[rescue] SparcPrinter

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Wed, 29 May 2002, Leslie Connally wrote:

> 2) More importantly,  inlieu of an sbus parallel port, can I just hang this
> off an external network print server ala HP JetDirect or Lantronix ?

Erm, no.  That's neither a regular parallel nor an RS-232 connection on
the printer.  It connects to a SPARCprinter controller card which is an
odd marriage between a video card and a printer card.

> 3) It a PS printer, yes ? or is it some kind of dumb print-engine-in-a-box
> like an inkjet, mostly run by the computer & special software?

Actually, it's identical in concept to the NEC WinPrinters.  However,
instead of understanding Windows GDI (like the WinPrinters), it speaks
NeWS[1] or some variant thereof.  Therefore, you need the appropriate
video/parallel combo card (part #501-1910, Sun Option X1130A) to talk to
it.

Here are pictures of what you need:
  http://www.sunstuff.org/hardware/partnumbers/501/1/9/1/0/

Clearly the SPARCprinter was designed during a week where some intern
office aide accidentally replaced the Coffee-Mate with cheap crack.

Are you sure you don't have a SPARCprinter II?  The II uses a fairly
normal parallel port and should behave like a PostScript printer, IIRC.

--Jonathan
[1] Or am I confusing the SPARCprinter with the NeWSprinter?