SCENARIO 1 - PRE INSTALLATION

PRE-INSTALLATION SCENARIO

(Last update: 27 April 2004)

I want to buy a new printer for my I/A system!

So, you would like to add a new printer to your I/A system but haven't decided which one to buy?.

First define the type of printer you need (Dot-matrix or InkJet). Next, based on performance and limitations, decide which station (COMM processor or 51) is going to host it. This will also define if the printer will have a Serial or Parallel interface.

PRINTER TYPES

I/A supports ONLY certain type of printers. You can not just go to CompUSA or Best Buy and buy any printer. Let's be realistic and start reviewing what is really available, and supported!. (See Appendix N for Non-Standard Printers).

If you need an Alarm/Log printer the recommended choice is just a dot-matrix printer. If you don't mind the print quality, it can also be used for Reports.

Currently, April 2003, the dot-matrix printers available are:

   P0901ED *   Dot-Matrix Printer 80, B/W - 120 Vac
   P0901EE     Dot-Matrix Printer 80, B/W - 220 Vac
   P0901EF     Dot-Matrix Printer 80, B/W - 240 Vac

   P0901EG *   Okidata 80-Column Printer For PW's (120 Vac)
   P0901EH     Okidata 80-Column Printer For PW's (220 Vac)
   P0901EJ     Okidata 80-Column Printer For PW's (240 Vac)

   P0913AV *   Alarm Printer, Oki Microline 591, Color, 132-col, 120 Vac, 24-pin, Ser/Par, [Okidata: GE8293A]
   P0913AW     Alarm Printer, Oki Microline 591, Color, 132-col, 220 Vac, 24-pin, Ser/Par

If you want to print SCREENs, or maybe better quality Reports, then you have to choose between either a PostScript or PCL3 (InkJet) printer:

Currently, April 2004, the PostScript/PCL3 printers available are:

   P0918FW *   PostScript Color Printer, HP3000 (C8116A) for Parallel Interface
           (Assembly: Printer, Software, and Instructions: J0200HT = B0400SF-H)
   			 
   P0918FX *   PostScript Color Printer, HP3000 (C8116A) for Parallel Interface, Serial-to-Parallel Converter
           (Assembly: Printer, Converter, Software, and Instructions: J0200HT = B0400SF-H)

   P0922WV *   PostScript Color Printer, HP3000 (C8116A) for Parallel Interface
               (88 MB RAM, 4 ink cartridges, 11-21 ppm black, 1-18 ppm color, 61 lb)

   P0913TV *   PCL3 Color Graphics Printer, HP DeskJet 6122 (C8954A) for Parallel interface
                 (Assembly: Printer, Software, and Instructions: B0400SF-G)

   P0913TU *   PCL3 Color Graphics Printer, HP DeskJet 6122 (C8954A) for Parallel interface, Serial-to-Parallel Converter
                 (Assembly: Printer, Converter, Software, and Instructions: B0400SF-G)

   P0922MU *   PCL3 HP6122 Printer (C8954A) 
               (8 MB RAM, 4 ink cartridges, 13 ppm color, 20 ppm black)

Note: The quality of a PostScript printer is slightly better than PCL3 printers.

See Appendix A for a list of ALL (new and old) printers, part numbers, accesories, supplies, etc.

PRINTER-HOST COMBINATIONS

The printer performance, specially printscreens, varies according to the station hosting the printer. There are several combinations, each with its own limitations. The most common configurations are below.

a. Via Comm processor: (best choice for alarm dot-matrix printers)

        AP20/AP51/AW51 ----------   COMM ---------- PRINTER
     (Comm Processor Host)        Processor         (Serial)
                                                   Dot-matrix,
                                                   PostScript,
                                                      PCL3

b. Direct-connect: (best choice for parallel PCL3/PostScript printscreens)

        AP51/AW51/WP51 ------------------------- PRINTER
                                          Serial    (dot-matrix)
                                         Parallel (PCL3/PostScript)

RECOMMENDATIONS, RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS

An Alarm printer should be a dot-matrix printer. PostScript and Inkjet printers are NOT suitable for this purpose.

Even when I personally don't recommend it, an Alarm printer can be direct-connected (only) to the SERIAL port of a 51 station.

Fastest printscreens are obtained from direct-connected PARALLEL PostScript/PCL3 printers.

Two simultaneous direct-connect printers on the same 51 station are supported ONLY if a dot-Matrix printer is connected to the SERIAL port, and a PostScript or PCL3 printer to the PARALLEL port.

If a PostScript/PCL3 printer is connected to a Communications Processor, an slow-performance choice, you will be able to do printscreens from almost any station: 51s, PWs, WP20s and WP30s.

If a PostScript/PCL3 printer is direct-connected to a 51 station, you can do (fast) printscreens from 51 stations, but NOT from PW/WP20/WP30s.

See Appendix B for printscreens printer performance times when connected to different hosts.

SYSTEM DEFINITION SECTION

Once you have decided the printer type, interface (serial or parallel), and the station to host it, the next step is to configure the printer using System Definition.

Verify you are using one of the latest versions of System Definition. Latest version is 2.1. With this version you have the following printers available when you select peripherals:

LPT     600 LPM Line Printer

P132P   132 Dot-Matrix,B/W,Par
P132S   132 Dot-Matrix,B/W,Ser

P136P   136 Dot-Matrix,Color,Par
P136S   136 Dot-Matrix,Color,Ser

P80BWP  80 Dot-Matrix,B/W,Par
P80BWS  80 Dot-Matrix,B/W,Ser
P80CS   80 Dot-Matrix,Color,Ser

PCIJP   Color Ink-Jet,Par
PCIJS   Color Ink-Jet,Ser

PCL3P   Deskjet Printer,Par
PCL3S   Deskjet Printer,Ser

PCL5P   PS Deskjet PCL5 Prnt,Par  (only for AW70, WP70 or PW)
PCL5S   PS Deskjet PCL5 Prnt,Ser  (only for COMM10)

PSPTRP  PostScript Printer,Par
PSPTRS  PostScript Printer,Ser

Any I/A printer has to have a -unique- LOGICAL NAME in the system. These names go from LP00, LP01, ... all the way thru LP99. You have to choose one of these names for the printer/port.

A Communication Processor has 4 SERIAL ports: 1 thru 4, while a 51 station has only two ports: 1 (ttyb)= SERIAL, 2 (lp, bpp0)= PARALLEL

Serial Printer type codes have an "S" at the end: P80BWS, P80CS, P132S, P136S, PCIJS, PCL3S, PCL5S, PSPTRS
Parallel Printer type codes have a "P" at the end: P80BWP, P132P, P136P, PCIJP, PCL3P, PCL5P, PSPTRP

See Appendix C for a list of current Printer Type codes, description, driver, brand, models.

Choosing the right type of printer in SysDef is critical. If you choose PostScript instead of PCL3, for example, the printer won't work!.

If the chosen printer is SERIAL, it has to be attached to either one of the 4 serial ports of a Communication Processor, or to the serial port of a 51 station.

If the chosen printer is PARALLEL, it has to be connected to the parallel port of a 51 station (or PW/NT).

Either way, SysDef allows you to name the port with a logical name (LPnn). This assignment is done in the Parameter View of SysDef.

Appendix D shows all Printer-Interface-Host combinations and their corresponding configuration parameters.

In summary, using SysDef, you have to:

Add a new Peripheral, choose the Printer Type, and attach it to its host.

Open the Parameter View to assign a printer Logical Name (LPnn) to the port where you attach the printer.

Create a Committal diskette

Install Committal diskette on ALL stations in your I/A system.

If you are interested in learning a little more on how printers are created in I/A, see the Appendix H.