Cards: Cable Insertion

[sebugg@presby.edu (Stephen Buggie)]

                           PRINTER INTERFACE CARDS:
                     WHICH DIRECTION TO INSERT THE CABLE?
                     ====================================
                                                               MAY 6, 1993

I have a moderately sized collection of Apple II interface cards, about a dozen
of which are parallel printer cards with various features.  Cables came with
about half the cards which for the remaining cards I must scrounge for
compatible cables.  For example the 26 pin double-row cable that I got with
GRAFSTAR (Star Micronics, 1983) will also fit the Apple AII PARALLEL INTERFACE
card.

While this cable will fit GRAFSTAR in only one orientation, it will fit the
Apple socket facing either towards or away from the card.  My query is, how
does one decide which orientation a cable should be placed in when fitting
the cable to the card?  How serious would the incorrect orientation be for
the parallel printer card or for the printer itself?

I know that if the ribbon cable to the Disk ][ analog card is reversed when
plugged to the analog card, it will blow the analog card's 2003 IC chip.  But
does strong power exit from the parallel printer card to the printer?  Will
a ribbon cable reversal be as serious for a parallel printer?

While discussing printer cards, I am in need of a cable for the DUMPLING 64
PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE.  This card uses a long (36 pins) double row
connector, presumably to a ribbon cable ending in a standard Centronix
parallel printer plug.   One of my favorite printers is my Silver Reed EXP400
daisy wheel, which prints at a relatively slow 15 cps.  The 64K buffer would
enable me to do other things on the computer while the printer works five
minutes to print its (laser-like text) page.        sebugg@presby.edu

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88  Stephen Buggie  Psych Dept  Presbyterian College   Clinton SC 29325  88
88  sebugg@presby.edu                 voice: (803) 833-8337 or 833-1632  88
88                           IIe/IIc loyalist                            88
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