Date   : Fri, 19 Aug 2005 00:58:42 +0100
From   : Ian K <BBCmail@...>
Subject: Re: Modern printers and Beebs

In article <050817015509@...>,
   Jonathan Graham Harston <jgh@...> wrote:
> > Message-ID: <8EDD441C6BF344369701D06FF5B71EDC.MAI@...>
>  
> "Ian Wolstenholme" <BBCMailingList@...> wrote:
> > Does anybody know if modern laser printers can generally be
> > used with Beebs?
>  
> Yes. A printer is a printer is a printer. Send the byte &41 to a
> printer, and it will print "A" somewhere. I've been printing from
> by Beeb with a Kyocera FS-600 for some years now.
>  
> The Centronics definition is a specification of a printer
> interface. If a shop sells you a printer claiming it has a
> Centronics interface and VDU2:PRINT"HELLO":CLS:V.3 from a BBC
> doesn't give "HELLO" on a sheet of paper, they have missold you a
> printer drive unit instead, and threaten them with the consumer
> misselling legislation.

Technically speaking they could claim it is a Centeronics interface
without that test working. As the Centronics protocol only refers to the
method of transition and format of the data and not the data itself.
Although in practice it is probably a pritty good guide, although you
probably have trouble finding a sales person who would know the difference!
>  
> Refuse to buy anything that does not come with a manual with
> printer control codes listed and specifies that it has a
> Centronics interface. "Centronics", not "parallel".

Finding a modern printer that has the control codes printed in the manual
would be a real find these days.

Any laser printer that fully supports PCL will except ASCII codes although
it may take a bit of fiddling with escape codes to get it to work. InkJet
printers these days tend to be much more hit and miss even ones that
aren't GDI direct drive often don't except ASCII codes these days.

Probably the best thing to check is if it will print direct from DOS or
UNIX as both expect a printer to understand ASCII codes. Or failing that
Lynux although I believe one or two manufactures are producing GDI direct
drive printers that work with Lynix now.

One other test you can try if they agree to it in the shop it to connect
the printer you are interested in up to a parallel port print server or
JetDirect box and push the test button this should generate a page or two
of plain ASCII text. Anything that passes this test will also work with a
BBC.

Regards
Ian K