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Buying iMac, best option for parallel printer?

B

blodwyn

macrumors 65816
Original poster
I'll be getting an iMac after Christmas, to replace a desktop PC. I have a USB Epson printer and a HP Laserjet with a Centronics parallel interface that I will want to use with the iMac. The Epson won't be a problem but the iMac doesn't have a parallel connector, so I need a way to connect it. I have a wired and wireless network with a bunch of other computers in the house so I was thinking that the best option would be to get an ethernet print server for both printers. I'm pretty sure I've seen units that have both USB and parallel connectors. It would be good to have the printers on the network so that they're available without a host system having to be running.

Does anybody have any experience with these - or have other suggestions, like parallel to USB converters or something?

Thanks
 
There are, in fact, parallel to USB interface devices available. I noted some in an electronics store they other day that seemed to be around $20 - $25 US. That seems like a pretty good price point compared to the print servers I've seen floating around in the $150 US range, and I'm not even sure they had a parallel port.

Of course, I have no idea how well the driver software is likely the parallel to USB interface.
 
What Model Epson are we talking about?

As far as I can remember Epson has proprietary print servers.

Come to think of it I may have one around here somewhere for the C80 that I don't need.
 
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