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There have been some really fantastic suggestions throughout the thread re: ancient, tank-like HP lasers. But one issue I thought I'd mention in case you go that route is that--for sure--none of these older printers are going to have anything but an old timey parallel port. A port from a forgotten era in computing history that will sip parallel phosphates and tip its parallel boiler hat to you while it drives around in its parallel Studebaker and poo poo. Yeah, it's old. And unless you for some reason have a motherboard that was made over 5 years ago, then there is a very strong chance that your computer has nothing but USB ports on it and maybe, *maybe* a 9-pin serial port. How do you connect A to B and make the tank love happen? Well you get something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812156005&cm_re=parallel_to_usb-_-12-156-005-_-Product They work great, we have a bunch of them breathing new life into old printers. One common pitfall is that there will always be a stupids who will try to connect the adapter directly to the printer itself, which is a no-no. They have different pinouts. You want to connect a standard parallel cable to the printer, the other end of that cable to the adapter, and then of course the USB side of the adapter to your computer. It will work beautifully, and you will be pleased because you'll have a great printer at little cost to you and won't be spending over $50/month on ink cartridges like some kind of rear end in a top hat.
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Sep 13, 2010 19:32
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CrazyLittle posted:Erm, what about all the laserjet 4000's that have network ports, or even their older analogues that have JetDirect cards in them? HP LJ3's, HP LJ2+, etc. I read stuff like this and just don't even know what the point is. You're saying that since some printers exist from the Ancient Days of laser printing that could be networked, that ALL printers from that era must be easily or inexpensively networked, so why even try to provide another human being with helpful information about how to connect one via the parallel port? Well gently caress me, I'm so sorry! I'm looking at two HP 1100s right now in the "space saving" (read: worse) design that were rescued from a local library. They can't be networked as-is, and the parallel port is their only lifeline to the print queue. The neckbearded weirdo I got them from emerged from a spare room packed with Jetdirect cards and CAT-5 cable to explain how he had spent an entire weekend trying to get them to talk to the network and the printers were having none of it. Spent half that time fiddling with them myself and agreed with his assessment. And in a more general sense, I honestly don't know what kind of world you're living in where you think it would be somehow easier for a home user with typical printing needs (predicate to the purpose of this thread) to source exotic networking cards that can often cost more than the printers do themselves over a $5 adapter + just share the printer through the OS if that were ever needed. quote:What? No they don't. And what "standard" printer cables are wired as a centronics 36-pin male-female cable? All standard parallel printer cables I've ever seen are 36-pin centronics male to 25-pin DB25 male. You haven't seen enough printers at all.
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Sep 13, 2010 20:14
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Space Gopher posted:You were the one who wrote, "But one issue I thought I'd mention in case you go that route is that--for sure--none of these older printers are going to have anything but an old timey parallel port." It's just plugging something in, dude. No "hack" required. Windows, OS X, and Linux all see it as a USB printer when you're done. If this is hacking then plugging headphones into your iPod is hacking.  Space Gopher posted:(and believe me, I know all about those goddamned things - if you're happy with them, you haven't used them enough) Alright, so you've told the internet that you're the expert on purchasing and then plugging in a specific type of cable, boasting experience far beyond any other. I will read with enhanced interest! quote:just buy a printer with a Jetdirect card in the first place? Most of the old Laserjets you find on the surplus market these days are small-office printers, and if you're looking for one with networking capability they're generally not too hard to find. This is acceptable advice should you have the luxury of choice, but really doesn't describe the marketplace of 20 year-old printers. If you are craigslisting or inheriting this stuff, you're getting it (or SHOULD be getting it) for free or next to nothing. But here you are advocating buying this stuff, and it just begs the question of at what price point you wouldn't just be better served to buy new? If we're talking about finicky purchases then it takes a lot of the appeal away from enlisting a print-tank in the first place, especially in light of a potential $100-for-new purchase instead. quote:Oh, and your "advice" didn't actually work. But hey, nice try! This seems kind of dickish to me. It's good to know that you're awesome enough to see a parallel port and and empty slot in a print-tank where a Jetdirect card once lived and to not despair--you can still Tim Gunn that thing and Make it Work. But hopefully my quote unquote advice came as a revelation to at least one person who might have otherwise been deterred by the limited connectivity of an older printer. quote:Both the old HP tanks I have with me right at this very moment - an LJ 4 and an LJ IIP - have a Centronics 36 female parallel connector. Perhaps you were thinking of how people sometimes try to plug parallel-to-USB adapters into the DB25 serial ports also often found on older printers? Bingo. They do try exactly this. And then write angsty, amusing 1-egg reviews of the adapters on Newegg.
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Sep 13, 2010 21:18
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CrazyLittle posted:omfg you're not kidding. If I didn't already have 2-3 networked laser printers I'd snatch this fucker in a heartbeat even though it sounds too good to be true and might just end in anal rape/rape dungeon instead. After all this foreplay over what you SHOULDN'T buy, I'm glad you've finally posted my ad. Was just going to put this baby up on SAMart but you can pick it up at your leisure, serious buyer CrazyLittle. And sorry about the misunderstanding earlier! Last house on the left after you make that turn, as we discussed. Look for the porch that has the Kaypro motherboards, the bags of lye, and the different lengths of rubber tubing. I'm taking care of my elderly mother and she gets scared of groups of people, so make sure you come alone. Jetdirect card included.
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Sep 13, 2010 22:55
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