jeff@drexel.UUCP (Jeff White) (03/28/88)
I have a Mac Plus computer and a CItoh Prowriter 2 printer (same as Apple Dot Matrix Printer except 15") which has a parallel interface. The printer was originally bought for and still used with an Apple II+ computer. I've been looking for a while for some type of support for the CItoh on the Mac, like the hardware/software products that support so many other dot matrix printers. Unfortunately, I never did find anything, so I decided to wait until I found an inexpensive serial to parallel converter and at least be able to get some order ascii output. I finally found one (made by a company called Scooter, anyone heard on them?) for $56. I was ready to order one, when I saw that the Grappler, which integrates a serial to parallel converter with support for other printers (none of them mine) for onyl $10 more ($66). I know that I can't use this feature (at least with this printer), but I'm thinking that for the extra $10, the Orange Micro name and support, and the potential for using the emulation at a later date make the unit a better investment. My question is in anyone else on the net had used one of the Grapplers, and if so, what is your opinion of it? Can it be used as an ordinary serial to parallel converter without having to emulate any printer? Any comments would be appreciated. Jeff White Drexel University - ECE Dept. rutgers!bpa!drexel!jeff
psych@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (R.Crispin - Psychology) (03/30/88)
I have used the grappler on a Roland 1212A. This printer is also sold under the Panasonic name. It worked well if I set the cable for an EPSON FX printer. In portrait mode the print was as good a quality as on the IWII. But in landscape mode the printing was not as good. It may have worked better in landscape if I had set "Tall Adjusted". Printing was much slower overall even in draft mode. This may have been a result of a setting or something like that. Other people here have tried the Grappler and were disappointed. It seems that your printer must support negative linefeeds. If it doesn't then your pages will shift down. Apperantly Orange Micro is working on a solution. I have not tried the Grappler LQ cable. It is supposed to work with many 24 pin printers. Richard Crispin Dept. of Psychology Bitnet: psych@watdcs University of Waterloo Unix : psych@watdcsu.waterloo.edu Waterloo, Ont. Canada N2L 3G1 (519)885-1211 ext 2879
egv@aicchi.UUCP (Vann) (03/30/88)
> > > I have a Mac Plus computer and a CItoh Prowriter 2 printer (same as > Apple Dot Matrix Printer except 15") which has a parallel interface. The > printer was originally bought for and still used with an Apple II+ computer. > I've been looking for a while for some type of support for the CItoh on > the Mac, like the hardware/software products that support so many other > dot matrix printers. Unfortunately, I never did find anything, so I decided > to wait until I found an inexpensive serial to parallel converter and at least > be able to get some order ascii output. I finally found one (made by a company > called Scooter, anyone heard on them?) for $56. I was ready to order one, > when I saw that the Grappler, which integrates a serial to parallel converter > with support for other printers (none of them mine) for onyl $10 more ($66). > I know that I can't use this feature (at least with this printer), but I'm > thinking that for the extra $10, the Orange Micro name and support, and the > potential for using the emulation at a later date make the unit a better > investment. > My question is in anyone else on the net had used one of the Grapplers, and > if so, what is your opinion of it? Can it be used as an ordinary serial to > parallel converter without having to emulate any printer? Any comments would > be appreciated. > > Jeff White > Drexel University - ECE Dept. > rutgers!bpa!drexel!jeff Just the other day I was in the local Egghead Software store where a customer was trying to get some help in get one of the Grappler converters to work. He was using an UoffbrandU printer of Japanese origin which I cannot now identify. It seemed to work flawlessly, but very slowly... There was a noticeable delay in the printing of documents, even those printed in draft mode. -- Eric Geoffrey Vann Analysts International (Chicago Branch) (312) 882-4673 ..!ihnp4!aicchi!egv ******************************************************************************* * * * "It is the reply that starts the argument..." * * * * Anonymous * * * *******************************************************************************