Thermal Printer and BS2p40
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Posts: 46,084
I think it is possible to control a thermal head of a printer and
stepper motor to print data that is collected. The printer I have in
mind is PRNT-4 from All Electronics
(http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?
category=search&item=PRNT-4&type=store).
I want to control the thermal head with a 74HC595 and transistor
driver to supply the current required to "burn" the dot into the
paper. I can spare 3 data lines for that. I need another pin to
monitor the home position switch. Next I need to increment the head
with the stepper motor. It is a bipolar stepper. I could use one of
those Allegro stepper controllers for that. The hard part is to get
all of the timing right and to store all of the characters into
eeprom. So with about 7 pins on a stamp it should be possible to
control the printer. It may be slow but it would be cool to print
data right from the stamp without having to go to a PC. Plus its
small size would make it possible for it to fit in a handheld
enclosure.
Is my plan flawed in any way?
Also, where can one buy ISO specs in the US?
Jason
stepper motor to print data that is collected. The printer I have in
mind is PRNT-4 from All Electronics
(http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?
category=search&item=PRNT-4&type=store).
I want to control the thermal head with a 74HC595 and transistor
driver to supply the current required to "burn" the dot into the
paper. I can spare 3 data lines for that. I need another pin to
monitor the home position switch. Next I need to increment the head
with the stepper motor. It is a bipolar stepper. I could use one of
those Allegro stepper controllers for that. The hard part is to get
all of the timing right and to store all of the characters into
eeprom. So with about 7 pins on a stamp it should be possible to
control the printer. It may be slow but it would be cool to print
data right from the stamp without having to go to a PC. Plus its
small size would make it possible for it to fit in a handheld
enclosure.
Is my plan flawed in any way?
Also, where can one buy ISO specs in the US?
Jason
Comments
You asked, "Also, where can one buy ISO specs in the US?" Very simple.
ANSI. The outfit acts as a clearing office for such standards that the
rest of the world creates. Why? Oh, and there's nothing wrong with your
plan. Not yet. For a better idea for what you are doing, look for a copy
of this book, "TV Typewriter's Cookbook", its by Don Lancaster.
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@w...
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
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>
Original Message
> From: jbirnsch <jbirnsch@v...> [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=tINRv_wZXvYF8KqRvweBxMjTJGQ24wjcOkj_kkjPRhhtsU5kcU0r-t-wtSdE-vWLr2iafSrr7GTazA]jbirnsch@v...[/url
> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 1:12 AM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Thermal Printer and BS2p40
>
> I think it is possible to control a thermal head of a printer and
> stepper motor to print data that is collected. The printer I have in
> mind is PRNT-4 from All Electronics
> (http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?
> category=search&item=PRNT-4&type=store).
>
> I want to control the thermal head with a 74HC595 and transistor
> driver to supply the current required to "burn" the dot into the
> paper. I can spare 3 data lines for that. I need another pin to
> monitor the home position switch. Next I need to increment the head
> with the stepper motor. It is a bipolar stepper. I could use one of
> those Allegro stepper controllers for that. The hard part is to get
> all of the timing right and to store all of the characters into
> eeprom. So with about 7 pins on a stamp it should be possible to
> control the printer. It may be slow but it would be cool to print
> data right from the stamp without having to go to a PC. Plus its
> small size would make it possible for it to fit in a handheld
> enclosure.
>
> Is my plan flawed in any way?
>
> Also, where can one buy ISO specs in the US?
>
> Jason
>
>
>
>
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>
> I want to control the thermal head with a 74HC595 and transistor
> driver to supply the current required to "burn" the dot into the
> paper. I can spare 3 data lines for that. I need another pin to
> monitor the home position switch. Next I need to increment the head
> with the stepper motor. It is a bipolar stepper. I could use one of
> those Allegro stepper controllers for that. The hard part is to get
> all of the timing right and to store all of the characters into
> eeprom. So with about 7 pins on a stamp it should be possible to
> control the printer. It may be slow but it would be cool to print
> data right from the stamp without having to go to a PC. Plus its
> small size would make it possible for it to fit in a handheld
> enclosure.
>
> Is my plan flawed in any way?
It seems to me it kind of violates the KISS principle when you
can accomplish the same thing with a simple serial printer,
a couple of stamp pins, SEROUT, and TONS of less work... am
I missing something here?
--
Our government it seems has got a new plan...
Seize and search the private records of every man.
No warrants, no judges, no due process required,
With "Homeland Security" the 4th Amendment's retired.
"Total Information Awareness" the project is called,
Oh would our forefathers be aghast and appalled!
http://geocities.com/totalinformationawareness/