[comp.sys.cbm] How to use C-64 printer as RS-232 compatible?

Jeff_A_Scott@cup.portal.com (02/17/89)

	Can anyone tell me how to  use a C-64 printer as (preferably)
	a Centronics-parallel or (second choice or if first choice is
	expensive) RS-232 printer?  Thanks a lot to whomever replies.

				Jeff Scott

				jscott@cup.portal.com
				... !sun!portal!cup.portal.com!jscott

jgreco@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Joe Greco) (02/21/89)

In comp.sys.cbm article <14717@cup.portal.com>, Jeff_A_Scott@cup.portal.com wrote:
]
]	Can anyone tell me how to  use a C-64 printer as (preferably)
]	a Centronics-parallel or (second choice or if first choice is
]	expensive) RS-232 printer?  Thanks a lot to whomever replies.

I used to use a VIC-20 as a converter to do this.  A Centronics
parallel connector was wired to the user port, and the VIC ran a quick
program to accept port input and output it to serial with
ASCII/PETSCII conversions.

Unless you have a printer that is designed specifically to also be
used with a different type of interface, the chances are that this
would be one of the more effective ways.  The 64 Serial Bus isn't
exactly simple, when compared to RS232 or Centronics.
--
jgreco@csd4.milw.wisc.edu		Joe Greco at FidoNet 1:154/200
USnail: 9905 W Montana Ave			     PunterNet Node 30 or 31
	West Allis, WI  53227-3329	"These aren't anybody's opinions."
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mac@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Myron A. Calhoun) (02/21/89)

In article <1153@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> jgreco@csd4.milw.wisc.edu writes:
>I used to use a VIC-20 as a converter to do this.  A Centronics
>parallel connector was wired to the user port, and the VIC ran a quick
>program to accept port input and output it to serial with
>ASCII/PETSCII conversions.

Now that my oldest son has left home, I have three VIC-20's (and one
35K-byte memory/bus expander, and three 1541 disk drives, and one
1526 printer, and four 300-baud modems, several B/W CRT's, and gobs
of books and other stuff) that he told me I could sell "for a song"
(say perhaps $25's, $25, $135's, $100, $20's, $50's, and $??'s, each,
respectively, and I'll pay shipping to contiguous USA).

You ask "and what is my son using now?"  Well, he kept a couple of
C-64's, with disk drives, a 1200-baud modem, the color monitor, a
couple of high-quality printers, and all the games.  He's NOT hurting
for Commodore stuff--just couldn't take it all with him when he went
to college!
--Myron
Myron A. Calhoun, PhD EE, W0PBV, (913) 532-6350 (work), 539-4448 (home).
INTERNET: mac@ksuvax1.cis.ksu.edu
BITNET:   mac@ksuvax1.bitnet
UUCP:  ...{rutgers, texbell}!ksuvax1!harry!harv