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Can you print text straight from a Stamp to a printer? — Parallax Forums

Can you print text straight from a Stamp to a printer?

ranamusranamus Posts: 2
edited 2004-08-23 18:52 in BASIC Stamp
I would like to go from a Stamp·to a printer directly. Is this possible?

I'm using a Basic Stamp 2 with a DB-9 connector. Once programmed the PC is disconnected and a printer hooked up. Can I go from the Stamp into a serial to USB converter and then into the USB connection of a printer? Will the USB understand 8,N,1 ?

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Comments

  • K de JongK de Jong Posts: 154
    edited 2004-08-19 21:37
    No, this will not work.

    Normaly the PC is doing lots of homework to prepare youre pages for the printer. All the formatting of text is done in the PC and the printer does not understand the ASCII output of a Stamp.

    Find an old matrix printer, it should be possible to get that running from a Stamp using 8 output pins and some pins for flow control etc. smile.gif.

    Regards,

    Klaus
  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2004-08-19 22:09
    Ranamus -

    A much easier method would be to use an ordinary RS-232 serial printer with the SEROUT command. You may need to take care of carraige returns and line feeds yourself, depending on the printer, but that's no big deal (HEX OA and OD).

    Alternatively you can also use an old parallel printer you might have around by using the EDE-1400 Printer Interface chip from these folks:
    http://www.elabinc.com/

    Using that chip you can issue SEROUT commands as you could in the prior example above, but to a parallel printer, and this chip takes care of the conversion for you.

    Regards,

    Bruce Bates
  • manxstampmanxstamp Posts: 57
    edited 2004-08-21 22:45
    Depending on what and how many characters/line you are wanting to print, you may be able to use a 'cash register' type printer such as the Epson m150. A serial interface board is available for use with the Basic Stamp and the instruction manual gives a·Basic Stamp program to control the printer. See

    http://www.cdadapter.com/smp.htm

    I have ordered one to try out and will let you know·at a later date·how it works. I would be interested in hearing anyone else's experience with this type of printer and interface.

    John

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔


    Manxstamp,
    Isle of Man, British Isles
  • ranamusranamus Posts: 2
    edited 2004-08-23 18:52
    Thanks a lot for the help - I think the E-Labs printer interface IC will do exactly what I need.

    Thanks again
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