My PC does not have a parallel port - how can I drive the PMDX-122?

[mrloeng]

Hi!
I thinking build a machine and wonder...
My pc dont have printer cable connection, is it possible to use a cable with printer connection and usb connection innto pc??

[Gerald D]

Sorry, that does not work.

However, many people are using a "Smoothstepper (http://www.warp9td.com/)" that accepts USB input, and it gives "printer" output to the PMDX.

[sailfl]

mrnorway,

If you can afford an older PC they have printer ports on them. Most of us are buying on EBay. I bought an old Dell for $125 USD.

[mrloeng]

Thanks.
I have a 3 year old Dell, and it is not printer port on it!
Last time i buy Dell! : )
Ok, a must by a old PC somewhere...

[Gerald D]

First look for a printer port expansion card (http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4IRFA_enZA279ZA280&q=printer%20port%20expansion%20card&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi) before you look for another PC.

[bradm]

But watch out when you get that printer port expansion card. You want one that's just a parallel port. There's a pretty common design out there for a 'usb and parallel port' PCI card, which actually implements the parallel port as a USB device. Clever as it is, it won't work for this purpose. DON'T BUY THIS (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124044)

[mrloeng]

Thank you for inormation!
I will see what I find out there.

[domino11]

Brad,
Thanks for the info, good to know!

[javeria]

Svein - check your motherboard - I too have a new gigabyte MB which does not have a parallel port - but after a little investigation found out that it has an internal connector for it - if you have it too - then it is just a matter of adding the right connector with the cable.

Check you motherboard manual for this.

RGDS
IRfan

[Gerald D]

Thanks Irfan, that is an important observation! Yes, some motherboard makers simply moved the port to the inside and did not remove them as we quickly thought.

[YRD]

I traded my PC a few days.

Is an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000 to 2.6 Ghz 4GB.

See the photo that the parallel port (purple highlight the left)

Out the cable of an old PC and turned on the door. Operates normally. Do not forget to configure the BIOS.

[mrloeng]

Thanks for the tip!
There is no parallel port connection inside of my machine.
And Dell support could not find anything either :(
So it looks like I need to get another pc...

[smreish]

You can't get a pci bus parallel port card? Why another machine?

[mrloeng]

I can`t much about pc, I dont noe where I can get card that fits Dell, and how I put it into the pc and get it to work.
I must investigate some more..

[mrloeng]

Think I buy a smoothstepper.
Appears that they are good.

[PEU]

a $10 PCI parallel card will do the trick if your computer is a desktop.

[mrloeng]

It is the cheapest yes.

[mrloeng]

Do I need PCI 32-bit/33Mhz or PCI 64-bit/66Mhz card??

[javeria]

Think Win XP is 32 bit -

[jeffh]

Hi Svein!

The PCI 32bit/33Mhz will be perfect.

I actually haven't seen a 64 bit PCI card or slot in a looooong time so I'd stay
away from those.

Good Luck!

-Jeff

[mrloeng]

Thanks!
I buy PCI 32.

[Jason Marsha]

Google search for

DB25 Motherboard Parallel Port Connector cable

This get you some results. This cable will plug into the LPT outputs on your motherboard and then screw it into an empty slot

Jason

[brianpretty]

http://www.rosewill.com/products/478/productDetail.htm

exact one I have and works perfect got it at newegg.

has twin ports which is a bonus.

[MetalHead]

Yep - that is a good card - I have used one also and it worked fine. Just need to know what LPT port it is setup as for setup in Mach

[Surfcnc]

Hi Svein

Jason's advice is spot on buy the cable he has recommended. To clear up something though - the image of the motherboard above has a purplish oval drawn around the floppy disk connector, the pin header you will use is immediately above the FDD connector (just two rows of pins sticking straight out of the plastic). That's just in case there was any confusion.

Secondly and more generally, if in any doubt as to what you have available on the motherboard, hunt through the BIOS. If something is listed but not on the back panel, then look for the header on the motherboard. In the BIOS the general area to look for the ports are Advanced - On Board Devices or something similar depending on the BIOS.

Same goes for serial (com ports) ports they are often only a header on the motherboard these days. A Lot of the reports on the forum saying the new boards do not have parallel ports will be easily solved by purchasing the cables. Both of the above mentioned ports are considered to be legacy stuff in the industry now. The cables are not supplied with every motherboard manufactured as only a tiny percentage of people will ever use them.

regards
Ross

[Surfcnc]

Apologies Svein - I re-read the post and realised you do not have the pin header on your Del. The big guys get to design their own hardware and have the option to leave stuff out as they see fit.
Regards
Ross