Parallel Printer on a Mac

[froggytreafrogg]

Hi an HP Laser printer was given to me. I'm not quite sure of the model # of the printer but I was hoping to be able to attach it to a mac and just share the printer across my home network. The printer is a typical parallel/printer cable (not USB.) However the printer had the white, round serial connector that the older macs used. I'm, however, not sure how I could use this on a newer mac. I own a PowerMac G3 that I plan to attach the printer to and an iMac Intel, but I think that the iMac will be too new for the old laser printer. Anyway, does anyone know if there is a way I could be able to use this parallel printer on a mac network. Any help at all well be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[dubhe]

You can get a usb to parallel cable, I use one with my Mac.

 

[froggytreafrogg]

You can get a usb to parallel cable, I use one with my Mac.

Hi, thanks for the response. I noticed some of these on google. There rather cheap. BTW, the printer is a hp laserjet 6p. do you know if it has support for os x leopard or tiger? thanks

 

[dubhe]

Hi, thanks for the response. I noticed some of these on google. There rather cheap. BTW, the printer is a hp laserjet 6p. do you know if it has support for os x leopard or tiger? thanks

I use a LaserJet 1100 which is around 8 years old with no problems. There are loads of drivers on Leopard and I think Tiger, but you should be able to find them online anyway. Try googling "gutenprint hp 6p"

By the way the print quality isn't brilliant with pictures (though text is spot on), but it is better than buying a new printer!

 

[froggytreafrogg]

I use a LaserJet 1100 which is around 8 years old with no problems. There are loads of drivers on Leopard and I think Tiger, but you should be able to find them online anyway. Try googling "gutenprint hp 6p"

By the way the print quality isn't brilliant with pictures (though text is spot on), but it is better than buying a new printer!

well, i have a very nice photo-quality printer. i just wanted the 6p for printing you know, school papers, stuff off the internet that i'll read and throw away. are the toners cheap? thanks

 

[old-wiz]

B&W laserjet toner is not cheap; it usually runs about $75 at staples.

 

[dubhe]

B&W laserjet toner is not cheap; it usually runs about $75 at staples.

Yes but it will last years...

 

[dubhe]

The printer was free, so buy a cheap cable and try it out

 

[i.shaun]

if the specific drivers are not on (or available for) OS X, then try the closest ones you can.


I have a Brother HL-1230 Series Laser Printer which has a Driver CD for Windows XP, and Macintosh OS X 10.3. The support for that model stops at 10.3, but continues for windows.



I purchased a serial to USB connector which basically replaces that bigass serial cable on the back (i thought it extended from it lol). I was trying to plug it into the end of the serial cable, and wondering why it didn't fit, thinking I bought the wrong damn one. Turns out I just had to unplug the serial cable from the printer itself, and plug the USB one in.



Anyway, I got the Brother working on the mac, and just recently set it up to print wirelessly from both the mac and Pc after getting pissed at Windows and it's stupidity when the printer stopped working on it (but that's a whole other story...)

 

[alphaod]

B&W laserjet toner is not cheap; it usually runs about $75 at staples.

You don't want to know how much it costs me to replace all 4 cartridges, a fuser, transfer kit, and imagining kit on my laser.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

BTW, the printer is a hp laserjet 6p. do you know if it has support for os x leopard or tiger? thanks

I have an HP LaserJet 6MP. It works with Leopard for me. I didn't have to download any drivers.

 

[mwchris]

You don't want to know how much it costs me to replace all 4 cartridges, a fuser, transfer kit, and imagining kit on my laser.

If you have to replace all those parts, you might as well buy another printer . . .fuser and transfer units get expensive!

I have an older color laser printer, but bought ink about 2 years ago. No where close to running out, but as soon as it does, or if the transfer unit goes I am junking the whole thing. (I already re-wired the waste tank so I just empty it with a vacuum, and can reuse the same one.)

Laser printer manufactures have caught onto what the inkjet companies have been doing for years. That is selling the printer cheap, including starter cartridges, and then selling new cartridges for huge profits.

My printer mentioned above cost a fortune to get new cartridges, but they are ten times larger in size, because it is older, than the cartridges that come with new color laser printers.

Anyway, back on topic. To the original poster, you can get that printer to work, just might take some playing with. Once you get it to work, keep it till it dies, just buy new toner online for half the price of a Brick and Mortar store.

Good luck with it!