kris@beep.UUCP (Huh?) (03/09/91)
[There's no place like $HOME.]
I have recently acquired a DEC LA-36, aka DECWRITER II, for my
system printer. 300 bps is a little slow, but I can live with that.
What I really want to know is, how to get "dimetrodon"(we named it
after a dinosaur) recognize simple things, like form-feeds,
alt-char-set, out-of-paper, etc.
Any info would be greatly appreciated; please respond by mail to
!woodowl!beep!kris OR !key!beep!kris.
--
Kris
key!beep!kris -OR- woodowl!beep!kris
"For men without women
are like fish without water to swim in; Was (Not Was)
their eyes bugging out, they flop on the beach "Shadow & Jimmy"
and stare up at the girls who are just out of reach."bruce@camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) (03/17/91)
In article <179@beep.UUCP>, kris@beep.UUCP (Huh?) writes: > I have recently acquired a DEC LA-36, aka DECWRITER II, for my > system printer. 300 bps is a little slow, but I can live with that. > What I really want to know is, how to get "dimetrodon"(we named it > after a dinosaur) recognize simple things, like form-feeds, > alt-char-set, out-of-paper, etc. The LA36 had several enhanced versions. Unless you happen to get one it is hardly worth chasing for them as a GOOD PC class printer with async interface will cost vastly less and do much more. If you are running normal DEC operating systems, they KNOW what an LA36 does and feed it the right codes. It has NO flow control but has a neat trick (for that era) to be able to handle incoming characters while the carriage is returning. The print mechanism really can print at 60 cps, not just 30. There is a 16 char buffer, and after a <CR> the buffer is flushed by running the print head at 60 cps. Years ago I published in some DECUS newsletter how to change the innards to accept 600 baud input so it will run at 60 cps. The rub is that then there is no catch up possible after <cr>. Guess what? Dec operating system know about more than LA36s. They know about ASR33s. An ASR33 needs the system to feed it nulls during <cr> and <lf> times, and you can even set the number you need sent. If you are printing a narrow column, you hardly need as many nulls as you do when printing a full 132 col wide form. My ECO has a couple of etch cuts and a soldered jumper or two. Simple stuff. You lose the 110 and 150 bps speeds on the front buttons (they become 600) but you keep the 300 bps for normal use. Running at 600 bps with the op sys stuffing in suitably placed nulls works fine all day. Remember it is that same mechanism that later became a la120 that runs at 120 cps. If you want the ECO, I probably can find it. It makes a BIG difference. When buying ribbons, get the larger spools normally sold for LA120s. They fit fine and last MUCH longer.