Windows – parallel to usb driver windows 7 dot matrix printer

printerwindows 7

I recently built a new Core i5 system with Windows 7 Professional. I had planned to hook up my TVS MSP 250 XL printer using a USB to parallel cable

Once I plug the cable in, Windows 7 recognizes it as an IEEE-1284 controller and automatically installs the appropriate driver. However, in the status window it reports the following:

"USB Printing Support — Ready to use"
"No Printer Attached — Ready to use"

When I then go ahead and manually add the printer using the "virtual printer port for USB" I can add the printer seemingly without problem. Once finished, it appears in the Devices and Printers panel. Yet, all attempts to print on this printer fail. It appears that simply no data is sent to the printer (either by programs like word or adobe or by attempting to print a test page.

Does anybody know how to fix this?

Best Answer

Insert the cable USB-to-Parallel-IEEE-1284 into a USB2.0 port. Keep in mind that USB 3.0 ports will not work. This is the scenario we have now:
- USB Printing Support: is your cable
- EPSONTM-P2.01 (or whatever you have on your machine) is the printer that is not recognized
Double click on EPSONTM-P2.01 (or whatever you have on your machine) > Change settings (with Administration privileges) > Driver > Update Driver > Browse my Computer for Driver Software > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer > Printers > Generic > generic / Text Only

Of course, feel free to pick up the right driver if you see it.

It's a kind of magic: now the not-recognized USB Printing Support has become a printer. Test it and everything should be fine.

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Windows – How to access parallel ports created by NET command in Windows XP

Ok. So you connected a parallel device/printer via a "USB-to-Parallel IEEE-1284"-cable to the USB-port of your computer. Now you need to directly communicate to it. I understand you can't change the software directly to communicate with modern ports like USB001 etc. like the drivers of scanners do. And the software you have needs to communicate by normal protocol for old-LPTx ports (i.e. 0x378 instead of LPT1 etc.)

That leaves you with one option and that is "emulation". This should be done by the driver which came with the "USB-to-Parallel IEEE-1284"-cable. This driver should make a LPTx port and capture port-communication etc. But most (if not all) of these adapters come with drivers who emulate an USB-printer. In most cases this is the easiest (and even in case of old DOS-programs this can be solved with a NET command) but when it comes to real port-communication it is useless.

So you need to find a program that can emulate a LPTx (and its ports) and bidirectionally communicate with (any) USB-driver on your computer. I have not found one (yet).

The only thing useful i found was this Converter From USB To Parallel. This one emulates the LPTx and ports and communicates directly with the adapter. I have not tested this myself but the info-page looks promising. From the help-file:

The USB2LPT device and its driver enables redirecting of port access by random application software to a USB-attached parallel port, i.e. emulating a parallel port via USB. This unique solution works on all USB supporting Windows operating systems.

It does label its own driver as "Driver unstable" but you'll get the idea for what you're looking for. It also needs a special USB2LPT-adapter though. From its faq-page:

Q3. Can I use the USB2LPT.SYS driver with a regular (cheap) USB to parallel printer adapter?
A. Of course not! It's never possible due to design limitations of such adapters. See below.

It also lists as a minus for itself its Reduced speed due to emulation (expect 10..100 times slower). But it will allow communication with Base address same as built-in (378h, 278h). If you like you can make your own adapter. The schematics are all on the site. Here you can find complete instructions (including videos) on how to build one. Or else you can mail him for details on how to get one.

USB2LPT-adapter Converter From USB To Parallel

Best Answer

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