drpeter Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 Wondering- what is the easiest way in this day and age to interface an 8-bit to a Centronics printer, in the absence of an 850? Are such interfaces still being manufactured (I understand that some 1050 enhancements optionally included a Centronics interface, but I'm not sure that's still the case)? If not, what's the best (and cheapest) 2nd-hand or DIY route to go down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 3 minutes ago, drpeter said: Wondering- what is the easiest way in this day and age to interface an 8-bit to a Centronics printer, in the absence of an 850? Are such interfaces still being manufactured (I understand that some 1050 enhancements optionally included a Centronics interface, but I'm not sure that's still the case)? If not, what's the best (and cheapest) 2nd-hand or DIY route to go down? Get one in the ABBUC-Shop for 10€. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGB1718 Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 1 hour ago, drpeter said: If not, what's the best (and cheapest) 2nd-hand or DIY route to go down? Joystick port interface if you want a DIY solution Did it for my 800 using ports 3 & 4, converted to ports 1 & 2 for my 130XE I found the code for the 800, this was an early version, it has the Cassette boot routine at the end to write it out to a bootable tape. I believe it only uses 7 bits of data, so purely ASCII text, from memory I believe the interface was merely 2 buffer chips (7404 I think). I used this for many years until I make one for the 130XE using the parallel bus and extended port (this device also had a serial interface) Tis one's not for the faint hearted 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 BITD I made a #2,3,4 joystick port to centronics cable for 8-bit graphics data on an Epson printer. No intermediate circuit required, but a custom P: driver was needed. I'll post details if there's interest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 17 minutes ago, TGB1718 said: this device also had a serial interface Ooooo, that color-coded DIP switch! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGB1718 Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 21 minutes ago, ClausB said: No intermediate circuit required, but a custom P: driver was needed. I used a buffer because of PORTB only being able to have a single TTL load and will not go above 2.4V in a HIGH state, so I used the 7404 to ensure it would work with any printer. This was my driver, for the 800 I think it was the first MAC/65 program I wrote in anger The driver for the 130XE interface moved the OS to RAM, then overwrote the OS printer driver with my driver CENT800.txt 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reifsnyderb Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 I used a Graphix AT adapter. https://www.ebay.com/itm/176509297847?itmmeta=01J4VTJ3EXBA7VNTXKW85XPTJ2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfcatari Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 These work well... I have a few of these in my collection, one from ICD and the other from Xetec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sup8pdct Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 Here in Australia, we had an interface called printmon. It required a modified OS that replaced the P: driver with custom code to use this interface plugged into port2 on XL/XE. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chri O. Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 I got this from eBay today for US $26.48 Interesting cold Solder Joints 😞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chri O. Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 Problem fixed new cap.😷 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+David_P Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 11 hours ago, reifsnyderb said: I used a Graphix AT adapter. https://www.ebay.com/itm/176509297847?itmmeta=01J4VTJ3EXBA7VNTXKW85XPTJ2 I have one of those, an 850 and a MIO. Because redundancy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam242 Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 I always liked the ICD Printer Connection. Cable with SIO on one end, Centronics on the other... Must be kinda rare these days, I can't even find a photo on google. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGB1718 Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 I got this on Ebay some years ago, it's made in Germany 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+David_P Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 ANALOG had a series of articles on converting an Atari into a printer buffer for another Atari - Atari Zucchini. https://www.atarimagazines.com/analog/issue59/bits_pieces.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted August 10 Share Posted August 10 18 hours ago, Chri O. said: this Looks like some early microcontroller. Could be emulated now with an Arduino. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpeter Posted August 11 Author Share Posted August 11 Thanks everyone, have ordered a Graphix AT on eBay- had to swallow the crazy international postage (more than the interface itself) since nothing available in UK. Sold as untested, so fingers crossed... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 On 8/9/2024 at 11:03 AM, reifsnyderb said: I used a Graphix AT adapter. https://www.ebay.com/itm/176509297847?itmmeta=01J4VTJ3EXBA7VNTXKW85XPTJ2 Have you opened it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reifsnyderb Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 58 minutes ago, ClausB said: Have you opened it up? I have not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpeter Posted August 11 Author Share Posted August 11 1 hour ago, ClausB said: Have you opened it up? Why do you ask? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 4 hours ago, drpeter said: Why do you ask? To see what's inside! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 While Graphix AT is cool will all those dip switches, it seems to me that SIO to printer (centronics) interfaces were very generic, and there were plenty of designs and brands (as opposed to serial rs233 adapters). You probably can buy the cheap one you can get by searching "Atari printer interface" and will almost certainly work okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpeter Posted August 12 Author Share Posted August 12 3 hours ago, ClausB said: To see what's inside! Take a look at the online manual, which includes instructions (with pictures) for how to modify the circuit board to be powered from the printer in the case of use with a 1200XL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 1 hour ago, drpeter said: Take a look at the online manual, which includes instructions (with pictures) for how to modify the circuit board to be powered from the printer in the case of use with a 1200XL. Information is limited, though. I wouldn't mind knowing what chip is used, so I could add the info on my site: Xetec Graphix AT 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixelmischief Posted August 12 Share Posted August 12 I've recently connected a Star NX1000 via both the MIO and the P:R:. Funny though, I almost immediately went back to the FujiNet pushing to a Pi serving an inkjet. Kinda nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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