[rescue] Parallel ports [was Re: Slightly OT: ?Bad Cap Saga]

[wa2egp at att.net]

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: der Mouse <mouse at Rodents-Montreal.ORG>
>
> > ...but meanwhile, this whole discussion is moot because you haven't
> > actually tried it with USB, have you?
> 
> No, I don't have a USB "parallel port" device of any stripe.
> 
> I have in the past glanced at USB code for other things - in
> particular, I was attempting to make it work in a much older NetBSD,
> one that didn't really support it out of the box - and that's what I
> was basing my guesses on.
> 
> Am I wrong?  _Is_ sending a byte out over a USB "parallel port" device
> as simple as it is on a real parallel port?
> 
> > You qualify your statements as something akin to "I haven't tried it,
> > but it probably won't work" but I don't see anything convincing me it
> > won't work, just that you're too much of a stick in the mud on this
> > issue to give it a try.
> 
> Perhaps.  Care to point me to docs for a few, so I can read them over
> to figure out whether they even try to provide the capabilities I'm
> after?  I did a little searching, but all I found was some generic
> babblage, no specific product docs.  (If I'm going to spend money to
> satisfy you on this point, at least I'm going to have grounds to think
> I'll get a useful device before I buy!)

I just bought an Inland USB Parallel Converter from MicroCenter for about $10 and on the package they claim: "Fully compliant with USB specifications version 1.1, Provides bi-directional ECP function, supports standard PC parallel port register-based operation,... Maximum throughput: 1.2 Mbps (ECP mode)..."  Does this info help?  I'm trying to get a Powerbook to use a parallel printer. This should be fun...

Bob