Re: IW2 Buffer & Accelerator Prolems

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article <55u63u$26a@news.emi.com>, drsmooth@relex.com writes...

>l.middleton3@genie.com wrote:
> 
>>The MegaBuff goes in the IW II's slot.  The same as any printer buffer for
>>an IW II.
> 
>Just out of curiosity, where is this, and how does one get at it?

    It plugs internally inside the ImageWriter II, just underneath
the front assembly (that is, the part of the cover with the Apple 
logo and the user control panel with LED indicators). You lift off
the dust cover and will see screws on either side, holding down the
plastic front assembly. If you loosen both, you'll be able to lift
off the cover (be aware this cover extends a bit further back on 
the newer ImageWriter II/L). 

    Note you'll have to remove the ribbon and slide the printer-
head assembly over to the far left, _before_ doing so. And if you 
have the ImageWriter II/L, you'll have to remove the platen knob 
because of that extended bit of attached cover mentioned above. 
You should lift the front assembly off slowly, there's a flat 
ribbon cable that you'll want to gently pull out (not rip out). 
You'll then see the 26-pin connector for plugging in AppleTalk 
or RAM buffer option boards. The II/L comes with a 24K buffer 
built-in, so I'm not sure whether it can support a Q-Buff (32K) 
or MegaBuff (1MB). Perhaps someone here knows...?

>On a related note (also just because I'm curious), what is that blue
>socket/port/plug/connector I see on the left of the back, just inside
>the IWII, when I remove the cover that portects the tractors?

    That's available for the optional SheetFeeder, it replaces your
dust and back cover, then plugs in and mounts on back of the printer.
You can use it to feed your ImageWriter loose sheets of paper, which
it will be automatically "pulled" in,  much like laser and inkjet 
printers you see sold today.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca