Laserwriter 8500 info please?

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T i m - 11 Dec 2004 23:43 GMT

Hi all,

I'm trying to help a mate connect a XP PC to an Apple Laserwriter 8500
and although there seems to be a fair cloice of connectors, the 'base'
one (parallel) looks like it needs a special lead?

I'm not sure if it's used elsewhere or if it's unique to Apple / the
Laserwriter but I think we need one?

I think you need a utility to configure the beast (I've downloaded
something) and readme with that suggests you do all the config through
the parallel interface ...?

Any ideas where I could get such a cable, what do I ask for, what sort
of money are we talking about and is it even worth it (assuming the
printer works that is .. it prints a startup page ok ..?).

All the best ..

T i m (UK)

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Christian - 12 Dec 2004 06:06 GMT

> I'm trying to help a mate connect a XP PC to an Apple Laserwriter 8500
> and although there seems to be a fair cloice of connectors, the 'base'
> one (parallel) looks like it needs a special lead?

I don't think it is special:
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=112513>.

Christian.

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Christian F. Buser, Hohle Gasse 6, CH-5507 Mellingen (Switzerland)
Hilfe für Strassenkinder in Ghana: <http://www.chance-for-children.org>
Für die Werber: <mailto:trapla@rumantsch.ch>, <mailto:windows@mus.ch>

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T i m - 12 Dec 2004 08:44 GMT

>> I'm trying to help a mate connect a XP PC to an Apple Laserwriter 8500
>> and although there seems to be a fair cloice of connectors, the 'base'
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>Christian.

Hi Christian,

Thanks for the link, is there any more to it or just the one table? I
have no problem with the 'parallel' bit it's the presentation of that
port that is alien to me (whispers .. I'm mainly a 'PC boy' ..<g>).

I am used to a DB25M at the PC end and a (36 way) Centronics connector
at the printer end. This 8500 has a Centronics but I think it's the 50
way SCSI one (which we could use at a pinch with a SCSI card in the
PC). Maybe it's a commom connector in the Mac world but *I've* not
come across it before in real life?

Maybe it's a "Mini 36 Centronics" connector?

All the best ..

T i m

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Christian - 12 Dec 2004 12:38 GMT

> Thanks for the link, is there any more to it or just the one table? I
> have no problem with the 'parallel' bit it's the presentation of that
> port that is alien to me (whispers .. I'm mainly a 'PC boy' ..<g>).

Those Apple printers which had a parallel port had one of the same size
and specifications as all other non-Apple printers had.

> I am used to a DB25M at the PC end and a (36 way) Centronics connector
> at the printer end. This 8500 has a Centronics but I think it's the 50
> way SCSI one (which we could use at a pinch with a SCSI card in the
> PC). Maybe it's a commom connector in the Mac world but *I've* not
> come across it before in real life?

This would indeed be strange. Since SCSI is (or better: was) a standard
on the Mac, Apple would never equip a printer with a port which you
could use connect to the wrong port on a computer.

> Maybe it's a "Mini 36 Centronics" connector?

Whi "Mini"? if it is a 50way, it would be bigger than a 36way, not
smaller. There is - according to the page I mentioned -:
(1) the round (mini-DIN) connector for the LocalTalk network
(2) a small Ethernet (AAUI) connector for which you need a transceiver
to go via RJ-45 or coaxial cable
(3) a (probably standard) parallel port.

I did not find a more detailed description of the printer.

Good luck, Christian.

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T i m - 12 Dec 2004 23:07 GMT

>> Thanks for the link, is there any more to it or just the one table? I
>> have no problem with the 'parallel' bit it's the presentation of that
>> port that is alien to me (whispers .. I'm mainly a 'PC boy' ..<g>).
>
>Those Apple printers which had a parallel port had one of the same size
>and specifications as all other non-Apple printers had.

Hmm, I've been playing (and building) PC's since 82 and pre USB all
the printers I've ever played with had the 'std' 36 W Cantronics
connector on the printer (that includes dot-matrix, laser and ink-jet)
?

>> I am used to a DB25M at the PC end and a (36 way) Centronics connector
>> at the printer end. This 8500 has a Centronics but I think it's the 50
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>on the Mac, Apple would never equip a printer with a port which you
>could use connect to the wrong port on a computer.

I don't think they have here either .. (maybe we just have our wires
crossed <g>) the SCSI interface on this 8500 looks like 'std' (for
that technology) 50w Centronics as found on the old 8 bit 'narrow'
interface? What I was trying to state above was that I am familiar
with the typical use for the 50 W Centronics connector (Narrow / Fast
SCSI) and the 36W Centronics (1284 Parallel printer). I know some
early Apple machines also presented their SCSI interface on a DB25F
and you could get similar (ISA typically) cards for thre PC. Then we
moved onto the 50W Sub D (sometimes called SCSI II but I believe that
was more to do with the protocol than the connector) and the 68 W
'Wide' SubD and IDC etc.

>> Maybe it's a "Mini 36 Centronics" connector?

I think it is Christian .. what I think I've learned is it's a 1284c
presentation? So if the DB25M is a 1284a and the 36 W (big) centronics
is 1284b ... there seems to be a pattern emerging ;-)

>Whi "Mini"? if it is a 50way, it would be bigger than a 36way, not
>smaller. There is - according to the page I mentioned -:
>(1) the round (mini-DIN) connector for the LocalTalk network

Yep, as found on most (older?) Mac's (like the 5 I have here) ;-)

>(2) a small Ethernet (AAUI) connector for which you need a transceiver
>to go via RJ-45 or coaxial cable

Yep, presented on a DB15F .. max distance between Printer and
trancceiver is 50m ;-)

>(3) a (probably standard) parallel port.

An industry 'standard' (as in 1284c) maybe but not 'std' as any old
high street PC shop stocking them ..(and if they do they are 20+
pounds rather than 2 pounds?)

>I did not find a more detailed description of the printer.

I found the manual in .pdf on the net .. why *do* 'users' throw the
packaging, manuals and software away as soon as you exit the building!

>Good luck, Christian.

Thanks, I'll need it!

The *problem* is that they don't really want to spend say 20 pounds on
a cable to then find out it doesn't actually work ..? ;-(

All the best .. and thanks again ... ;-)

T i m

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Christian - 12 Dec 2004 12:38 GMT

> >> I'm trying to help a mate connect a XP PC to an Apple Laserwriter 8500
> >> and although there seems to be a fair cloice of connectors, the 'base'
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> T i m

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macfanaatVERWIJDER@DITcistron.nl - 11 Jan 2005 17:52 GMT

[...]

> This 8500 has a Centronics but I think it's the 50
> way SCSI one (which we could use at a pinch with a SCSI card in the
> PC). Maybe it's a commom connector in the Mac world but *I've* not
> come across it before in real life?
>
> Maybe it's a "Mini 36 Centronics" connector?

[...]

Dear Tim,

The Centronics connector is AFAIK indeed a SCSI connector. Some Apple
laser printers came with such ports so that you can hook up a hard disc
to store large font files on.

Only the LaserWriter SC series (again AFAIK) can print through their
SCSI ports.

For more information, you can consult the Apple Spec database; surf to
www.google.com/mac and enter "Apple Spec".

Happy printing ;-)!

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-------
Seiju Teramoto <macfanaat at cistron dot nl>
's-Gravenhage, Nederland / The Hague, the Netherlands
gebruiker / user: Power Mac 7100/80 (MacOS v8.1), Apple //e
al 22 jaar Apple-fan / Apple fan of 22 years' standing
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -- Steve Jobs

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Mac Forum / General / Hardware / January 2005

Laserwriter 8500 info please?