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ISA 4 port RS232/RS422 Serial or 3port Parallel Card ID

Did the loopback test involve any special plugs/jumpers? If not, then you probably need to look and see if you've select the RS422 or RS232 I/O when you meant to select the opposite.
 
Yes there were jumpers on specific pins on the cables. I followed this guide: http://www.ni.com/white-paper/3450/en/

I also verified the test failed when I removed the jumpers. All ports passed.

But I still can't get the printer to work on any of them. I have it set up on the parallel port and it works fine with that interface. It also works fine as a network printer. But the serial ports do work.
 
Kilroy said:
Yes there were jumpers on specific pins on the cables. I followed this guide: http://www.ni.com/white-paper/3450/en/

I also verified the test failed when I removed the jumpers. All ports passed.

But I still can't get the printer to work on any of them. I have it set up on the parallel port and it works fine with that interface. It also works fine as a network printer. But the serial ports do work.
Click to expand...
There's also the handshaking issue, i.e. how the printer signals the computer that it is a) plugged in and turned on and b) that it is ready to receive a character; unfortunately this is not as 'standard' as the parallel port. Do you get an error message when you try to print?
 
I try to print a test page and the receiving light doesn't come on on the printer. Nothing happens.

No errors or any other indication.
 
Some printers, such as the NEC P5300 cannot use both their serial and parallel interfaces.
To use the serial interface, one enters configuration mode and then selects 'serial'.
To use the parallel interface, one enters configuration mode and then selects 'parallel'.
 
According to the manual, the printer (HP Designjet 755cm) can use both. But I don't have them both hooked up at the same time anyway.
 
Assuming that it is not possible to configure DTE/DCE on the RS-232 ports on the card, then they are sure to be DTE (standard for PC family cards).

Kilroy said:
the printer (HP Designjet 755cm)
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Page 11-7 of the printer's Users Guide indicates that the printer's RS-232 port is of type DTE.
So, if the card's RS-232 ports are also DTE, are you aware that you will need some kind of null modem cable.
For example, for interfacing an NEC P5300 to a PC, the cable shown at the bottom of [here] is required.
 
i guess it really comes down to the device being used and whether or not it has it's own power source. like a serial mouse, which would need the 5 volt, but a serial printer, which wouldn't. So how would that affect the operation of the card? I also cannot find a thing on that card at all, maybe there are no special drivers and it's just seen as a super multi i/o..
 
k2x4b524[ said:
i guess it really comes down to the device being used and whether or not it has it's own power source. like a serial mouse, which would need the 5 volt, but a serial printer, which wouldn't.
Click to expand...
No, a serial mouse does not have a requirement for +/- 5V levels. In fact, the serial ports in the IBM cards supplied with the IBM 5150/5160/5170 output about +/- 10V levels.
 
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