Re: Epson Stylus with Serial Interface to IIgs

["Polymorph" <polymorph69@hotmail.com>]

Roger Johnstone wrote:
> The problem you have may not be a printer driver issue but the serial
> port speed. The HP DeskWriter for instance operated at a fixed speed of
> 57600 bits per second, and I suspect many later printers designed for
> the Mac did the same. Unfortunately the Apple IIGS serial port firmware
> and the standard IIGS System drivers can only go as high as 19200 bit/s.
>
> From memory both the Harmonie and Independance printer driver packages
> had replacement drivers that could print at the higher speeds, and I'm
> sure I remember seeing a freeware driver once too.

Thanks for the info Roger.

I suspected something like this might be the problem, in fact I just
recently came across this (from an issue of the lamp) after trawling
the internet for clues....

<snip>
I just checked out the specs on it and it's not an RS 232 compatible
serial, but an RS-422 compatible serial, and high speed only.  This
means
that it might work via the 57600 printer port driver, but your chances
of
getting it to work via the serial port in Prodos 8 are between slim and
none, and Slim just got on a bus out of town.  There are also no GS/OS
printer drivers available for it, so printing from the GS desktop is
also a
no-go, even if you get a parallel card.
<snip>

I guess my previous assumption is correct then - the serial interface
is only usable with an appropriate serial driver that can push the port
to 57600 bps.

I've now heard reference to these freeware drivers a couple of times
now. Does anyone have details on what they are called, or a download
location? I just want to verify that it is possible to print from the
serial port.

thanks,
-p