1PC, 2Printers PCL-necessary

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gromit12@gmail.com - 26 Feb 2006 18:46 GMT

Hi,

I'm a newbie to this stuff so any help much appreciated.

My wife has an old (but essential) DOS application that apparently
requires PCL in order to print. Our existing printer (a new HP laserjet
1020) doesn't support PCL, apparently, so I had to buy a new one
(Lexmark E240) that has "PCL emulation". Following the advice of the
Best Buy guy, I bought an old-style parallel cord too (he told me PCL
doesn't work with USB(?)). Anyway, everything seems to work OK.

My wife now needs to hook up a second printer to the same machine to
print from the same DOS application, set up as LPT1 for label printing
and LPT2 for paper printing.

Any ideas on how best to approach this? Should I buy another Lexmark
E240? How should I hook it up to the PC? Do I need to install a second
parallel card to the PC? Or can I somehow connect the second Lexmark
via the PC's serial port?

Very confused. Thanks in advance for any help at all,

G

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Don Phillipson - 27 Feb 2006 21:43 GMT

> . . . Following the advice of the
> Best Buy guy, I bought an old-style parallel cord too (he told me PCL
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> print from the same DOS application, set up as LPT1 for label printing
> and LPT2 for paper printing.

The cheapest solution is to instal both parallel printers through a Data
Switch (e.g. Belkin F-18024-E). They should be installed separately
(as you want to do anyway, for different default settings.) You have to
remember to flip the Data Switch occasionally, but they cost only $20
i.e. less than adding another LPT card to the PC.

Signature

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

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Burt - 27 Feb 2006 22:16 GMT

If you are able to open your computer, have an open slot, and know how to
install a parallel port card, they are available for $20 or less. You then
configure the printers to lpt1 and lpt2 and configure the programs from
which you want to print to one or the other. No switching necessary. On
the other hand, if you can't do it yourself or don't have a spare slot, the
switch box is a decent alternative. I used switch boxes for several years
before asking the firm that built my computers to include a second parallel
connection. It is much easier now with newer computers and printers that
come with USB connection capability.

>> . . . Following the advice of the
>> Best Buy guy, I bought an old-style parallel cord too (he told me PCL
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> remember to flip the Data Switch occasionally, but they cost only $20
> i.e. less than adding another LPT card to the PC.

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gromit12@gmail.com - 28 Feb 2006 00:10 GMT

Thanks very much, both of you. I'll look into both approaches. Ah, for
clarity!

Graham

> If you are able to open your computer, have an open slot, and know how to
> install a parallel port card, they are available for $20 or less. You then
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> > Carlsbad Springs
> > (Ottawa, Canada)

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David Chien - 28 Feb 2006 00:15 GMT

1) If the PC doesn't have a 2nd p.port, you'll need to buy a card to go
into the PC that provides this.

2) If you have a serial port, and this label maker works, you can plug
this into the serial port and use it instead of a new printer.
http://global.dymo.com/enUS/Products/LabelWriter_SE300.html

3) If you don't need both to work at the same time, get a parallel port
switch that you can switch between the two printers.

4) If you need to print both labels and regular pages, you might simply
use the bypass feed of most printers to feed labels. Or buy a printer
that has PCL and has dual paper trays.

5) You can try serial to parallel converters such as:
http://www.bb-elec.com/product.asp?SKU=232SPS2
but no guarentees if it'll work with your specific printer.
Printing can be much slower due to the slower serial port and
conversion process.

---

What program are you using? Perhaps there are other alternatives if we
all know.

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