News about DEC Printers As of 1999, I suppose these are now Compaq printers.... ^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^ .............................................................................. Link: 1999-10-12: Compaq/DEC printer product information is located here: http://www.compaq.com/products/printers/ and here: http://www.digital.com/printers/index.html As of 1999-10-11, the following web page contains information about a derivative of the LA400 printer. As Compaq continues to digest Digital, it is possible that the URL could later go stale. http://www.digital.com/printers/products/prt_la400plus.html Frequently Asked Questions about such printers reside here, for now: http://www.digital.com/printers/srvcs/prt_faq.html ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Article 1536 of vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks: Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!bogus.sura.net!jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu!aplcen.apl.jhu.edu!theune From: theune@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (Peter Theune) Subject: Re: Windows Printer Drivers for DEC LN03 printer Message-ID: <1993Mar23.195846.5964@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> Organization: Johns Hopkins University References: <9303221643.AA28019@genrad.com> Date: Tue, 23 Mar 93 19:58:46 GMT Lines: 42 Maria Hiles writes: >We have a disk containing various Dec printer drivers for Windows (including >the LN03), it is labelled > >* PRINTER DRIVERS FOR MICROSOFT WINDOWS V3.0 >SPECIAL VERSION >ANSI DECLASER FAMILY >etc... > >We aquired it from Dec sales (no charge) quite some time ago, after seeing it >advertised in small print at the end of some documentation or other (it was >quite a while ago so I can't remember where). > >Maria Hiles >GenRad Manchester >HILES@GENRAD.COM Greetings, Just so happens that I went thru the driver drill yesterday. After much flailing about, DEC support gave me the following info: The Magic product number is.... Ta DA FW-207S1-AK This is a 3.5" floppy, and is available _FREE_ from DEC-Direct at (800) 344-4825 This contains all of the strange and wonderfull drivers that DEC has done to support third party or reseller printers/software. I think the LNO3 drivers for windows are on the above mentioned disk. BTW He said that in all cases he knew of (right!) there are no changes for the older printers under win3.1 . I know he was right about the HP paintjet printer, so he might be right about the lno3. Best of luck. Peter Theune theune@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu ^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^ Article 1545 of vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks: Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!kuhub.cc.ukans.edu!lanworks!list Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks Subject: RE: Windows Printer Drivers for DEC LN03 printer Message-ID: <9303240845.AA20154@smithkline.com> From: mooreej%frgen.dnet@SMITHKLINE.COM Date: 24 Mar 1993 03:45:07 -0500 Sender: A discussion of Digital's PCSA product Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Lines: 4 The whole range of Windows printer drivers for Digital printers is available in the DECPCI library on Compuserve. Ed. ^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^ As of September 1996, DEC printer drivers are on the World Wide Web at http://www.pc.digital.com/~ftp/OPTIONS/options.htm ^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^ Article 2618 of comp.sys.dec.micro: Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!hubcap!ncrcae!ncrhub2!ncrgw2!psinntp!farsef!shoop From: shoop@horton.farsef.com (Dan Shoop) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec,comp.sys.dec.micro Subject: Re: LN03 laser printer--Help needed Message-ID: <2TBk1B6w165w@horton.farsef.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 93 10:35:36 EST References: Distribution: world Organization: FARSEF -- The Far Side Expeditionary Force Lines: 27 Xref: cs.utk.edu comp.sys.dec:14614 comp.sys.dec.micro:2618 kist@acsu.buffalo.edu (Jim Kist) writes: > I've hooked up an LN03 printer to my PC. When I send it data, the number 6 > lights on the LED display, but nothing prints. After sending lots of data, > I pressed the TEST button, and the following errors came up: > > band too complex > buffer overflow > > Is their some control code that will force the LN03 to flush it's buffer > and print? Thanks in advance. > Sounds to me like you never ejected the page! A "6" can flas on the printer for a variety of reasons, the most common being "Data still in Buffer". Data stays in the buffer until it completes a page. If you don't send a whole page to the printer, this is what will happen. The LN03 expects to be connected to a system with print queues that at the end of each print job sends a Form Feed to eject the page to the top of the next form for the next job. pico-fix: Press the button on the front [<-] or send a form feed like you should. Article 2660 of comp.sys.dec.micro: Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro Path: cs.utk.edu!darwin.sura.net!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!news.columbia.edu!watsun.cc.columbia.edu!lasner From: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner) Subject: Re: LA50 Printer (in)compatibility .. Message-ID: <1993Mar26.025918.26298@news.columbia.edu> Sender: usenet@news.columbia.edu (The Network News) Nntp-Posting-Host: watsun.cc.columbia.edu Reply-To: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner) Organization: Columbia University References: <9303231806.AA06376@e5st.v10.syr.ge.com> Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1993 02:59:18 GMT Lines: 27 In article shoop@horton.farsef.com (Dan Shoop) writes: >catalino@e5st.v10.syr.ge.com (Tom Catalino x5764) writes: >For regular DOS: >It's just a serial printer, hook it to a serial port In the specific case of the LA-50, there just happens to be a switch to enable that infernal busy/ready protocol from hell, that you have to have on PC's unless you use a driver. But for some other DEC printers, you can't do that because all of DEC's printers use the sane but rapidly becoming unpopular ^S/^Q protocol that doesn't monkey with the control leads, etc. (Note: it is a religious issue over this debate: Strictly speaking, this use of the hardware busy protocol is illegal. It is within the right of any compatible RS-232 device to either ignore attempts to use this kludge, or do more disastrous things like abort the data link until reset, etc. It was not designed to be used the way these kludgy printers are doing it to avoid writing good software, etc. The other side of the coin is that in fact, most devices in the RS-232 realm are willing to play the game, whether they are obliged to or not. The PC serial port depends on this being the case to be supporting a printer. To solve this problem, there is an XONXOFF driver for MS-DOS, and also certain applications that handle the printer themselves (such as WP51, etc.) can be configured to do the software handshake correctly, etc. cjl Article 72985 of comp.os.vms: Newsgroups: comp.os.vms Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!olivea!hal.com!decwrl!pa.dec.com!nntpd2.cxo.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!regent.enet.dec.com!lasko From: lasko@regent.enet.dec.com (Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Westford, MA) Subject: Re: Yet more DCPS - ISOLatin1 character encoding. Message-ID: <1993Sep21.224252.27195@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> Sender: usenet@nntpd.lkg.dec.com (USENET News System) Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation References: <1993Sep16.132815.2558@alf.uib.no> Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1993 23:45:15 GMT Lines: 15 In article <1993Sep16.132815.2558@alf.uib.no>, iversen@dsfys1.fi.uib.no (Per Steinar Iversen) writes... >...very annoying problem: DCPS prints all text using the DECMCS character >encoding and not ISOLatin1. The only fix I have found is to define a setup >module that add the command string "P1!uA\", this sequence (DECAUPSS) >was picked up from a VT320 manual! Congratulations. You were resourceful enough to find the right command without referring to the DEC PPL3 programming documentation, which you probably didn't have available to you. That is the best way to accomplish that task with DCPS. -- Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Westford MA (lasko@regent.enet.dec.com) Tim Lasko, private citizen (teeml@aol.com) My opinions are my own; the facts can speak for themselves. I'm on my own time. Article 78096 of comp.os.vms: Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks,comp.os.vms Path: cs.utk.edu!emory!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!uunet!vkm!vaxc.vkm.com!COUCHD From: couchd@vaxc.vkm.com (Dennis Couch) Subject: Re: MS-Windows 3.1 printing on a LN03+ Message-ID: Sender: news@vkm.com Nntp-Posting-Host: vaxc Reply-To: couchd@vaxc.vkm.com Organization: Van Kampen Merritt, Chicago/Oakbrook Terrace References: <70.2ce37396@wrglex>,,<2ctfbfINN4de@eccdb1.pms.ford.com> Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 06:50:40 GMT Lines: 21 Xref: cs.utk.edu vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks:4901 comp.os.vms:78096 In article <2ctfbfINN4de@eccdb1.pms.ford.com>, patteeuw@etcv01.eld.ford.com (Jack Patteeuw) writes: >In article , P.L.J.Maenen@research.ptt.nl (Peter Maenen) writes: >> >>Otherwise try some CANON printerdrivers. Most DIGITAL printers use a Canon print >>engine. >> > >While it is true that the LN05, LN06, and LN07 are based on Cannon engines the >LN03 family was based on a Ricoh engine. In fact the LPS20, LPS32 and LPS40 >are also based on Ricoh engines. The LPS17 is, again, a Cannon engine and the >LN08 is a based on a Xerox engine !! > Jack > >*** My opinions are my OWN !! *** Just as a (rather trivial) point of interest...there was also an LN04, which never made it to market, that was also based on a Ricoh engine (the same one that one of the Talaris printers was based on...I can't remember the model number right now, but it had dual paper trays and was 17 pages a minute). Dennis Couch Article 81710 of comp.os.vms: Path: cs.utk.edu!emory!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!newncar!noao!CS.Arizona.EDU!zippy.Telcom.Arizona.EDU!mvb.saic.com!info-vax From: Mighty Firebreather Newsgroups: comp.os.vms Subject: Re: Landscape for LN03 & VMS info-sources ? Message-ID: <0097941F.102B9DE0.29891@nscvax.princeton.edu> Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 11:04:21 EST Organization: Info-Vax<==>Comp.Os.Vms Gateway X-Gateway-Source-Info: Mailing List Lines: 62 Alexandre Khalil writes: > >Hi Arne > >> > This seems like a FAQ. >> >> I do not think so. There are not many of the good old LN03 printers >> left ! >> >> > How can I print landscape to an LN03 ? >> >> The escape-sequence is: >> >> [3 J > > And how do I send this sequence ? > Do I define a .com file for this ? In this case, how do I write = >ASCII 27 ? I know how to do this in c, Pascal, BASIC and FORTRAN, >because there is a mechanism to send decimal or hexadecimal characters. > You use the EDT editor and type GOLD, keyboard 2, keyboard 7, GOLD, keypad 3. Or you read the documentation for any of the newer, el cheapo, editors. (Real men use EDT (or TECO)). Normally you would put any setup strings for the printer in a file and then use the LIBRARY command to insert it in SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]SYSDEVCTL.TLB. Then use DEFINE /FORM to define a landscape form. Then PRINT /FORM=LANDSCAPE. My landscape setup string looks like this (replace each "" with a real escape character): [?21 J[15m[1;66r The three control sequences are: PFS Page Format Select 8-1/2" x 11" landscape. (What Arne gave is for European (A4) paper.) SGR Select Graphic Rendition (Font) 6.7 point Courier 13.6 pitch. DECSTBM DEC Set Top & Bottom Margins See "LN03 Programmer Reference Manual" order number EK-OLN03-RM for the sordid details of this and many other tricks your printer is capable of. My forms definition looks like this: $ DEFINE /FORM LANDSCAPE 1 - /DESCRIPTION="8-1/2 X 11 LANDSCAPE FORMAT" - /LENGTH=66 /SETUP=LANDS /STOCK="DEFAULT" - /NOTRUNCATE /NOWRAP /WIDTH=132 ************************************************************************* * Here, there be dragons! * * dragon@nscvax.princeton.edu * * * * I'm job hunting. Any offers or leads will be appreciated. * * Thanks! * * Richard B. Gilbert * ************************************************************************* Article 81717 of comp.os.vms: Path: cs.utk.edu!emory!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!sdd.hp.com!portal!cup.portal.com!Chris_F_Chiesa From: Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com Newsgroups: comp.os.vms Subject: Re: Landscape for LN03 & VMS info-sources ? Message-ID: <102330@cup.portal.com> Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 12:20:34 PST Organization: The Portal System (TM) References: <01H87NW3A1VM8ZEE0L@kopc.hhs.dk> Lines: 34 I've dealt with the landscape-format-on-LN03 issue before. There are several considerations. 1) Simply setting the printer to "rotate the output 90 degrees" may not be sufficient to give you the output format you want. You may wish to select a smaller font, different margins and lines-per-page, etc. Additional escape sequences exist to do these things, and are documented in the LN03 programmer's manual as already mentioned in other contributions to this thread. 2) The simplest/best way to deliver the appropriate escape sequences to the LN03 is to place the sequences into a text file, then use LIBRARY /INSERT /TEXT to insert the file into SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEVCTL.TLB as a module. Then either use PRINT /SETUP=that_file_or_module_name, or define a print form (with DEFINE /FORM) that uses that module as its /SETUP module. 3) You may require corresponding "reset to portrait mode" behavior to get the LN03 back to "normal" after printing in landscape mode. Set up in a manner analogous to points (1) and (2) above. 4) Under some circumstances, the LN03 may interpret the setup escape sequences as a command to move its print position a couple of spaces to the right of the "home" position, meaning that your first "real" printed text may start a few characters to the right of where you expect it. Place a carriage-return character at the end of the escape-sequence file/module, to reset the print position to beginning- of-line before beginning to print your actual data. Hope this helps. Chris Chiesa Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com Article 18664 of comp.periphs.printers: Path: cs.utk.edu!stc06.CTD.ORNL.GOV!rsg1.er.usgs.gov!jobone!lynx.unm.edu!nntp.sunbelt.net!udel!news.mathworks.com!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!usenet.cis.ufl.edu!caen!crl.dec.com!crl.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!regent.enet.dec.com!lasko From: lasko@regent.enet.dec.com (Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Marlborough, MA) Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers Subject: Re: Digital LN03 plus laser printer Date: 8 NOV 94 12:30:19 Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 22 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <39octq$m4j@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: prince.enet.dec.com In article , rjc@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Richard Caley) writes... > >Does anyone out there know what kind of beast it is, >whether it can pretend to be something more well known and where >a driver or some such could be picked up? An LN03 PLUS printer only has an ANSI escape sequence interpreter (a.k.a. "DEC ANSI" and later "DEC PPL3".) Digital made an IBM Proprinter emulation cartridge for it but I suspect those are hard to come by. The could also be converted (not upgraded...complete logic board replacement) to a PostScript printer (the LN03R ScriptPrinter) but those are even harder to come by now. Digital has a Windows driver for the LN03 PLUS. It's available on CompuServe when I checked a while back. It is not available on the Internet. You may also want to call a local Digital support center directly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Marlborough MA (lasko@regent.enet.dec.com) Tim Lasko, private citizen (TeemL@aol.com) My opinions are my own; the facts can speak for themselves. I'm on my own time. I get to use up all this vacation time sometime! Cope. Article 18795 of comp.periphs.printers: Path: cs.utk.edu!stc06.CTD.ORNL.GOV!fnnews.fnal.gov!uwm.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!caen!kuhub.cc.ukans.edu!kumgm3.pharm.ukans.edu!user Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers Subject: Re: Digital LN03 plus laser printer Message-ID: <1k1mgm-1111941257040001@kumgm3.pharm.ukans.edu> From: 1k1mgm@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Christopher Gunn) Date: 11 Nov 94 12:56:47 CDT References: Organization: Univ. of Kansas Molecular Graphics and Modeling Nntp-Posting-Host: kumgm3.pharm.ukans.edu Lines: 50 In article , rjc@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Richard Caley) wrote: > A friend of mine has just been given one of these and would like to be > able to do something with it, unfortunatly he has no > documentation. Does anyone out there know what kind of beast it is, > whether it can pretend to be something more well known and where > a driver or some such could be picked up? LN03s were one of the first affordable laser printers that could do bit-mapped graphics, and for their time they were a remarkable product. They were also built like tanks. There are some around here that have spat out 500K, 600K pages. (Though with non-trivially- expensive maintenance services. They won't live that long untended.) However, their graphics capability is weird. It involves something called 'sixel graphics' (which some DEC terminals did for a while, too, I think). In 'sixel' mode some 6 bits of ASCII characters (probably the least significant, but I won't swear to that) sent to the printer are interpreted as pixel on-off codes. I don't know for sure if the orientation is horizontal or vertical. Vertical--right angles to the left-to-right character-line orientation--if I remember right. People at our site (mostly in the Physics department) devoted literally man-years to writing software for VAX computers that did graphics on LN03 printers. Much, much science reported on using those things. They're now reduced to use as virtual line printers, for program listings and things. Possibly, in some cases, for TEX output. I don't think any of them are still used for graphics, which has now moved to PostScript printers. (There was a PostScript LN03; I think maybe it was the LN03-S.) I'm sure that none of our old code that drive LN03s has been ported from VMS. I doubt if it could--it's filled with SYS$QIOW calls and the like. I would be surprised if much PC or Mac software ever came with LN03 drivers. If I were in your shoes, I'd try to get a manual from DEC and write some simple header/trailer files that will kick the LN03 into various line-printer-like modes. Could be used for listings, simple text material, etc. I'm fairly sure there are no manuals here people would be willing to part with. Christopher Gunn Molecular Graphics and Modeling Laboratory 1k1mgm@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu University of Kansas Phone: 913-864-4428 or -4495 Malott Hall Lawrence, KS 66045 Article 4203 of comp.terminals: Path: cs.utk.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!emory!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!src.dec.com!crl.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!regent.enet.dec.com!lasko Newsgroups: comp.terminals Subject: Re: RFI:how to connect a LA75 to a DEC terminal Message-ID: <3r74ia$bma@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> From: lasko@regent.enet.dec.com (Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Marlborough, MA) Date: 8 JUN 95 11:18:32 References: <3qdn6c$74t@ghostwheel.bga.com> Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation NNTP-Posting-Host: prince.enet.dec.com Lines: 13 In article <3qdn6c$74t@ghostwheel.bga.com>, krispy@bga.com (Kris Schludermann) writes... >how does one go about connecting the LA-75 dotmatrix printer >to a VT-220 or VT-230? like where do you get the weird adapter >to connect to the odd RJ series connector with the offset clip and >which port should i use? Digital's part number for the 9-pin D-sub connector to DECconnect cable (a.k.a. MMJ for modified modular jack) for a VT2xx printer port is H8571-B. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Marlborough MA (lasko@regent.enet.dec.com) My opinions are my own; the facts can speak for themselves. I'm on my own time. For Digital printer support: call 1.800.777.4343 or email printers@digital.com For Digital terminal support: same phone, email is terminals@digital.com Article 4202 of comp.terminals: Path: cs.utk.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!src.dec.com!crl.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!regent.enet.dec.com!lasko Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec,comp.sys.dec.micro,vmsnet.pdp-11,comp.terminals,comp.periphs.printers Subject: Re: device control sequences (was Re: LA50 info needed) Message-ID: <3r7420$bma@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> From: lasko@regent.enet.dec.com (Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Marlborough, MA) Date: 8 JUN 95 10:51:04 References: <3q2ik3$kkd@jac.zko.dec.com> <3q61hn$34n@st-james.comp.vuw.ac.nz> <1995Jun6.185706@ivos02> <3r4l6qINN3ij@duncan.cs.utk.edu> Distribution: world Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Summary: A ramble about resetting DEC printers NNTP-Posting-Host: prince.enet.dec.com Lines: 57 Xref: cs.utk.edu comp.sys.dec:33178 comp.sys.dec.micro:5028 vmsnet.pdp-11:4753 comp.terminals:4202 comp.periphs.printers:27260 In article <3r4l6qINN3ij@duncan.cs.utk.edu>, shuford@cs.utk.edu (Richard Shuford) writes... >In article <1995Jun6.185706@ivos02> Steve writes: >> In general I have had very bad experience using ESC c on most devices, since >> it causes the hardware to pause for a couple seconds. At least on a >> terminal... Yep, c will do a power-up reset on a VT terminal (Well, there's a one exception that I recall--a VT330/340 running software multiple sessions will capture an c and interpret it as the soft reset [!p. But we got told that that was a *bad* idea and the old hard reset action came back). But overall, the terminals are pretty consistent and Richard gave the correct info: >Mnemonic Command Sequence (7-bit) Explanation >-------- ------------------- ------------------ ----------------------------- > >DECSTR Soft terminal reset Escape [ ! p sets terminal to power-up > default states > >RIS Hard terminal reset Escape c replaces all terminal set-up > parameters with NVR values or > power-up default values if > NVR values do not exist. > >("VT220 Programmer Pocket Guide" EK-VT220-HR-001, page 33) Ah, but printers are a different story. First, not all of them even have a c reset: the earlier ones such as the LA50, which started this thread, LA100 and LA210 all do not. DECSTR had varying interpretations as well through out the "companion printer" era (LA7x) but would generally get many text settings (character sets, pitch, tabs, font size, etc.) back to a "known" default state that wasn't necessarily the power-up state. And then, the Hard reset (c) started to get "softer".... For the last set of DEC ANSI printers (LA310, LA324/424, LA600, LN05/6/7/8), we made those two resets perform the same, soft, function. They set "text and formatting" features back to a known state but not touch physical parameters (like tray selection) and downloaded resources (like fonts). The "harder" reset function moved to a newer command, the DECSCL (Set Conformance Level) reset state. This reset forced all settings back to the "known" factory default state for the feature. This is also not the power-up state, though. The "Digital ANSI-Compliant Printing Protocol Level 2 [and 3] Programmers Supplement" document has a large table describing all of the variables and what the various reset states bring them to. A clever colleague of mine figured out how to get the VT5xx manuals online (as Richard Shuford mentioned in his post) but the DEC ANSI ones aren't yet. The upshot is that resetting a DEC ANSI pritner can be very confusing. I have megabytes of internal mail messages discussing the problem but it was never cleaned up and, well, resources went to other things. [Like PCL emulation, for instance I still would have liked to get ANSI level 4 done, though. Oh, well.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tim Lasko, Digital Equipment Corp., Marlborough MA (lasko@regent.enet.dec.com) My opinions are my own; the facts can speak for themselves. I'm on my own time. For Digital printer support: call 1.800.777.4343 or email printers@digital.com Article 5192 of vmsnet.pdp-11: Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!news.mathworks.com!newshost.marcam.com!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!homer.alpha.net!mvb.saic.com!info-pdp11 From: John Wilson Newsgroups: vmsnet.pdp-11 Subject: Re: PDP blowing fuses on LA120? Message-ID: <199509122339.TAA25142@alum01.its.rpi.edu> Date: Tue, 12 Sep 1995 19:39:48 -0400 Organization: Info-Pdp11<==>Vmsnet.Pdp-11 Gateway X-Gateway-Source-Info: Mailing List Lines: 24 patti.hiestand@srs.gov (Patti L. Hiestand) writes: > Here are some clues we've found: > 1. If you get to it soon enough, when the "paper out" light is flashing, > but before the fuse blows, you can cut the power off/on and it will work > again. > 2. When it starts up again it usually moves the margin over a tad to the > left (wider margin) > > Any suggestions?? I've never blown fuses, but assuming I remember right (and I'm not confusing this with my old LA36 From Hell) I had some annoying problems with it losing registration which turned out to be caused by a broken plastic clamp on the mechanism that connects the head to the encoder wheel. That might explain why it snaps out of it when you power cycle and it recalibrates (since it if wandered far enough it might slam the head into the stop and that could blow the fuse). If this turns out to be your problem too drop me a line, I seem to remember that DEC told me the part was available only qty=10, so I've got 9 of them kicking around this mess somewhere, probably. John Article 5195 of vmsnet.pdp-11: Newsgroups: vmsnet.pdp-11 Path: cs.utk.edu!gatech!news.mathworks.com!uunet!in1.uu.net!spcuna!spcvxb!terry From: terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr.) Subject: Re: PDP blowing fuses on LA120? Nntp-Posting-Host: spcvxa.spc.edu References: <01HV7177716E0007JQ@mr.srs.gov> Sender: news@spcuna.spc.edu (Network News) Organization: St. Peter's College, US Date: Thu, 14 Sep 1995 00:17:17 GMT Message-ID: <1995Sep13.201717.1@spcvxb.spc.edu> Lines: 30 In article <01HV7177716E0007JQ@mr.srs.gov>, patti.hiestand@srs.gov (Patti L. Hiestand) writes: > We have an 11/84 connected to an LA120 for the system console. We are > having serious problems with blown carraige return fuses on the LA120. (like > 1/week for an average, sometimes longer,sometimes less). We have traded out > the LA120 with a spare we had and it appeared to work for maybe a month or > two, but now we're back in the same situation again. This is a classic LA36/LA120 problem. The encoder wheel on the carriage servo is dropping pulses (or, much less likely, the logic board isn't de- tecting the pulses). On powerup, the left margin is found by moving the head left until the logic stops getting encoder pulses. Then the head is stepped some number of pulses right, and that's the left margin. If the encoder drops a pulse, the head creeps left one pixel (== 1 servo pulse) at a time until the head hits the stop pin. At that point, the stepper servo keeps trying to move it and the fuse blows. This is common enough that if the LA120 was still made, the firmware would have been corrected to do the power-up calibration again if pulses weren't detected when expected. The servo motor and encoder are a single unit and easy to change - all you need are screwdrivers and an Allen wrench. The part is a repairable item and you can get it rebuilt at the Customer Returns Center - call 800-225-5385 for pricing and info. You can also buy new units from DEC, but they're expensive. Terry Kennedy Operations Manager, Academic Computing terry@spcvxa.spc.edu St. Peter's College, Jersey City, NJ USA +1 201 915 9381 (voice) +1 201 435-3662 (FAX) Path: utkcs2!stc06.ctd.ornl.gov!fnnews.fnal.gov!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!newspump.sol.net!www.nnt p.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!news.mindspring.com!uunet!in3.uu.net!news2.inte rlog.com!nntp.uio.no!news.global-one.no!news1.transpac.net!news1.global-one.dk!n ews.uni-c .dk!news From: Bernhard Fabricius Newsgroups: comp.os.vms,vmsnet.misc,comp.sys.dec Subject: Re: DEC Special Char - LN03 Date: Wed, 04 Sep 1996 09:55:56 +0200 Organization: DMU Lines: 31 Message-ID: <322D360C.7C01@dmu.dk> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: gate.mem.dk Michael A. Passineau is asking if he can get rid of old LN03s and still be able to print the DEC Special Character Set). You can. ALL digital PostScript printers, and a range of third-party PostScript printers too can do this with the DCPS software, which come in three versions. BASE (free with VMS) will print ANSI and PostScript to Digital printers. This is essentially what you need, so you have it! PLUS will also print REGIS, SIXEL, TEK4xxx to Digital printers. OPEN will support the same on printers from other vendors, including the HP LJ4 that you mention. Connection is Serial, LAT (including Emulex NetJet cards), AppleTalk (if you have Pathworks/AppleTalk for VMS) and DECnet to PrintServers (which answers another of your questions). Look at the DCPS$STARTUP file in SYS$MANAGER (you may have to rename the .TEMPLATE file to .COM) You can even get all your LN03 setup modules to work too. We are doing it here to some of the new LN17ps printers. Highly recommended! Bear -- = Bernhard Fabricius, Operations Manager (VMS, Unix, Internet) Danmarks Milj=F8Unders=F8gelser/Danish National Environmental Research = Institute E-mail: edbf@dmu.dk (NOT MIME-compliant, try edbf@hami1.dmu.dk for = ^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^-=-^ From anderson@funyet.mro.dec.com Tue Dec 10 10:35:30 1996 Date: 5 Dec 1996 21:58:25 GMT From: Paul Anderson Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers Subject: Re: Digital Driver Needed Drivers for many Digital printers, including a way to get DECcolorwriter 520ic drivers, are available at http://www.printers.digital.com [ 1999: updated URL http://www.digital.com/printers/ ] or by selecting Products, then Printing Systems from the main Digital page. Paul __________________________________________________________________ Paul Anderson Digital Equipment Corporation Printing Systems technical support .mro.FUNYET::ANDERSON DTN 297.8927 anderson@funyet.mro.dec.com 508.467.8927 MRO1-2/J25 508.467.1310 fax ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// From satterfield@orabx.enet.dec.com Tue Jan 28 10:48:07 1997 Date: 21 Jan 1997 18:04:07 GMT From: satterfield@orabx.enet.dec.com Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers Subject: Re: DEC ln09 5100 Steve LeClaire wrote: >Does anybody know how to change the printers IP address or where to find free >documentation? The part number for the Ethernet Card User's Guide is EK-D5100-UG. It can be ordered at 800 344-4825. Randy From satterfield@orabx.enet.dec.com Tue Jan 28 10:48:26 1997 Date: 21 Jan 1997 17:58:56 GMT From: satterfield@orabx.enet.dec.com Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers Subject: Re: DEClaser 1152 (HP IIP?) memory needed "Tobin M. Creek" wrote: >I bought a PostScript DEClaser 1152 from a fellow here for the >low sum of $250, still on it's first toner cartridge. The >printer comes standard with 2 MB of RAM. I called DEC to order >the font cartridge and the 2MB upgrade. DEC does not make or >stock either of these anymore. >I've seen mention elsewhere of this printer being a relabelled >Hewlett-Packard IIp. Can I get HP IIp SIMMS and plug them in? >This printer appears to only have one slot, and the manual shows >a picture of the SIMM (which I could describe or post here). >The printer works great, but if I have to download fonts, then >I'd like to have the memory to do it! This printer is not a relabelled H-P IIp although they both use the Canon LX engine. The video board and I/O board are very different. The printer performance is really helped by upgrading the memory. You might try calling DECUS at 800 354-9000 or Global Technologies at 800 845-6225. Randy ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// References: <8on82s$cf2$1@iac5.navix.net> Date: Fri, 01 Sep 2000 14:54:24 GMT Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Message-ID: <39afc0fa.1318200@news.ma.ultranet.com> From: Ben Myers Subject: Re: Where to find Declaser 5100 info? Gregg & Lisa, The DEClaser 5100 info appears to be missing from the Compaq web site. I've never been able to find much at all about the DEC-branded printers there. Somebody once emailed a DEClaster 1152 manual in PDF. Maybe some other generous person can email a 5100 manual or post a URL where it can be downloaded. The printer support files on the old DEC web site include nothing for the 5100. Suffice it to say that the DEClaser 5100 is physically very similar to the HP LaserJet 4, uses the same inexpensive and readily available toner cartridges, prints at the same 600 dpi. It has both PostScript and PCL 5 built in, and probably works best as a PostScript printer. I forget now about adding memory to it. If it's anything like the LJ 4, you can add fast page mode 72-pin SIMM memory, altho not all fast page mode SIMMs will work. It is essentially trial-and-error as far as memory upgrades go. The DEClaser has a built-in driver on the Windows 95 CD. Don't know about Win 98, Win NT, or Linux. If you can't find a specific driver for the 5100, use either generic PostScript or possibly LaserJet 4. Excellent printer, like all of the older Canon engine lasers... Ben Myers "Lisa" wrote: >Where can I find Declaser 5100 info on Compaq's site? > >Thanks, >Gregg //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////