|
|
Just picked up an Apple Personal Laser Writer Printer, how to get it working?
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
My dad just brought home an Apple Personal Laser Writer Printer (not sure of which model or anything). The ports on the back are labeled "Parallel" "Port Selection" "RS-232C Serial" and one that has arrows going up and down (maybe local talk?)
It is copyrighted 1991. It has new toner, new rollers, has just been cleaned but apparently needs a new logic board.
Anyway if anyone could tell me if i could get this working on my network (ethernet) or with some adapter or something. And if anyone would know where to get a logic board replacement for this that would be great as well. Is it even worth it? Or even if you just know anything about these printers b/c this was way before my apple time.
thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Australia
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by NYK Ace:
My dad just brought home an Apple Personal Laser Writer Printer (not sure of which model or anything). The ports on the back are labeled "Parallel" "Port Selection" "RS-232C Serial" and one that has arrows going up and down (maybe local talk?)
It is copyrighted 1991. It has new toner, new rollers, has just been cleaned but apparently needs a new logic board.
Anyway if anyone could tell me if i could get this working on my network (ethernet) or with some adapter or something. And if anyone would know where to get a logic board replacement for this that would be great as well. Is it even worth it? Or even if you just know anything about these printers b/c this was way before my apple time.
thanks!
If you are certain the Personal LaserWriter you have had a parallel port (not 25-pin serial port), then you would have a Personal LaserWriter NTR. Near where the logic board and ports, it should have stated specifically where it is an "LS" or "NT" or "SC" or "NTR".
If the printer needs a new logic board, then you don't need to worry about what ports it has. All four varients of the Personal LaserWriter had its ports built into the logic board. So, if you get a replacement board then you'll need to get a "NT" or "NTR" board (better to get an "NTR" board).
Then you'll need to get a local-talk to ethernet bridge, such as Asante AsanteTalk. ThreeMacs had a very good page about this, except the Proxim iPrint adapter mentioned perhaps no longer available:
http://www.atpm.com/network/setup/lo...k_ethernet.htm
Once you had the bridge, then you can print from MacOS X 10.2, with AppleTalk on your Mac turned on.
I had no idea where you can get a replacement logic board, as I don't live in the US! (If someone knows where can get logic board on the web, please post it here for me!!)
BTW this Apple Personal LasweWriter NTR developer note may be handy. Print a copy for your reference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status:
Offline
|
|
Most of the Personal LaserWriter series only had PostScript Level 1. Mac OS X requires PostScript Level 2, or it will not work.
Does anyone remember which ones had PS 1 and which ones had PS 2?
tooki
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Dangling something in the water… of the Arabian Sea
Status:
Offline
|
|
Quite frankly I think you'd be better off buying a new printer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Australia
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by tooki:
Most of the Personal LaserWriter series only had PostScript Level 1. Mac OS X requires PostScript Level 2, or it will not work.
Does anyone remember which ones had PS 1 and which ones had PS 2?
tooki
Personal LaserWriter NTR is PS Level 2
Personal LaserWriter NT is PS Level 1
Personal LaserWriter SC or LS are both non-PostScript
These four models had an external appearence similar to this:
Personal LaserWriter 300,320 and 4/600PS looks like this:
Personal LaserWriter 300 is non-postscript
Personal LaserWriter 320 is PS Level 2
I think Perosnal LaserWriter 4/600 PS is also PS Level 2.
There's 100% MacOS X driver support from Apple on NTR, 320 (and possibly 4/600PS). See this Apple knowledge base page
Which one do you have?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
ill check which one it is today when i get home, id love to get this working!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Status:
Offline
|
|
Wow, buying technology before researching is a bad habit to get into... good luck.
You do know this is 2004 and laser printers are getting cheaper all the time?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: suburban Chicago
Status:
Offline
|
|
I have an old personal laser writer that was purchased in 1991 -- and which I still have hanging around. I do not know exactly which model -- it looks like the first picture above. I can find out, though, by turning on the old Performa to which it is nominally attached!
It was a great printer. Very stingy with ink, unlike the ink jets that replaced it long ago. I wouldn't mind being able to use it again, assuming it were possible without sinking a ton more money into it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by velodev:
Wow, buying technology before researching is a bad habit to get into... good luck.
You do know this is 2004 and laser printers are getting cheaper all the time?
we did not buy it we got it for free from a friend my dad knows
it is a laserwriter NTR after all, anyone know where to get a logic board?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
also i have a blue and white G3 on my network, can i connect the printer (assuming i get it working) and use this as a software bridge?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by NYK Ace:
we did not buy it we got it for free from a friend my dad knows
it is a laserwriter NTR after all, anyone know where to get a logic board?
You can try eBay or MegaMacs.
I bought a LaserWriter Pro 630 about 5 years ago that finally just gave up the ghost. It's been a great printer for a long time so you may get some life out of that LW NTR yet.
However, I'd be sure and price out what it will cost to get all the components assembled to make it work on your network with OS X. It may be cheaper to purchase a new laser printer than refurb the old one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
ok i found an NTR logic board on fixyourownprinter.com and i found an asante iPrint on eBay
now all i need to know is cabling. do i just need a standard localtalk cable to connect from the printer to the iPrint then a regular ethernet cord to hook up to my network?
example:
printer > localtalk cord > iprint > ethernet cord > hub
i found this localtalk cord on ebay is this the right one i would need?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT
thanks again everyone!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
another thing how the heck do you load paper in this thing?! the front folds down and i just set the paper there or do i lay it on the top, i cant tell.
(i know im rushing it lol i just ordered the parts but im getting excited! haha)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: suburban Chicago
Status:
Offline
|
|
Let me know how you finally get this all cabled together. There's absolutely nothing wrong with my old printer (though I don't know about the whole postscript thing, so mine might not work with Panther) -- and I'd love to be able to get it back up and running. It would save me a lot of ink!
I'm talking specifics -- cables, connections, etc. Thanks.
And I THINK the paper goes on top. I can't remember exactly, and I can't even get to my old printer. Furniture in way -- we're getting new carpeting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: suburban Chicago
Status:
Offline
|
|
On further review of the play -- if you have the top printer pictured in the earlier post, I believe the paper goes into the fold-down tray and it comes out on top. That's the printer I have, in any case.
Good luck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
My main printer is still my old trusty LaserWriter NTR! It is still going strong! Only problem is it is very slow at starting up printing, but when it starts, it's pretty decent.
I use a print server that has a parallel port on it so I can use it with all my Macs on teh network, both OS 9 macs and OS X.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: suburban Chicago
Status:
Offline
|
|
Well, I found the instructon booklet (as well as the installation disks (sysem) for a 1991 Classic Mac! I even have HyperCard installation disks!) for the printer.
Mine is a Personal LaserWriter LS. Judging from the remarks above, it's a non postcript printer, So -- I can't use it. Correct? Darn it...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
new motherboard came today (only 39 shipped!) and i installed it and everything seems to be working fine, now all i need is the iPrint to hook it up to the network and see how it goes from there
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Buffalo, NY
Status:
Offline
|
|
well i have it all up and running and connected to the network
all the computers in the house see it ok
now the only problem is it may have been misdiagnosed as to the problem with a bad logic board, the problem seems to be something else as even with the new board in there i get the double blinking yellow lights which indicates that the printer engine needs repair.
so sadly i have yet to print from this but hey at least my network sees it as of now
heres how i have it set up:
printer > localtalk transceiver > iPrint > ethernet cable > hub
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: San Diego
Status:
Offline
|
|
The two blinking lights can indicate a couple of things. One is the fuser, the other is the scanner motor. In either case, I'd suggest buying a new machine.
You can self diagnose the fuser by removing it and, using an ohm meter, check that the bulb has continuity and that the thermoprotector (small round electronic "fuse" that rides on the upper fuser roller) also has continuity.
If it appears that the fuser is fine, then it's most likely the scanner motor. This is the board with a multi sided mirror that spins up to allow the laser beam to scan across the page.
Good luck with it if you decide to try and fix it.
[edit] PS- It's basically the same as an HP LaserJet IIP/IIIP and some parts are interchangeable but others are Apple specific.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Rules
|
|
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|