Dropcheck Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) I'm trying to get a printer testing setup up and running. It's been so long since I've worked with dot-matrix printers and the Atari I've forgotten most of what I knew. But I seem to remember that 24pin printers were possible on the Atari. My current setup is: 1088XEL booting to Atari OS 1.3 320kb Memory no SpartaDOS Panasonic KXP-2123 24pin printer I have tried a very simple connection using two different printer adapters. The printer is on and online. It will print it's current settings, although the ink is barely legible. I need a new ribbon cartridge. Digital Designs: ApeFace Supra: Microprint I tried a very simple looping basic program to give the option to print to screen or print device. It prints to screen no problem, but gives me an error 138 when I try to print to the printer. Then I tried just a simple command List "P:" Both give the same error message on both printer adapters. Error 138 What else am I missing? Edited March 14, 2018 by Dropcheck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Does your XEL supply +5v to SIO? Try the devices on an 800XL? Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dropcheck Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 Does your XEL supply +5v to SIO? Try the devices on an 800XL? Bob Same issue on an 800XL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Bummer... Can you try the printer on a PC? Or try the interfaces with a different printer. Just about any parallel printer will work well enough to verify the interfaces. Even a laser. Can you hear activity on SIO when you test them? Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 I have had bad luck with ApeFace P: interfaces. I would check that first. Do you have an 850? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddtmw Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 How are you trying to print to the printer? Are you using LPRINT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Is the printer "online" ? Have you confirmed the printer actually works, like from a PC? LPRINT is a good simple test. I think with print, you need to do multiple steps, something like OPEN #4,"P:" then PRINT #4,"Hello World" (would print with no line feed), it's been a while... 24 pin should be fine on the Atari for text. The graphics modes probably just need different coding for the extra resolution, compared to a 9-pin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 (edited) Most older printers have a built in self-test. Usually by holding LineFeed when you turn it on. Of course that does nothing to resolve comms issues. Edited March 15, 2018 by Rybags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dropcheck Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 I'm currently trying to get Windows 10 drivers working for the printer on my windoze computer. The basic program I used does open the choice of device depending on weather the screen (S:) or printer (P:) is chosen. I have not tried a different printer as this is the only non USB printer I have. For almost all other suggestions I refer you to my first post. Now I just have to stand on my head, contort my body a certain way and pray to the windoze gods that microsoft kept some old code laying around that will work with the ancient leviathan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dropcheck Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 (edited) update: No Windows 10 specific driver available it seems. I'm not surprised. Panasonic got out of the printer business many moons ago. I was able to install a fairly generic Epson ESC/P 9pin V4 Class Driver and the printer responded to the Test Print Commands sent from the Windoze computer. So I think it's safe to say that the printer seems to be communicating as such with the Windoze computer. I haven't tried AtariWriter or other word processor software to see if a driver is necessary. I guess that ought to be my next move. Edited March 15, 2018 by Dropcheck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 If it's a dot-matrix from around mid 80s to mid 90s then often it'll just be an Epson MX-80 or FX-80 workalike (remember in those days Epson was practically the industry standard). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dropcheck Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 If it's a dot-matrix from around mid 80s to mid 90s then often it'll just be an Epson MX-80 or FX-80 workalike (remember in those days Epson was practically the industry standard). Settings printout from the printer and the pdf manual state Epson LQ-860 emulation. Is that close enough or just too different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 A later evolution by the sounds of it. Around the time 24 pins became common we also had lasers coming out and the birth of PDF so things got complicated. The logical method of trying these old printers is just follow the path and you might hit a driver combo that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 The printer should work without any drivers or special tricks. May not format correctly, but it should at least move the printhead. You need to know that something is happening on SIO when you try to print. A timeout will sound like one beep and a long pause, one beep and a long pause... This means the device is not responding. A short burst of noise and then nothing means you are getting errors from a device on SIO. Is anything else connected to SIO? Is SIO even trying to connect? (noise) Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dropcheck Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 The printer should work without any drivers or special tricks. May not format correctly, but it should at least move the printhead. You need to know that something is happening on SIO when you try to print. A timeout will sound like one beep and a long pause, one beep and a long pause... This means the device is not responding. A short burst of noise and then nothing means you are getting errors from a device on SIO. Is anything else connected to SIO? Is SIO even trying to connect? (noise) Bob I'm getting no normal SIO sounds. Just a short buzz like it's trying to communicate and then silence. Error 138 pops up. The SIO printer adapter is the only device connected. I've tried two different SIO printer adapters. Apeface and Supra Microprint. It is possible they are both bad, that's kinda a low chance, but not impossible. I don't have a functioning 850 or I'd try that. I'm thinking about trying to purchase a third, but ebay is pretty thin right now for sio printer adapters. I'll keep looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+David_P Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Just noticed that Best is still selling MPP printer interfaces (MPP became Supra) at $24.95. Page 150 Best Electronics Special Buy! We Now have in stock the MicroPrint Parallel Printer Interface from Supra! This MicroPrint interface allows you to connect up any Industry Standard Parallel printer to your Atari 400/800/XL/XE 8 bit Computer! Like the MPP 1150 Printer Interface listed on page 149 the MicroPrint is the same type of Printer Interface but is missing the Extra 13 pin thru I/O Connector. MicroPrint Interface with 36 pin Male Centronics Connector and 5 ft Cable Assembly with Atari 13 pin connector. CB103038 $24.95 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACML Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I'm trying to get a printer testing setup up and running. It's been so long since I've worked with dot-matrix printers and the Atari I've forgotten most of what I knew. But I seem to remember that 24pin printers were possible on the Atari. My current setup is: 1088XEL booting to Atari OS 1.3 320kb Memory no SpartaDOS Panasonic KXP-2123 24pin printer I have tried a very simple connection using two different printer adapters. The printer is on and online. It will print it's current settings, although the ink is barely legible. I need a new ribbon cartridge. Digital Designs: ApeFace Supra: Microprint I tried a very simple looping basic program to give the option to print to screen or print device. It prints to screen no problem, but gives me an error 138 when I try to print to the printer. Then I tried just a simple command List "P:" Both give the same error message on both printer adapters. Error 138 What else am I missing? Did you ever get your KX-P2123 to work on the Atari 8-bit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbstein Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Is there an Epson mode on the printer? I skimmed the manual online and it mentioned something about this. I used a 24 pin printer with my Atari 20+ years ago and I recall having to set it to an Epson mode. But then again that was 20+ years ago. Edited February 19, 2019 by jcbstein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMil Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 It will print it's current settings, although the ink is barely legible. I need a new ribbon cartridge. Get a can of WD40 and a clean rag. Wet the rag with WD40 and rub it on the ribbon as you manually advance the ribbon (don't press hard and don't leave the rag in one place too long). This can be rather messy if you're not careful, but it is a quick way to revive a used/dried printer ribbon. Or else order a replacement on line. But for a quick test, this a quick answer. DavidMil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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