usb to parallel printer

[Guest]

Could someone PLEASE help me. I have spent days trying to get my printer, an
Epson C43SX to print!!. As it was a parallel to parallel printer, when I
purchased a notebook with a usb I also purchased an IEEE 1284 usb to
parallel converter cable.
Any suggestions as to why I cannot get this printer to print. I have
uninstalled and reinstalled the Epson CD, but to no avail.If it is a setting
maybe someone could help me. It does not show now in my Device manager. I am
not the brightest star in the sky when it comes to Pc's but I will have a go.
I have tried all the troubleshooter programs available..Thank you

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Megilu" <[email protected]>

| Could someone PLEASE help me. I have spent days trying to get my printer, an
| Epson C43SX to print!!. As it was a parallel to parallel printer, when I
| purchased a notebook with a usb I also purchased an IEEE 1284 usb to
| parallel converter cable.
| Any suggestions as to why I cannot get this printer to print. I have
| uninstalled and reinstalled the Epson CD, but to no avail.If it is a setting
| maybe someone could help me. It does not show now in my Device manager. I am
| not the brightest star in the sky when it comes to Pc's but I will have a go.
| I have tried all the troubleshooter programs available..Thank you
| --
| Megilu

I bought one once. Refused to weork on one my Intel 845 chip-st based system. Worked fine
on systems using Intel 815 chip-sets. I returned it for a refund.

Now I use HP JetDirect print server.

 

[JimB]

Those USB to parallel devices are not bi-directional. To get them to work
with Epson's you have to turn off bi-directional support in the printers
drivers or use a generic printer driver like the Epson Stylus Color ESC/P2
or any of the ESC/P2 drivers. You may have to try a few until you find one
that works. Those driver are built in to windows XP and you can find them by
using the add printer wizard. You also have to use the port called USB00X.

 

[Guest]

The packet the cable came in stated that it was bi-directional.

 

[JimB]

For regular data yes but for things like ink level no.

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "JimB" <[email protected]>

| For regular data yes but for things like ink level no.
|

Bi-Directional is Bi-Directional.
Either it is supported or it isn't. There is no grey area.

Like I said in my post, the USB parallel device I had had known incapatibilities with
specific Intel chip-sets which provide USB.

Notice Megilu's statement -- "It does not show now in my Device manager" now I can't tell if
this is the Epson printer or the USB to Parallel port converter.

The USB to Parallel port converter *must* show in Device Manager first. If it doesn't show
as working in Device Manager the Epson is certainly not going to work with it.

 

[JimB]

The USB Printer Adapter supports bi-directional communication on printers
whose driver is written using the normal Windows API. This is the reason
many bi-directional printers function fully with the product. For printers
whose drivers directly manipulate the parallel port, as opposed to using
Windows' printing API, it is impossible to "re-direct" these commands to the
USB port. This is the same reason Zip Drives and Scanners are not supported.
In the device manager it should show as USB Printing support or USB Parallel
Adapter and it may also add an icon under com ports depending on what type
of device it is. The drivers for it are built into XP. Printer monitoring
software that monitor the ink levels, out of paper, etc... all require
bi-directional support. Printer drivers nowadays include everything
including all the monitoring stuff like cleaning and aligning the print
heads. You used to be able to turn all that stuff off. That is why a generic
driver is needed, all the ESC/P2 drivers are generic Epson drivers that
print only. IIRC Epson does make a USB to Parallel driver for its printer.
Years ago when those devices first came out I wrote the drivers for Belkins
USB to Parallel adapter, along with their FAQ's which can be found here
http://www.belkin.com/support/download.asp?download=F5U002&lang=1&mode= now
they are built in.

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "JimB" <[email protected]>

| The USB Printer Adapter supports bi-directional communication on printers
| whose driver is written using the normal Windows API. This is the reason
| many bi-directional printers function fully with the product. For printers
| whose drivers directly manipulate the parallel port, as opposed to using
| Windows' printing API, it is impossible to "re-direct" these commands to the
| USB port. This is the same reason Zip Drives and Scanners are not supported.
| In the device manager it should show as USB Printing support or USB Parallel
| Adapter and it may also add an icon under com ports depending on what type
| of device it is. The drivers for it are built into XP. Printer monitoring
| software that monitor the ink levels, out of paper, etc... all require
| bi-directional support. Printer drivers nowadays include everything
| including all the monitoring stuff like cleaning and aligning the print
| heads. You used to be able to turn all that stuff off. That is why a generic
| driver is needed, all the ESC/P2 drivers are generic Epson drivers that
| print only. IIRC Epson does make a USB to Parallel driver for its printer.
| Years ago when those devices first came out I wrote the drivers for Belkins
| USB to Parallel adapter, along with their FAQ's which can be found here
| http://www.belkin.com/support/download.asp?download=F5U002&lang=1&mode= now
| they are built in.


Well the API explanation certainly does clear up why parallel port; ZIP, Tape and Scanners
are unsupported in WinXP.

Thanx for the clarification.

 

[Guest]

Thank you both for your input to me query.After deleting and reinstalling
about four times I was about to give up!!..BUT, believe it or not after the
last uninstal I decided to try something so darn simple I couldn't believe it
worked...lol. I disconnected the usb from my notebook pc, turned the printer
on, reconnected the usb, and ACTION!!! Windows detected new Hardware and it
worked....I could NOT believe it. So I guess the moral here is DON'T use your
supplied CD or Add a Printer.... The ink supply does not show, but all else
does, but I can live with that. I can assure you that I won't be tinkering
with anything.... Once again thank you both for your help in solving this
frustrating problem....