[Coco] Printing on cheap crappy printers with a CoCo was Re: Printing on a Coco with modern printers.

[billg999 at cs.uofs.edu]

> On Sat, Jan 11, 2014 at 8:25 AM, bill wrote:
>
>>
>> As long as we are talking about old computers using old printers :-)
>> anybody know of way to use an Apple Imagewriter on a COCO?
>>
>> bill
>>
>>
> The ImageWriter uses a serial interface so it should just be a matter of
> making a cable.  The pinout can be found at:
>
> <http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Apple_ImageWriter_Serial>
>
> In addition to connecting 'Data Out' from the CoCo to 'Receive Data' on
> the
> ImageWriter, one of the printer's handshaking lines (either RTS or DTR,
> not
> sure which) will need to be connected to the CoCo's 'Data Input' pin.
>
> You would also need to configure the ImageWriter for the correct baud
> rate,
> flow control, etc..  The information for the DIP switch settings is here:
>
> <http://support.apple.com/kb/TA30460>
>

Oops.  I goofed.  It's a StyleWriter 1200, not an ImageWriter.  I had
so many Apple printers I got them confused.  I wondered why it was so
simple.  I assume the ImageWriter didn't support QuickDraw which was
Apple's answer to PostScript. I doubt there has ever been a QuickDraw
Engine for the COCO.  :-)  A shame really as it's a nice printer.  It's
a Canon Bubblejet engine but I'll bet there is not some way to get new
PROMs for it either.  Size and functionality wise it would be an ideal
companion to the COCO.

bill