On 31/01/2025 23:07, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
On 1/31/25 13:57, Tony Duell via cctalk wrote:
On Fri, Jan 31, 2025 at 9:38 PM Fred Cisin via cctalk
<cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
The first parallel printers might have been Centronics. Hence the
interface and blue ribbon connector being called "Centronics parallel"
The first printer that Radio Shack/Tandy sold for the TRS-80 (at least
in the UK) -- the 'TRS-80 Line Printer' (it was nothng of the sort, of
course) -- was a rebadged Cantronics with the obvious parallel
interface. I have the Centronics version here and repair it using the
Radio Shack service manual.
Out in the field during the late 60s and 70s, I found that the
Dataproducts interface was more common than the Centronics.
I think the Epson MX80 was responsible for standardising the Centronics
interface :-)
Not only was it TTL only and therefore easier to implement in hardware,
but it was much faster than RS-232.
You could get other interfaces as add-on boards, including RS-232,
Apple, TRS-80 and IEE488. I believe they got a 50% of market share for
printers with this, from a standing start.
