[comp.sys.amiga] Amiga to Imagewriter Help

grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) (09/06/89)

   I need help with a printer set-up for my Amiga 2000.

   I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
   I need to know:
      a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?
      b.  Do I connect to the serial or parallel port?
      c.  Is this printer Postscript capable?

   I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
has on set-up or tips?

   thanks in advance.
                     grassm@delta.eecs.nwu.edu

tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (T.Knight - Computing Services) (09/08/89)

In article <10260019@eecs.nwu.edu>, grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) writes:
> 
>    I need help with a printer set-up for my Amiga 2000.
> 
>    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
>    I need to know:
>       a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?
>       b.  Do I connect to the serial or parallel port?
>       c.  Is this printer Postscript capable?
> 
>    I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
> has on set-up or tips?
     I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?

jwright@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu (Jim Wright) (09/10/89)

In article <6295@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (T.Knight - Computing Services) writes:
| In article <10260019@eecs.nwu.edu>, grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) writes:
| >    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
| >    I need to know:
| >       a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?

The Imagewriters I use have the Apple "connector-from-hell" 8 pin DIN.  It
could be hard to find.  I'd just make the cable myself.

| >       b.  Do I connect to the serial or parallel port?

Serial.  The default is 9600bps, but some settings can be changed with
DIP switches in the printer.

| >       c.  Is this printer Postscript capable?

No.

| >    I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
| > has on set-up or tips?
|      I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
| Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
| the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?

Of course it won't work.  That's why Commodore included a printer driver
for it.  (That's sarcasm -- get a new dealer.)

Actually, I think the Imagewriter is marketed by Apple and not made by
Apple.  I can't remember at the moment who (I thought) makes them.

-- 
Jim Wright
jwright@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu

khawkes@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Kurt Hawkes) (09/11/89)

In article <6295@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (T.Knight - Computing Services) writes:
>In article <10260019@eecs.nwu.edu>, grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) writes:
>> 
>>    I need help with a printer set-up for my Amiga 2000.
>> 
>>    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
>>    I need to know:
>>       a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?
>>       b.  Do I connect to the serial or parallel port?
>>       c.  Is this printer Postscript capable?
>> 
>>    I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
>> has on set-up or tips?
>     I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
>Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
>the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?

The Apple ImageWrite II works nicely with the Amiga.  I had and Apple before
purchasing my Amiga.  The only problem with the ImageWrite is that it
has to be used through the serial port.  At first I used a switch box to
select modem/printer.  Then I invested $45 for a parallel to serial
converter box to hook up the imagewriter to the parallel port.  I do recommend
the 1.3 driver for the ImageWriter.  As for cable, buy an apple //e super
serial to imagewriterII cable (db25 to round9).  You may need a gender
changer for the db25 end... I made my own cable, cannot remember.  And
The Imagewriter is not Postscript compatable.


khawkes@beach.cis.ufl.edu

 
--
--                           //
Kurt Hawkes                 //      khawkes@beach.cis.ufl.edu
University of Florida   \\ //
                         \X/     Amiga 2000

dbl@a.cs.wvu.wvnet.edu (David Lawson) (09/11/89)

In article <6295@watdcsu.waterloo.edu>, tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (T.Knight - Computing Services) writes:
> In article <10260019@eecs.nwu.edu>, grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) writes:
> > 
> >    I need help with a printer set-up for my Amiga 2000.
> > 
> >    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
> >    I need to know:
> >       a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?
> >       b.  Do I connect to the serial or parallel port?
> >       c.  Is this printer Postscript capable?
> > 
> >    I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
> > has on set-up or tips?
>      I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
> Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
> the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?

     I don't have one myself but a good friend does and I help him set it up,
here's the scoop on the 3 questions:

    a:  He had REALLY hard time getting a cable, finally had to have one made
        for the thing.  I don't know if it is because of his 1000s port
        sexuality or just stubbornness on the ImageWriters behalf.

    b:  The image writer is a serial printer (like all Aplle printers I believe)
        You'll need to set the prefs up et al.

    c:  I cannot say for sure but I don't think so.  I went through the manual
        pretty thouroghly and never saw any mention, of course, I wasn't 
        looking for PostScript either.

The apple dealer was feeding you a line about not working with an Amiga, I 
have seen them work and they work very well.
If you get the cable and need the prefs set up, email to me and
I'll get the settings from my friend and reply.

David Lawson
GTA West Virginia University
dbl@a.cs.wvu.wvnet.edu

consp11@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (consp11) (09/11/89)

In article <6295@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (T.Knight - Computing Services) writes:
>In article <10260019@eecs.nwu.edu>, grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) writes:
>> 
>>    I need help with a printer set-up for my Amiga 2000.
>> 
>>    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
>>    I need to know:
>>       a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?
>>       b.  Do I connect to the serial or parallel port?
>>       c.  Is this printer Postscript capable?
>> 
>>    I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
>> has on set-up or tips?
>     I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
>Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
>the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?

I know for a fact that you can connect an ImageWriter II to the Amiga; I
did it myself for a while before I could afford a printer.  You need a
cable with a Macintosh-style mini-DIN configuration to a 25-pin parallel
or serial connector (either way works).  You can order them from Redmond
Cable, but I don't remember their address.  Mine cost me about $15-$20.
Good luck to you.

(Oh, yeah - the printing quality sucks.  Sorry, but it's a fact of non-
scalable fonts.)

--Brett Kessler

fiddler%concertina@Sun.COM (Steve Hix) (09/12/89)

In article <10260019@eecs.nwu.edu>, grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) writes:
> 
>    I need help with a printer set-up for my Amiga 2000.
> 
>    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.

Free, I hope.  You didn't say which version of the ImageWriter (it makes a
difference).

>    I need to know:
>       a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?

Depends on which version IW you got:

	ImageWriter I : Plain DB25 - DB25.  The printer's connector
		is female.
	ImageWriter II: DB-25 - mini DIN8 connector.  Some dealer that
		handles various differing brands of computers may have
		a bunch of cables made up and shrink-wrapped.  Look for
		an "Apple //e to ImageWriter <what you got> printer cable".

>       b.  Do I connect to the serial or parallel port?

Serial only.  Apple hasn't sold a parallel printer for years...at least
since before they gave up on the Apple ///.

>       c.  Is this printer Postscript capable?

Only if you have a program that does its own PostScript processing and then
writes direct graphics commands to the printer to display it.

No.
 
>    I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
> has on set-up or tips?

In another life I wrote various manuals at Apple, including some printer
setup stuff...why, I don't know; I'm a software writer.

The Imagewriter I/II is a 9-pin serial dot matrix printer.  Similar to
the old C. Itoh ProWriter series, Epson FX, etc.

The best you can get out of it is 144 dpi.  It has six or so built-in
fonts...which all look like 9-pin printer fonts.

Output from a Mac looks much better than what you get from the same printer
hooked up to an Apple //--, 'cause the Mac uses the printer as a graphics
output device.  (Some software lets you select a lower-quality draft mode
when you're in a hurry.)

Unless it's free, or very cheap, you can do as well or better with newer
and less expensive printers.  (I'm just using mine until I can afford a
PostScript-compatible laser printer...I hope soon, though:  the printer
is a pre-Imagewriter [different case, same innards] that was once an engineering
prototype.)

The ImageWriter I was made for Apple by Tokyo Electric (C.Itoh), as is the
IW2 (probably).

------------
"...I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by 
reorganizing: and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion 
of progress, while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization."
	- Petronius Arbiter, 210 B.C.

hgm@ccvr1.uucp (Hal G. Meeks) (09/12/89)

In article <1491@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu> jwright@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu.UUCP (Jim Wright) writes:
>| >    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
>| >    I need to know:
>| >       a.  what type of cable do I need.  Are they hard to find?
>
>The Imagewriters I use have the Apple "connector-from-hell" 8 pin DIN.  It
>could be hard to find.  I'd just make the cable myself.
Actually, the original Imagewriter I has either a 9 pin or standard 25.
Either easily obtainable at your local RS.
>
>DIP switches in the printer.
I believe a standard serial cable will work. If you want to play it safe,
then buy Apple's Imagewriter cable for the AppleII line. It will work.
>
>| >    I have the 1.3 printer driver for it.  Is there any other info anyone
>| > has on set-up or tips?
>|      I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
>| Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
>| the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?
>
>Actually, I think the Imagewriter is marketed by Apple and not made by
>Apple.  I can't remember at the moment who (I thought) makes them.
Hardware is C Itoh. Very reliable printer. Makes a good printer to pick up
cheap used. Software is Apple. But it should work fine on an Amiga. 

You will have to reconfigure the dip switches to get it to work right.
Sorry, can't help you here. It's been a long time since I've played with
one. 

--hal

---------------
hgm@ccvr1.ncsu.edu        "Do you know why television is called a medium?
netoprhm@ncsuvm.bitnet     Because nothing is well done." 
	                   Fred Allen	

bobl@pro-graphics.cts.com (Bob Lindabury) (09/12/89)

Network Comment: to #4016 by tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu

The Imagewriter II works just fine with the Amiga and in color to boot!  You
MUST get an Imagewriter to Amiga Serial cable or hack one together yourself.

If you just look on your workbench extras disk at the printer drivers, you
would see the Imagewriter drive there.  Boy, I guess some dealers are just
idiots when it comes to knowing anything about the Amiga.  I can't believe a
dealer would say "If it's made by Apple it won't work with the Amiga".

The Imagewriter and Imagewriter II are serial printers.  The Imagewriter II
supports color printing.

-- Bob
_________________________ Pro-Graphics  201/469-0049 __________________________

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aycock@cpsc.ucalgary.ca (John Aycock) (09/13/89)

In article <6295@watdcsu.waterloo.edu>, tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (T.Knight - Computing Services) writes:
> In article <10260019@eecs.nwu.edu>, grassm@eecs.nwu.edu (Mark O. Grasse) writes:
> >    I have access to an Apple Imagewriter printer and no documentation for it.
> >    I need to know:
	[etc...]
>      I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
> Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
> the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?

YES, the Imagewriter printers work.  When I got my Amiga, I had one left over
from my Apple ][ (ugh!) system, and it worked great.  It does have to hook up
to the serial port, though, so I ditched it in favor of my modem.  As I recall,
I had Apple's cable plugged into it, then a null modem adapter and various
esundry converters to get it to plug into the back of my 2000.

::: John


  //\|_||\|	...{alberta|ubc-cs|utai}!calgary!aycock
\/ \/| || |

esker@abaa.uucp (Lawrence Esker) (09/13/89)

In article <6295@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> tknight@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (T.Knight - Computing Services) writes:
>     I'd like to know myself if you can run an Imagewriter from the
>Amiga. Our dealer up here says if its made by apple it won't work with 
>the Amiga. Anyone in netland know if this is true?

Oh, gawd.  Shoot the dealer (figuratively speaking) for spreading such
drain pamaged bropaganda about the Amiga.  The device driver system of the
Amiga allow ANY printer, no matter WHO makes it, to work if you have a
driver written for it.

Maybe the dealer meant: "If its made for the Amiga, it won't work with any
Apple products".  Obviously and Apple only dealer.

pierre@pro-graphics.cts.com (Peter Altamore) (09/20/89)

Network Comment: to #4216 by hgm@ccvr1.uucp

To the poor soul struggling with the Imagewriter //... if you have the proper
cable, all you need to do is flip one dip switch and it'll work like a charm.
Just lift off the top cover (as if you were going to change the ribbon) and
locate the two sets of dip switches in the lower left corner. The one you want
is switch 2-3 (switch #3 on the 6 switch dip on the right

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