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Dinosaur

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Joined: 12/08/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 311

Posted: 10:15pm 08 Oct 2011

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Hi All

The last time we bought an LQ570 for $638 was in 2008.
Now I think these are obsolete and the next available model is LQ670 (or something like that)
Crazy prices when you can get an inkjet for $99

REgards

PS:I use a printer ribbon to connect directly to the Maximite. DB25 female with ribbon connector. I get them supplied with every Industrial cpu we buy.
So, if the voltages are compatible, it is only a program to communicate with the Printer.Edited by Dinosaur 2011-10-10

Regards
Hervey Bay Qld.

elproducts

Senior Member

Joined: 19/06/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 282

Posted: 10:23pm 08 Oct 2011

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I've never tried it myself but Sparkfun has this one which is a simple thermal printer that can be controlled via TTL serial.
Should be easy to hook up to Maximite since it works with Arduino.
It sells for $49.95.

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10438

www.elproducts.com

Xiongmao

Regular Member

Joined: 25/08/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 48

Posted: 10:30pm 08 Oct 2011

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Am I also missing the obvious?
Why not change the USB OTG from Device to Host to drive a cheap inkjet directly?

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2914

Posted: 10:33pm 08 Oct 2011

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donmck said
Yes, that's the one

I was hoping there was something about twice as good for about half the price that could be easily hooked up to Max. Might spent a few minutes on ebay. It can turn up some surprising results.

Cheers Don...

A quick search on Chinese sites brings up these

Dot Matrix Printers

many are sub $100 and great for data logging.

PS also some epson LQ dot Matrix there but about $300

Mik

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 10:34pm 08 Oct 2011

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elproducts said I've never tried it myself but Sparkfun has this one which is a simple thermal printer that can be controlled via TTL serial.
Should be easy to hook up to Maximite since it works with Arduino.
It sells for $49.95.

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10438

WOW!

[quote]The print head has a rated life of 50km! [/quote]

[quote]Use this printer in any project where you need a hard-copy of the output, or in an art project where you want to keep the output to stick on your fridge, or to build a DIY cash register for your lemonade stand![/quote]

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

donmck

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Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 10:37pm 08 Oct 2011

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Xiongmao said Am I also missing the obvious?
Why not change the USB OTG from Device to Host to drive a cheap inkjet directly?

and install which driver where, is the problem.
hardware is easy, software is the stumbling block.

I like Chuck's idea of the cheap thermal printer. Would match in with any app specific task.

Lets face it, for the price of a real serial printer, you could talk to a cheap or second hand netbook, and the printer of your choice.

Cheers Don...

https://www.dontronics.com

vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 10:41pm 08 Oct 2011

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Thermal is cheaper for the kids... but also for us... the paper width is the only obstacle.

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2914

Posted: 10:42pm 08 Oct 2011

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bigmik said
many are sub $100 and great for data logging.

PS also some epson LQ dot Matrix there but about $300

Mik

And some Thermal Units to consider as well

be carefull some say serial interface but are in fact USB

Thermal Printers

Regards,

Mik

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

vasi

Guru

Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 10:55pm 08 Oct 2011

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bigmik said

bigmik said
many are sub $100 and great for data logging.

PS also some epson LQ dot Matrix there but about $300

Mik

And some Thermal Units to consider as well

be carefull some say serial interface but are in fact USB

Thermal Printers

Regards,

Mik

Those are for Don. If I try to buy one, the price is per lot:

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2914

Posted: 01:06am 09 Oct 2011

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vasi said

Those are for Don. If I try to buy one, the price is per lot:

Hi Vasi,

That is only one supplier.... they only sell in lots of 10... check out other suppliers some will sell in one OFF.. it is Chinese open market so it is 100's of sellers competing... some offer free freight (but unit cost is higher) some offer outrageous freight (I have seen $1000 US for a $50 item)

It is buyer beware but some great bargains can be had.

Mik

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 07:54pm 09 Oct 2011

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Thanks Mik!

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

Bryan1

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Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1344

Posted: 11:18am 14 Dec 2011

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G'day Guy's,
Well after trawling thru page after page looking to see just how many code examples there have been and I do have not very many at all I came across this old thread. So I had to go upto my shed and check out those old LX300 dot matrix printers I got from the road side collection a few years ago just to see if they would worth a go at hacking and for a play see I can get a DM-mega to get some life out of it.

I found the User Manual for the printer and YES it can be driven by serial so I'm going to make a DB25- to DB-9 connector and have a play. I also found the pinouts for making the serial cable on the Epson site so it won't be a hard task to make one up. I may have to make up a RS232 board so I can get true serial data and that would a cool job for the Arduino setup. Well going from the help file to tinkering with an old dot matrix printer.... And who said these Duinomites ain't fun......

I do have atleast 3 and maybe 4 of these printers here so if I can get a bit of life out one I'll have to send one over to Don and Mick to have a tinker with

Cheers Bryan

P.S. Further reading on this printer it only needs 3 PINS for serial RX,TX and DTR(which is just a ready/busy signal from the printer) so I reckon I'm goingto have some fun with and the 'print' command could end up taking new meaning......
Edited by Bryan1 2011-12-15

JohnS
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Joined: 18/11/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3800

Posted: 12:17pm 14 Dec 2011

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Maybe
LPRINT
or
PRINT #n

for the printer.

John (off to wikipedia about Centronics LOL)

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