Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:06:44 -0500 From: Greg Barniskis <nalists@scls.lib.wi.us> To: Eric Schuele <e.schuele@computer.org> Cc: questions@freebsd.org, Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com> Subject: Re: How well do USB -> parallel adapters work for printers? Message-ID: <435652F4.2080103@scls.lib.wi.us> In-Reply-To: <43564EEE.6010408@computer.org> References: <20051018091959.6a303d86.wmoran@potentialtech.com> <43564EEE.6010408@computer.org>
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Eric Schuele wrote: > Bill Moran wrote: > >> This will be FreeBSD 5.4 machine. >> >> I need to hook a printer to a server (actually, it's a "plotter", an HP >> inkjet plotter). The server doesn't have a parallel port, and the >> printer >> doesn't have a USB port. >> >> The guy who provides our hardware recommended a USB -> parallel adapter, >> but I've got no experience with these. I've been warned about USB -> >> serial adapaters and how the translation isn't always 100%, so I'm >> trying to gather some information before I go forward with this plan. >> >> Anyone use one of these? How well do they work in general? How well >> do they work under FreeBSD? >> > > There are definitely 'some issues' with USB -> Parallel port adapters. > I've had good luck printing, but obviously others have had plenty of bad > luck. And they (the adapters) definitely have difficulties with other > parallel devices (think security dongles, data acquisition, etc). Yes, there are 'some issues' and they are by no means limited to FreeBSD. I have seen numerous odd behaviors from all kinds of USB-to-somethingelse adapters under Windows, too. If you have to buy an adapter, get it from a vendor that lets you return products if they don't work out in your specific environment, and do a lot of stress testing as soon as you connect things up. > I believe there are some PCMCIA -> parallel adapters that should work > better. Though they are a bit pricey. More basic PCI parallel port cards are very common throughout my network, and we get them for under $15, IIRC. As cheap (or cheaper) and far more consistently well-behaved than most USB adapters. -- Greg Barniskis, Computer Systems Integrator South Central Library System (SCLS) Library Interchange Network (LINK) <gregb at scls.lib.wi.us>, (608) 266-6348
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