IMAGEWRITER & IBM PCs

[jthielen@vnet.IBM.COM (James A. Thielen - Schaumburg, Il.)]

Since there has been lots of talk on the board concerning using an Imagewriter
iwth an IBM compatible PC I found the attached via Gopher.

Enjoy............................................

Jim Thielen

ImageWriter Family & Scribe: Connecting To An IBM PC, PS/2, AT&T



This article last reviewed: 11 April 1990

TOPIC------------------------------------------------

What are the cable and printer configurations that will interface an IBM PC,
PS/2, AT&T 6300 or other IBM compatible to an ImageWriter I, ImageWriter 15",
ImageWriter II, LQ or Scribe printer.

DISCUSSION-------------------------------------------

Cabling pinouts for a custom cable:

        IBM PC                          ImageWriter II or ImageWriter LQ
    (use female DB-25)                (use circular 8 connector)
    ------------------------------------------------------------
       5,6 (CTS, DSR)                          1 (DTR)
        20 (DTR)                               2 (DSR)
         3 (RxD-)                              3 (TxD-)
         7 (SG)                              4,8 (SG, RxD+)
         2 (TxD-)                              5 (RxD-)


         IBM PC                           ImageWriter/15"/Scribe
    (use female DB-25)                       (use male DB-25)
    ------------------------------------------------------------
         3 (RxD-)                              2 (TxD-)
         2 (TxD-)                              3 (RxD-
         5 (CTS)                               4 (RTS)
         7 (SG)                                7 (SG)
         6 (DSR)                              20 (DTR)

     Reference:

     RS232 Signal (DB-25 DTE)
      1 - Sig Gnd   - Normally Shield or Chassis Ground
      2 - TXD       - Transmit Data
      3 - RXD       - Receive Data
      4 - RTS       - Request to Send
      5 - CTS       - Clear to Send
      6 - DSR       - Data Set Ready
      7 - GND       - SIGNAL Ground
      8 - DCD       - Data Carrier Detect
     20 - DTR       - Data Terminal Ready
     22 - RI        - Ring Indicate



Set printer switches to the following settings for this configuration:

   U.S. Character set,
   66 lines per page,
   8 data bits (1 stop bit, no parity),
   pica character pitch,
   no LF after CR,
   9600 Baud,
   Data Terminal Ready Protocol.

   ImageWriter I Switch Settings:

             8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
      SW 1:                  (CLOSE)
             X X X X X X X X (OPEN)

      SW 2:          4 3 2 1
                         X X (CLOSE)
                       X     (OPEN)


   ImageWriter II Switch Settings:

      SW 1 :  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
              X X X X X X X X (OPEN)
                              (CLOSE)

      SW 2:   1 2 3 4 5* 6*
                  X X         (OPEN)
              X X             (CLOSE)
   * NOTE: DO NOT CHANGE SWITCH 5 AND 6.


   ImageWriter LQ Switch Settings:

      SW 1:   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
              X X X X X X X X (OPEN)
                              (CLOSE)

      SW 2:   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
                  X X X X X X (OPEN)
              X X             (CLOSE)

      SW 3:   DO NOT TOUCH!



Finally, configure the serial port of the computer to match the printer
configurations as above and assign the port to LPT1 by running this autoexec
program:

  mode COM1:96,N,8,1,P
  mode LPT1:=com1


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