[Eug]

We have a Personal LaserWriter 300 that one person left us when he left.

What can I hook it up to? Are the cartridges still available?

Last time it was used it worked apparently, but that was a couple of years ago.

My computers are below. I also have a PowerPC 8500/120, but the drive is dead, and SCSI drives cost too much to replace (at least for that antique).

[zekemon6]

I have the same printer, and yes, they do still sell cartriges (Macconnection I think...). To use it with your iBook, you should get the Keyspan serial to usb adapter. I've never used it, but people have reccommended it to me. I use an old Performa 636 as a print server over our LAN to share the printer. I doubt you can use it with your PCs...

[Eug]

Originally posted by zekemon6:
<STRONG>I have the same printer, and yes, they do still sell cartriges (Macconnection I think...). To use it with your iBook, you should get the Keyspan serial to usb adapter. I've never used it, but people have reccommended it to me. I use an old Performa 636 as a print server over our LAN to share the printer. I doubt you can use it with your PCs...</STRONG>

Will this work in OS X, or at least Classic?

[vmarks]

You could connect it to a Linux PC using a serial adapter. From that, you could share it to anything, PC and Mac. It's a postscript printer.

[Eug]

Originally posted by vmarks:
<STRONG>You could connect it to a Linux PC using a serial adapter. From that, you could share it to anything, PC and Mac. It's a postscript printer.</STRONG>

The specs say it's QuickDraw, and the FAQ says it won't work with a PC.

[Michael T. Doyle]

Paperweight?

(Ducking).

[zekemon6]

It isn't a postscript printer. It isn't localtalk compatible. As I said before, you can connect it to your mac with a Keyspan serial to usb adapter or, set up an old mac with a serial port as a print server. Now you can use the LW300 drivers in classic. There are no drivers for it for OS X yet though.

[Eug]

Ouch!

This Keyspan USB Twin Serial Adapter costs US$75! It might even make more sense just getting a USB printer.

[Chris_G]

I use the LaserWriter 300 with my iBook using the Keyspan USB to serial adapter. I can't use it in OS X or Classic (perhaps some day in Classic?), but it works fine in OS 9. The adapters are expensive, but I got mine on Ebay used a year ago used for about half the price.

Chris

[zekemon6]

Well, I personally HATE USB inkjet printers, like my stupid Epson color 740. You ALWAYS have to go and buy new cartriges, and the Epsons don't let you replace them unless it THINKs the're out of ink, and the whole system gets WHACKED... The ink cartriges dry out with little or no use anyway.

I'd say it depends on what you're printing. I use the LaserWriter for text only, pictures don't look to great on it. And for text, it's MUCH better than inkjet.