Printer cable advice - DB25 to USB Type B

ashleyg · 01 Oct 2012

Customer has an old accounting software package that is hard coded to print via the DB25 connector on his Desktop PC to a dot matrix printer which has given up the ghost.

He does not want to replace the accounting package and so I am thinking I should be able to print from the DB25 port to his usb laser printers.

Problem is there does not seem to be DB25 to USB Type 2 (D shape plug) cables available.

There are plenty od DB25 to USB Type A cables available but not those to connect to USB Type 2 which most USB printers come with these days.

I'd appreciate some advice on this and finding a solution.

Thanks

rustberger · 01 Oct 2012

How about a USB Adaptor B-Male to A-Female.
USB Adaptor B-Male to A-Female + $2 SHIPPING AUST-WIDE!

ashleyg · 01 Oct 2012

Perfect!
Couldn't find those in enzed.
Thanks rustberger.

alphanumeric · 02 Oct 2012

It will be interesting to see if that actually works, I'm thinking it won't. I'm not trying to be a smart @ss or anything but you'll have everything connected back wards. The cable is meant to convert USB to parallel and may not work in reverse. Also how do you install the USB driver for the printer? It's not going to show up as USB? If you haven't bought those cables yet you may want to research it a little more. Could you post a link to the USB to parallel cable?

bobafetthotmail · 02 Oct 2012

I have a sneaking suspicion that that it won't work. Stuff on parallel can be run by a USB (kinda), but not the other way around.

There are boxes like thisthat should do it, but aren't cheap.

You could also look at printservers, some may allow you to print FROM a parallel port TO a USB printer, while most do the reverse.

Is that dumb program able to print over network printers?

ashleyg · 02 Oct 2012

alphanumeric:
Here is the type of DB25-USB A Male cable I'm looking at:
8ware USB Cable, USB A male to DB25 female : Ascent Technology 383151

Together with this adapter at the printer end:
USB Adaptor B-Male to A-Female + $2 SHIPPING AUST-WIDE!

bobafetthotmail:
That SW was written for DOS by a small vendor since defunct. Unlikely it is network aware. All compiled code so no parameters to change options at all.

I can probably pick up both the DB25 cable and the adapter for about $10-$15 all up.

Will report back on results, doesn't sound too promising though.

(I've taken this issue on as a kind of pet project as I'm keen to see if it will work. I have made it clear to the customer he has to look at replacing that SW)

Thanks all for the input.

ashleyg · 02 Oct 2012

Ok, further research verifies what some of you alluded to and shows my ignorance..

There's more than just getting the cables to connect. There is a Parallel (DB25 out) to Serial (USB) protocol conversion that has to happen as well. Here is one purpose built device:

http://www.epapersign.com/images/sto...t2usb-spec.pdf

As was previously indicated, the most common use for the cables I was chasing is to print from USB port on your PC to your legacy parallel/centronics printer.

I won't be going down this path.

Thanks everyone for your excellent knowledge and insight.

Graham.

alphanumeric · 02 Oct 2012

USB A male to DB25 female < meant to add a parallel port to a PC that doesn't have one. The USB end of the cable you linked to is meant to interface with a PC not a printer. Aside from not plugging into your printer it won't plug into the PC either. The connector on the PC is also a female. You'll have to buy yet another adapter/ gender changer. There is probably a reason why they don't make DB25 male to USB Type 2 (D shape plug) cables. I wouldn't think they would sell enough, if any, to justify making them in the first place. It's usually the other way around, centronics to USB, to plug and old printer into a PC that doesn't have a parallel port. Or adding a parallel interface add-in card to the PC.

EDIT: lol, it took me so long to write my post that I didn't see your last post until after I posted mine.

alphanumeric · 02 Oct 2012

Well what do you know they do make them.

ashleyg · 02 Oct 2012

Hard case isn't it... They are designed to protect the investment you have in parallel printers. Crikey, the one in question isn't worth giving away! It's the investment in print ribbons and paper to maintain the damn thing that costs a $fortune.

Anyway, I'm wiser for having raised the issue :)