USB to 25 Parallel Ports Printer Adapter Cable

Mistral001

I want to connect my printer which has a 25 pin parallel connector to a computer which has only got USB ports.


I can get a card to provide a 25 pin parallel port for my computer for about £30 on ebay, which is fine. However, I have come across a simple adaptor cable which looks like a lead with a USB connector on one end with a 25 pin connector on the other. On ebay it costs around £2.50 incl. P&P which seems to be too good to be true. Is it?


PS. My printer is an expensive A1 plotter so getting a new printer is not an option.

Peter999_2

Hi,

These cables do work, I have used the below from Maplin :

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/parallel-usb-to-printer-cable-18m-a94bf

However, the cheap ones may be a bit harder to use and will need drivers which should be provided with the adapter. If you're happy that it may take a while for you to get it to work then get it - I've had loads of cheap serial to USB which is the same sort of thing and I've always got them working after a few minutes.

System

No, these actually work. The job I am doing at the moment uses them for Star and Zebra label printers

bluesnake

http://www.pcfixup.ca/2010/03/connecting-parallel-port-printers-to.html

Mistral001

Thanks guys. I have been looking closer at the technical information of the adaptor cables at £2.50 . regarding operating systems differ quite a bit. Some specs. are sketchy and one says up to Windows XP and another says up to windows 7 (32bit) and Windows 8(32bit). My computer is Windows 7 (64bit) so looks like they were too good to be true possibly.


Peter999's Maplin adaptor is requires Windows® 98SE or above but it is £29.99. Big jump up in price. In pure Moneysaving style, I was one wondering does the 32bit-64bit compatibility matter with these adaptors?

forgotmyname

Maybe just down to driver issues.

Install an older version of windows on a virtual machine or similar.

System

Hi

Moneysaving style....

Go to a Recycling Centre / TIP and get an old thrown away PC and take the card out.

However if you buy a good quality solution then it will stay with you forever.

backflip

I've used that type of cable for many years and never encountered any driver problem. Currently I use it on my old HP laserjet on an Ubuntu system, on an XP laptop and also on Windows 7.

Mistral001

johndough wrote: »

Hi

Moneysaving style....

Go to a Recycling Centre / TIP and get an old thrown away PC and take the card out.

However if you buy a good quality solution then it will stay with you forever.

Thanks for the suggestion, however my local recycling centre prosecutes people taking stuff from their skips (technically it is theft I believe) and I think it is the same with most such centres.

Mistral001

backflip wrote: »

I've used that type of cable for many years and never encountered any driver problem. Currently I use it on my old HP laserjet on an Ubuntu system, on an XP laptop and also on Windows 7.

Is it the Maplin one at £29.99 or the cheap one at £2.50.

backflip

I know it wasn't Maplin's, it was only a couple of quid. I got it quite a few years ago but I'm pretty confident I bought it from Ebay.