wcs@ho95e.UUCP (#Bill_Stewart) (05/29/86)
How long a connection can I use between a PC and a parallel printer? The standard cables are about 6 feet, and I've had stores tell me you shouldn't use longer than 9; I need to go about 15. Will this do ok, or will I get noise or flow control trouble? The current connection is using the standard IBM-compatible cable, with a Centronics plug on one end, and a DB-25 on the other. Does it matter if I get the extra distance by adding a 25-pin cable (cheap RS232), or a Centronics cable, or should I use a single long cable? Thanks; -- # Bill Stewart, AT&T Bell Labs 2G-202, Holmdel NJ 1-201-949-0705 ihnp4!ho95c!wcs
ben@catnip.UUCP (Bennett Broder) (05/30/86)
In article <693@ho95e.UUCP> wcs@ho95e.UUCP (#Bill_Stewart) writes: >How long a connection can I use between a PC and a parallel printer? >The standard cables are about 6 feet, and I've had stores tell me you >shouldn't use longer than 9; I need to go about 15. Will this do ok, >or will I get noise or flow control trouble? I suspect that you won't have any trouble at all. The cable length recommendations are usually very conservative. At work, our hardware man hooked up a Dataproducts B600 (with Centronics interface) to a Perkin Elmer mini in an adjacent building; I was shocked to learn that it works. We have been using it for a couple of months without any problem. -- Ben Broder {ihnp4,decvax} !hjuxa!catnip!ben {houxm,topaz}/
roper@chinet.UUCP (roper) (05/31/86)
At work, I've used a cable that was at least 12 feet long to connect to a parallel printer with no problem. The problem is that the thing was REAL expensive and since the printer was on a rolling cart, it eventually lost pins to people who were sloppy when connecting it. I've got a six foot ribbon cable now that I use to connect to a six foot Centronics cable with no problems. Not only can I see the connection when I make it, but if one or the other cable breaks, it's a heck of a lot cheaper. (And it seems to work just fine.) -- Bill Roper, ihnp4!chinet!roper
del@pilchuck.UUCP (Erik ) (06/02/86)
In article <693@ho95e.UUCP>, wcs@ho95e.UUCP (#Bill_Stewart) writes: > How long a connection can I use between a PC and a parallel printer? You shouldn't have any trouble with a 15' cable. I recommend using flat ribbon cable because every other line (almost) is a ground, giving you better noise immunity. It doesn't matter which connector you extend, but you may find the DB25 connectors are more available and cheaper. I have my printer on the end of a cable at least 20' long, and have never had any trouble. look ma, no net.signature!