IBM Wheelwriter/Options/PC Printer: Difference between revisions
Antonizoon (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Antonizoon (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
== Attaching the PC Printer Option == | == Attaching the PC Printer Option == | ||
[[File:ww-printer-option-installation.pdf|thumb|Excerpt of the original Option Installation Manual, regarding the PC Printer Option. Helpfully provided by | [[File:ww-printer-option-installation.pdf|thumb|Excerpt of the original Option Installation Manual, regarding the PC Printer Option. Helpfully provided by Jim from Typewriters.com.]] | ||
== Printing == | == Printing == | ||
== Drop-in Replacement == | |||
There's some sort of mysterious electronic sequence going on in the PC Printer Option. | |||
=== Input to Option Card === | |||
The PC Printer Option takes in plain ol' ASCII characters from the Centronics parallel port. Nothing fancy here, just write to `/dev/lp0` and you're done. | |||
=== Output Card to Wheelwriter === | |||
Then, something magic happens in the black box of the option card that then causes the Wheelwriter to start typing. Now how would we figure out what is going on here? | |||
I suppose we could intercept the electronic signals and do a replay? | |||
And of course, one possible roadblock is that if it were easy to clone this card, IBM could not justify just selling it at a high price forever. | |||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yDV0WwSdmklh-ueRPAgxhX4QEhc2cF9khwkeod91ky4/edit Google Docs - Enhanced Transcript of PC Printer Option PDF] | * [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yDV0WwSdmklh-ueRPAgxhX4QEhc2cF9khwkeod91ky4/edit Google Docs - Enhanced Transcript of PC Printer Option PDF] | ||
Revision as of 00:56, 3 October 2016
The PC Printer Option is a Parallel interface for printing from a PC, effectively transforming the IBM Wheelwriter into a daisywheel printer. Unfortunately, it was also expensive at the time, and remains rare to this day.
However, there are hopes that this accessory can be replicated on an Arduino, for attachment to a Raspberry Pi.
Variants
There are about 3 variants of the PC Printer Option, designed for different typewriter series.
- IBM Wheelwriter 5 - I've never seen this variant but all evidence points to it's existence. It uses a different connection wire than the WW3.
- IBM Wheelwriter 3 - A slightly newer variant of the Wheelwriter 5. It uses a different connection wire than the WW5, so even though the casing is the same, the option cards aren't.
- IBM Wheelwriter 1000/Personal Wheelwriter 2 - A smaller, lighter version of the Wheelwriter which requires a different design and shape for the option card than the WW1500.
- IBM/Lexmark Wheelwriter 1500/3500 - These were the last Wheelwriters made, and are dual labeled with IBM/Lexmark. These Wheelwriters supports printing backwards, cutting the printing time in half. When it takes 2 minutes to print with previous models, that's quite an improvement.
Attaching the PC Printer Option
Printing
Drop-in Replacement
There's some sort of mysterious electronic sequence going on in the PC Printer Option.
Input to Option Card
The PC Printer Option takes in plain ol' ASCII characters from the Centronics parallel port. Nothing fancy here, just write to `/dev/lp0` and you're done.
Output Card to Wheelwriter
Then, something magic happens in the black box of the option card that then causes the Wheelwriter to start typing. Now how would we figure out what is going on here?
I suppose we could intercept the electronic signals and do a replay?
And of course, one possible roadblock is that if it were easy to clone this card, IBM could not justify just selling it at a high price forever.
