rsbrd@ihlpy.ATT.COM (Byrd) (05/02/89)
I recently acquired a OKIMATE-10 printer for my son's C64. Since I could not find the Plug N' Print package locally, I sent to N.Y. for one from Precision Images Co. Got everything all hooked up, and, problems! I would like to see if anyone can give me any suggestions on what may be wrong. (Also, don't tell me to call OKIDATA customer service-I already did; they were as much help as a screen door on a submarine!!) The set-up is as follows: C64<------>1st disk drive<---->2nd disk drive<---->printer If the cable from the second drive to the printer is disconnected, the test pattern on the printer runs fine. Hook up the printer, power up everything and the ready light on the printer blinks slowly (user manual says this means out of paper or need new ribbon; those are both O.K.). Also, select button does nothing. Unplug printer cable, power everything up, plug printer cable back in, everything looks fine. Load and run "PRINTER DEMO" program, again, everything looks O.K. until you request printing to begin. At that time, the first line of the demo is printed, 3 line feeds are received, and the ready light starts blinking slowly again. I don't know whether it is a printer problem, a print control module problem or an operator problem. Any hints from some one who has an OKIMATE printer or that has experienced any problems such as this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance to anyone who responds. Ron Byrd ihlpf!rsbrd
po87553@tut.fi (Ojala Pasi Juhani) (05/02/89)
In article <12636@ihlpy.ATT.COM> rsbrd@ihlpy.ATT.COM (Byrd) writes: > ........ > C64<------>1st disk drive<---->2nd disk drive<---->printer > ........ >I don't know whether it is a printer problem, a print control module >problem or an operator problem. Any hints ..... >Ron Byrd I'm not sure, but you could try to connect those devices to a different order. And if that doesn't work, then try disconnecting that second disk drive.. I once (in fact more than once) connected 1581,1541 and Star NL-10 to my c64 and wondered why the computer acted so weird... It resetted by himself and lost disk files. I disconnected the other drive and it works fine now. The weirdest thing is that when those 3 devices are ALL on, it worked fine, but if one or more is off system will crash sooner or later.. -- //////////////////////////////////////// // Pasi Ojala // Pasbox v2.6 // // po87553@tut.fi // C64 forever // ////////////////////////////////////////
carus@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (bryce.w.carus) (05/02/89)
I also found Okidata less than helpful... Re your problem - is it possible they sent you the module for the OKIMATE *20* version? I don't own either one but did some development for them recently. The '20' was released to meet the messy dos market. I don't believe they support the '10' any longer.
phoenix@ms.uky.edu (R'ykandar Korra'ti) (05/03/89)
Just out of curiosity, does the daisy-chain in a 1571/1541/1581 etc
disk drive include some sort of signal amplification? If so, this would
certainly explain why the aformentioned setup (two disk drives, one
printer) would work fine when all three were on, but NOT when one or more
were off - the signal would eventually be corrupted at some random point,
if one amplifier was off, no?
- R'ykandar.
--
| "Signature, hell! I can barely print!" | phoenix@ukma.bitnet | Plink: |
| "Who let him in here?" - Tom Smith | CIS: 72406,370 | Skywise |
| "Yes, that IS my real name. No, I'm NOT joking." | QLink: Bearclaw |fred@cbmvax.UUCP (Fred Bowen) (05/03/89)
In article <1613@alva.tut.fi> po87553@alva.UUCP (Ojala Pasi Juhani) writes: >In article <12636@ihlpy.ATT.COM> rsbrd@ihlpy.ATT.COM (Byrd) writes: >> ........ >> C64<------>1st disk drive<---->2nd disk drive<---->printer >> ........ >>I don't know whether it is a printer problem, a print control module >>problem or an operator problem. Any hints ..... > > I once (in fact more than once) connected 1581,1541 and Star NL-10 to >my c64 and wondered why the computer acted so weird... It resetted by >himself and lost disk files. I disconnected the other drive and it works >fine now. The weirdest thing is that when those 3 devices are ALL on, >it worked fine, but if one or more is off system will crash sooner or later.. It should be well known by now that any serial bus devices must be turned on or disconnected from the serial bus. In the C64, the internal and external reset lines are linked such that any device which pulls reset low (which is what can happen when the device is turned off) can affect the rest of the system as described above. In the C128, the internal and external reset lines are separated by a buffer. Here, the only affect of an unpowered device on the serial bus would be confined to the peripherals sharing the external reset signal- including disks, printers, and modems. -- -- Fred Bowen uucp: {uunet|rutgers|pyramid}!cbmvax!fred arpa: cbmvax!fred@uunet.uu.net tele: 215 431-9100 Commodore Electronics, Ltd., 1200 Wilson Drive, West Chester, PA, 19380
po87553@tut.fi (Ojala Pasi Juhani) (05/04/89)
In article <6747@cbmvax.UUCP> fred@cbmvax.UUCP (Fred Bowen) writes: >> I once (in fact more than once) connected 1581,1541 and Star NL-10 to >>my c64 and wondered why the computer acted so weird... It resetted by >>... >It should be well known by now that any serial bus devices must be turned on >or disconnected from the serial bus. In the C64, the internal and external >reset lines are linked such that any device which pulls reset low >(...) can affect the rest of the system as described above.... Yes, after two weird resettions (how do I spell that?) I made the same conclusion and disconnected the 1541 drive, it wasn't even needed.. Afterwards I bought another 64.. Now I have two systems, other running my bbs, another for games (demos). -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Pasi Ojala The smaller .signature you have + + po87553@tut.fi the more frieds you get. + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++