What about using a multiprotocol usb print server? Here is an example of 1 that supports appletalk.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=586908&Sku=T156-2042%20P&CatId=371 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Walther" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Quadlist" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 9:04 PM Subject: Re: New printer for Mac 637CD > >Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 07:51:41 -0600 > >From: Jim Raper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: New printer for Mac 637CD > > > >Hi, Listers, > > > >Can someone tell me about a printer other than the old StyleWriters that > >I can use on my 637CD. > >I've upgraded the RAM to 64MB and installed a 3 gig HD. It is running OS > >8.1 flawlessly. BUT the old StyleWriter 2400 is shot. Is there a > >"modern" HP or Epson printer that can be used on this machine? > > I have recently been through a circus getting an inkjet printer for > our house. The issues were to get the best printer I could while > still being compatible with at least back to OS 7.6.1 and preferably > networkable because I like to have all my printers networked. The > house is well wired, so networked printing is convenient. > > The current crop of inkjet printers (and printers in general) do not > have serial ports. They have USB ports and a good many of them > still come with a parallel port. There are no USB cards or adapters > for the 637CD nor for any other machine which lacks Cardbus and PCI > slots. > > 1) So, you could get one of the adapter kits that lets you connect > your Mac to a parallel port printer through the Mac's serial port. > The thing is that the kit must come with a driver for your printer or > for a language that your printer understands. I think one such kit > was called the Orange Grappler? > > 2) Another option is to get a printer with a network port. Now days > that means an ethernet print server or ethernet card. This can get > expensive but it can also be very convenient. A printer which is > $70 by itself seems to suddenly gain $150 in price the moment you add > an ethernet adapter. I miss affordable LocalTalk printers, which > USB killed. Darn USB. USB isn't a network media, so it's silly, > but there you go. Of course, you need either an ethernet card in > your 637 or a LocalTalk to Ethernet bridge such as the Asantetalk in > order to connect your 637 to an ethernet capable printer. > > The last time I checked, Epson had one of their network ready > printers on their clearance list for a decent price, but I think it > was wifi rather than cabled ethernet. > > 3) Get an older printer. Here, your choices branch again into an > older printer with a serial port or an older printer which is > networkable. > > A) Older printer with a serial port. For example, the Epson Stylus > Color 850 was pretty nice and it has a serial port. But, it's > resolution is only 1440 X 720 which is not so good by today's > standards. It's fine for text. It's not so great for printing > photos, but okay. You could check Epson's documentation to find the > highest resolution printer which came with the serial port and then > buy that one on the used market. > > The 850 BTW, often goes on Ebay for under $20, but the shipping is > about $20. > > B) An older printer with a network port. Many of the older > printers have a LocalTalk port, which looks like a serial port but > functions differently. One line of the Epson inkjet printers has a > "Type B" slot which is a proprietary Epson slot, but the cards are > fairly available on the used market. The Type B slot can take a > LocalTalk card, any of several models of ethernet card (including > 10/100) and a few other cards which aren't relevant when you have a > 637 on the other end. > > For example the Epson Stylus Color 980 (there is also a very > different Stylus Photo 980) has a type B slot and prints at 2880 X > 1440, which is much nicer than the 850. It's also faster. One can > install the Epson LocalTalk card or any of several ethernet cards in > the B slot. The 980 only has USB and parallel, so you can't connect > it to an older Mac without a network card of some type. > > The documentation for the 980 claims that it requires OS 8 or > greater, but that's because it only has the USB port and the USB > support requires OS8 or greater on the Mac. Once you install a > network card, it works at least back to 7.6.1. > > 4) If you have a more modern Mac, you can buy a more recent printer, > connect it to your recent Mac through USB or Firewire (depending on > the printer) and then Share the printer on your network using the > software for the printer which allows this. Again, this requires > that your 637 be on a network with your other Mac. It also requires > that the modern Mac be turned on whenever you wish to print to that > printer. > > Jeff Walther > > P.S. In my case, I collected five Stylus Color 850s on Ebay > intending to make one or two good working ones, and then found an SC > 980 at Goodwill which works perfectly... > > -- > Quadlist is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... > > Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | > -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | > > Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> > > Quadlist info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/quadlist.shtml> > --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; > Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/quadlist%40mail.maclaunch.com/> > > Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com > -- Quadlist is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Quadlist info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/quadlist.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/quadlist%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
