ta2@cup.portal.com (Tom TA2 Allebrandi) (12/04/88)
This was discussed a few years ago in the I/O column of the Pageswapper.
(The DECUS VAX SIG newsletter.) I downloaded this from the Pageswapper
VAX Notes system.
Tom Allebrandi Advanced Computer Consulting, Inc
(804) 977-4272 esther!ta2@edison.ge.com (I'm not in the maps yet)
ta2@cup.portal.com
INPUT/OUTPUT 349
Caption: Centronics interface to DMF-32 -- reply to I/O # 321
Message: We have successfully interfaced the DMF-32 to our own
printers, which are Centronics inteface compatible.
You may only need to make a cable and strap your
printer accordingly. If your printer has the
"standard" 36-pin Centronics connector (same as Epson
MX-80 and others), you can make a cable as shown
below; otherwise you will have to locate the signals
on your printer connector and make a custom cable.
DMF32
Centronics
J14 Signal Name
Connector
__ _____ _____
8 Strobe 1
26 Data 1 2
20 Data 2 3
22 Data 3 4
1 Data 4 5
24 Data 5 6
23 Data 6 7
5 Data 7 8
6 Data 8 9
18 Busy (demand) 11
12 Select (online) 13
17 Fault 32
14 POn (conn VFY) 16
30 0V and Shield 16
Appendix C in the DMF32 User's Guide (EK-DMF32-UG-002)
is incorrect; you should mark J14-37 as PRINTER
SPARE, and J14-8 as PRINTER STROBE. Note that
ACKnowledge and PE (paper empty) are not used. Your
printer should be strapped to go offline (deselected,
local) on a fault condition; otherwise VMS won't tell
you anything when paper runs out.
Additional printer strapping information:
Busy level = low (0)
Strobe level = high (1)
Strobe trigger = trailing (falling) edge
For a long cable, if the printer allows, the data
lines should be sampled 300-500 nanoseconds after the
trailing edge of the strobe pulse.
Contact: Carl Houseman
GENICOM Corporation
1 General Electric Drive
Waynesboro, VA 22980
(703) 949-1323
Date: November 18, 1984