info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/quadlist.shtml> The FAQ: <http://macfaq.org/> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/quadlist%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
