Re: //e connection

[dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff)]

Kevin Paul Kennedy (kkennedy@kuentos.guam.net) wrote:
: 	I am trying to connect an apple //e computer to a modem for a 
: teacher at my high school.  It only has ports for a printer and a disk 
: drive in the back, but I have access to other similar //es so I can get 
: more boards.  Is it possible to run a modem through a board for a 
: printer?  If not, what would be the best way for me to connect it?  I 
: myself am a //c user but I know very little about the //e.  If you can 
: answer my question please email me.  Thanks

What kind of printer was connected to the printer card?  More to the
point, what kind of connector does the board have, and what kind of board
is it?

Because you mention 'ports' for disk drives, I'm going to guess that this
is a fairly new machine, with the UniDisk 5.25 3/4-height disk drives
rather than the older, cast-iron Disk ]['s.  That leads me to belive that
the machine was probably set up with a whole computer lab with all-Apple
equipment, which means the printer is probably an Imagewriter or
Imagewriter ][.  In this case, the printer port probably has a DB-25
connector on the end, and is connected to an Apple Super Serial Card.

If I am correct, then you are in luck.  You need to pull the Super Serial
card out.  There is a chip-like gizmo with a triangle on it on the card,
with the point of the triangle pointing to the word "Terminal".  You need
to yank out (carefully!) that block and rotate it so that the arrow points
to "Modem".  Then reset the DIP switches on the card to match your modem. 
Sorry, I don't have the settings handy at this moment...but look around
and see if you have a Super Serial Card manual.  I also suggest putting
this card into Slot #2 rather than Slot #1, since that's where many
communications programs will look for it.  Then you just need a cable to
run from the modem to the computer, and you're in business.

If I am incorrect, and the printer card is a parallel interface (these
usually don't have ports, but rather have long ribbon-cables attached to
36-pin Centronics connectors), then you are out of luck.

Good luck; hope this helps; holler if it isn't enough.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

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