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Typewriters that acted as printers

Coder said:
I can probably write something to translate between ASCII and the older standard as long as documentation exists on what it expects. Its getting the hardware connected and working that I will struggle with. I'm not a complete novice with electrical components, but nearly. I don't know that I'll be able to afford a model 14, but I'm looking at other more affordable teletypes on eBay. They look like they would also fill the need of something that looks cool, makes a great racket, and should be able to be controlled by computer, maybe with a microcontroller in between to interface.
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Interfacing from 60mA current-loop to RS232 (and also to USB) is now a repeatedly solved problem.
Handling ASCII<>Baudot is another repeatedly solved problem.
Also, eBay prices are (much) higher (R@RE!) than what you can get directly from other hobbyists.
It's not uncommon for these devices to end up being dumped by next-of-kin (who ask those ridiculous eBay prices).
Finally, shipping these devices is usually a *fail* as they are heavy and shippers don't care.
Best approach is to find another hobbyist within driving range willing to part with one (or more!).

Join the Greenkeys maillist for more specifics and friendly company; see: https://www.rtty.com/greenkeys.htm
 
pbirkel@gmail.com said:
Interfacing from 60mA current-loop to RS232 (and also to USB) is now a repeatedly solved problem.
Handling ASCII<>Baudot is another repeatedly solved problem.
Also, eBay prices are (much) higher (R@RE!) than what you can get directly from other hobbyists.
It's not uncommon for these devices to end up being dumped by next-of-kin (who ask those ridiculous eBay prices).
Finally, shipping these devices is usually a *fail* as they are heavy and shippers don't care.
Best approach is to find another hobbyist within driving range willing to part with one (or more!).

Join the Greenkeys maillist for more specifics and friendly company; see: https://www.rtty.com/greenkeys.htm
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Thanks for this. I'll see if I can find one local. I'd love to have one.
 
I have a growing pile of IBM wheelwriters I'm eventually going to get to messing with. They have 2 or 3 slots for interfaces. The interface cards are next to impossible to obtain, however there have been a couple people who have decoded the interface and made arduino projects to use them as WiFi enabled printers. I am not sure if there is a means to capture keystrokes and make it into an actual teletype. The interesting things is that the interface is essentially a 2-wire serial interface. You clock in something like an 11-bit instruction and it does it. The instructions of course include print a characters, but there are fractional spacing and carriage movement commands, etc. I keep hoping to find one with the interface cards in it, as we did have those here at one point.
 
Please allow me to add another candidate. In 1972, Savin introduced something called the 900 Word Master device.
The whole setup involved Savin modifying the customer's Selectric typewriter and attaching it a box that held a Philips cassette. Think of it as a poor man's IBM MT/ST. Note that Savin did not sell or service the typewriter.

There's very little on the 'Net about it, but I found a couple of tidbits--and someone in the Netherlands actually has one of the units:

74b87049b954b032cbc4ac022cef3ff5.jpg
 
I forgot to show off my printer/typewriter.

W9spHWR.jpeg


Apparently a OLYMPIA ESW-103, with a IEEE-488 thrown in.
 
MikeS said:
Hope you're not planning to use it; I just gave away a half-dozen NIB ribbons and a couple of thimbles...

A while ago I finally scrapped a HiType, a real monster; still have a TTX daisy-wheel, what a difference ;-)

And then there were the Selectrics with interface that I scrapped years ago...

Back 'in the day' I was involved with a company that manufactured after-market computer interfaces for various models of 'normal' electronic Olivetti typewriters; gave away my only typewriter but still have some interfaces.
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Do any of those interface fit the olivetti Praxis35? and do you still have them?
regards

Stephen
07956-544202
 
Qbertnix said:
Wireless world August 1983 had a project to add serial printer capability to an olivetti praxis typewriter
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Yes, but the bit with the EPROM contents (that I found on the WWW) had no listing for the EPROM contents, plus, I'd prefer something more recent, maybe using an Arduino.
 

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G7VFY said:
Do any of those interface fit the olivetti Praxis35?
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There was no official interface for the Praxis 35. There were some serial and parallel interfaces by third party which were decoded over an Eprom to the keyboard matrix. An Adventure to print like this...

The rare Praxis 41 was with parallel interface by factory. The ET Compact 60 / 70 was prepared for an optional serial or parallel interface which is really rare to find. Otherwise I don't know any other of the portable typewriters (Praxis, Linea, Lettera, Studio, PTP, ET Compact, ET Personal series) from Olivetti to have official interface, even not as an option.

For the "big ones", like ET 111, 112, 115, 116, 121, 225, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2400, 2450, 2500 there were different optional line communication units with serial or parallel interface. I have a few ones.
 
Yes. Shipping costs to Europe is too high for me, it's more than 150 USD.

You will need to fix the power supply (I have cicruit diagram for this) and you need to fix the cable which moves the print head with the step motor. I recently did the same on a ET Compact 60, this task is quite tricky!
 
1ST1 said:
Yes. Shipping costs to Europe is too high for me, it's more than 150 USD.

You will need to fix the power supply (I have cicruit diagram for this) and you need to fix the cable which moves the print head with the step motor. I recently did the same on a ET Compact 60, this task is quite tricky!
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Have you tried remailing services that ARE NOT EBAY? Just curious.
 
1ST1 said:
What do you mean by that? What is a remailing service?
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Its a service you sign up for specific to purchasing items abroad (they give you an address local to the country you are trying to buy from: USA, Japan, Etc.) And they offer better repacking and pricing better than ebay to ship to you. Alot let you accumulate items, and then arrange for them all to be shipped to you at once. In your case it would be an American remailing service.
 
VERAULT said:
Its a service you sign up for specific to purchasing items abroad (they give you an address local to the country you are trying to buy from: USA, Japan, Etc.) And they offer better repacking and pricing better than ebay to ship to you. Alot let you accumulate items, and then arrange for them all to be shipped to you at once. In your case it would be an American remailing service.
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I buy itens from Japan using proxy like this, much more cheaper and reliable. Also have the ability to buy from sellers that do not do international shipping.
 
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