USB or Parallel Connection

W

Walter R.

I bought a HP 6122. It has provision for either USB or parallel
connectivity.

I would like to conserve one of my two USB connectors (at my computer) for
other purposes.

Is there any disadvantage to using the parallel connector instead of the USB
connector?
 
M

mcalhoun

I bought a HP 6122. It has provision for either USB or parallel connectivity.
....[snip]....
Is there any disadvantage to using the parallel connector instead of the USB
connector?
Click to expand...

I don't KNOW, but I've heard the parallel path actually prints faster
than the USB path.

--Myron.
 
J

Jimmy

Walter R. said:
I bought a HP 6122. It has provision for either USB or parallel
connectivity.

I would like to conserve one of my two USB connectors (at my computer) for
other purposes.

Is there any disadvantage to using the parallel connector instead of the USB
connector?
Click to expand...
Max cable length is the disadvantage for parallel, and you can't hot-swap as
you can with USB. Further, I believe you only have 3 LPT ports supported in
most Windows systems. On the upside, the parallel in ECP/EPP mode can
transfer at about 3MBytes/sec, while USB 1.1 can transfer at about
12Mbits/sec and USB 2.0 transferring at 480Mbits/sec.

With USB you sacrifice speed for flexibility.
 
B

Bill

Walter said:
I bought a HP 6122. It has provision for either USB or parallel
connectivity.

I would like to conserve one of my two USB connectors (at my computer) for
other purposes.

Is there any disadvantage to using the parallel connector instead of the USB
connector?
Click to expand...

In normal situations there is no real difference at all. Use whatever is
more convenient or cheaper to install.
 
T

tomcas

Walter said:
I bought a HP 6122. It has provision for either USB or parallel
connectivity.

I would like to conserve one of my two USB connectors (at my computer) for
other purposes.

Is there any disadvantage to using the parallel connector instead of the USB
connector?
Click to expand...
Data flows thru either interface much faster than the printer can print.
Based on this there should not be any difference in speed. Hp has said
in the past that USB was approximately 10% quicker because of the lesser
demand the USB connection places on CPU. I have tried both and it does
seem that USB works better especially on large graphic printing. Besides
the print speed improvement the PC seems quicker when using other
applications while the printer is printing.
 
L

Larry

I bought a HP 6122. It has provision for either USB or parallel
connectivity.

I would like to conserve one of my two USB connectors (at my computer) for
other purposes.

Is there any disadvantage to using the parallel connector instead of the USB
connector?
Click to expand...

There is no consumer level printer that can use data faster than any
(current) printer port can send it, so all (other) things being equall,
use whatever port you choose, your printer will work just as well on
either.

I have read some listings that say "This printer requires USB 2.0".
Those printers are mostly printers with card readers built-in and the
2.0 requirement is (probably) tied to the card reader portion of the
printer.

Printers dont use data very fast... Witness the speed your computer can
get a picture on the screen. Thats the speed the computer can get the
data.

Now witness the speed you can view a picture from a card reader. Thats
the speed of the port you are using.

Now print that picture.... Takes longer right??? Thats the speed of your
printer driver/printer combination, they WONT out run even a USB 1.0
port.
 
C

Cypherpunk

M

Melissa

My experience with our HP 970 is USB is the better way. When I used a
parallel connection, my system would lag badly when I was printing. Using
USB, I don't have that problem.

You could get a USB hub to give yourself more USP ports. We have a 4 port
hub. It takes one of the system's USB ports, my scanner is in the other
system port, then the hub connects my printer, ImageMate CF card reader, and
mouse.

Melissa
 
M

Melissa

Alan said:
"Melissa" <[email protected]> wrote in message

You can get a PCI card with 4 USB ports even cheaper.
Click to expand...

Having a hub is nice because it's right here on top of our desk and easy to
get to. Many users aren't comfortable with taking the cover off and working
on their computer either.

But, as you said, it would cost less money.
 
C

CyclerJim

In the past I would have said it doesn't matter. But I guess sometimes
it does.
A friend of mine recently bought a Canon i860 based on my suggestion.
Then after she gets it, she tells me it's deathfully slow. I knew that
it's one of the fastest printers out there. I felt awful because I was
the reason she bought it.

Well I went over to see if I could do anything. I always believe that
whatever the problem with hardware, the first thing to look at (and
eliminate as the problem) are the connections and cables. I'm glad I
did. I had no idea she was using a parallel cable instead of USB. I
didn't even think Canon came with anything other than USB. Well
fortunately I did bring a USB cable with me. So the first thing I did
was use the USB. That was it! Now the Canon i860 was everything I said
it was. I just didn't think it could possible have such an adverse
effect. But it did. Perhaps it's just that USB doesn't make it faster,
but parallel can make it slower.
 

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