Hi my name is santhosh, i am trying to inerface printer(epson lx 300) with microcontroller. But the problem is i am getting junk characters in the printing...
i have used 8 data lines,strobe and busy lines. I am using parallel port to interface printer.
can any one help me..
examine your printer, first.
Nowadays, low-cost printers depend on Windows process heavily. Before sending data to a printer, Windows device driver for the printer renders page images. And then, compressed images are sent to the printer. The printer just places dots on papers following the images, like a copy machine. On this type of printers, you can't print documents by sending ASCII character codes from your MCU like in old days.
If your printer is this type, find an old printer.
Tsuneo
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Copied from: http://www.keil.com/forum/15962/
Thanks for the reply, i am using old printer only..i have one doubt. To sent commands like printer init.,printer select etc. we are using ascii charecter and for data also we are using ascii char how to diff. between data and commands. to diff. between data and commands we any lines or any thing to be enabled.
The printer control codes starts with an unprintable ESC character.
The centronics port (36pin) uses 8data lines + 9control lines. The control of BUSY and ACK is not enough for regular operation. More control lines have to be observed, set to specific condition and controlled to have the printer port work properly.
The standard for ESCP/2 is described here support.epson.ru/.../part1.pdf and files.support.epson.com/.../lx300pu1.pdf
Short description of the signals on the interface: pinouts.ru/.../ParallelECP_pinout.shtml