RE: [OT]Apple printer to PC parallel adaptor

["Kevin Hawkins" <lists@xxxxxxx>]

Your message/subject implies ' LocalTalk to parallel' - is that what you
want ? If so the rest of this message isn't going to help too much - I
don't
think it is practical to bridge LocalTalk back to parallel and then I
assume
connect the parallel back to a PC output. What was possible was to add a
parallel (output) port to Localtalk to attach parallel printers to a
LocalTalk network. Bridging the other way around - a network protocol to a
parlael I/O is not sensible. However if you have Ethernet on your PC there
was a suitable product.



There was a hardware card (ISA) that sat in a PC to give it a Localtalk
port
- I think it was called COPS I think or CoTalk - There was also a
Microchannel version and I am guessing a PCI but I never saw the latter as
LocalTalk was waning in popularity by then.



However I would not go this route - it would be better to perhaps consider
a
Localtalk to Ethertalk bridge and then the printer would be visible on the
Ethernet network to the PC (and all other PC's too). I am sure you should
be
able to pick up such a device on eBAY for almost nothing - Shiva, Netopia
&
Kinetics among others made these.



Alternatively - if you have a Mac (which I assume you do) you could connect
the printer to the LocalTalk port and software bridge it to the Ethernet
port on that Mac which will effectively allow the printer to be seen by
connected PC's (inc Windows machines). But you will have to have the Mac
switched on whenever you want to use the printer. There are several such
software bridges and later Mac OS's have such a feature included IIRR.
There
were also 'print server' applications available that manage spooling and
user authorisations - one such product was LaserServe.



Bit of a caveat though. There is going to be some possibility that Windows
might not drive the printer too well - take a look in the list of Apple
printers that Windows lists in the 'add printer' control panel and check
the
particular model is listed. I assume it is a Postscript printer ??



Lastly - is Localtalk the only interface on the printer - does it not have
say a parallel interface or an option slot for an Ethernet card ?



Overall the effort to do this , along with the possibility it may not work
might sway me to look for a shiny new printer instead.



Kevin





-----Original Message-----
From: Crick, Steve (UK) [mailto:steve.crick@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 29 May 2003 09:59
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] [OT]Apple printer to PC parallel adaptor




Long shot, but I will ask anyway.

Does anybody know of an adaptor that will allow me to connect my
(localtalk) Apple printer, to my PC?
I remember ages ago, that there was a product that I saw, but never got
one.

Seems a shame to trash it, as it works fine, prints nicely and it is a
laser printer.

Thanks - S

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