Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers


>> Does anyone know anything about this plotter?  We have one at work 
>> that was connected to an RS6000 and we have moved it to a print 
>> server device that uses a standard serial port.  I can't find any 
>> information on the pin-out for the modem/computer port.

I have never tried to interface one of these things using RS-232.  The
HP-IB is much easier if you era connecting it to an HP system.
However, I have the manual and will try to summarise what it says.

The following pins are used on the computer/modem port:

	Pin no	Signal					Name
	  2	Data line to plotter			TDATA
	  3	Data line from plotter			RDATA
	  4	Request to send from plotter		RTS
	  5	Clear to send to the plotter		CTS
	  6	Data set ready to the plotter		DSR
	  7	Signal ground				SGND
	 20	Data terminal ready to computer/modem	DTR
	 23	Data signal rate selector		DSRS

The following pins are used on the terminal port:

	Pin no	Signal					Name
	  2	Data line to plotter			TDATA
	  3	Data line from plotter			RDATA
	  7	Signal ground				SGND
	  4	Request to send to plotter		RTS
	  5	Clear to send to the terminal		CTS
	  6	Data set ready from the plotter		DSR
	 10	Data terminal ready to computer/modem	DTR

In addition there are the following switches that should be set:

Interface mode:		Set to RS-232 for RS-232 operation.  This is
			only read at power on.  The LED on the RS-232
			section of the control panel should light up.

Stand alone/Eavesdrop:	Usually set to stand alone.  Set to eavesdrop
			if you are connecting a computer to the
			computer port and a terminal to the terminal
			port and wish to use the terminal in pass
			through mode.

Monitor mode/Normal:	Usually set to normal.  Set to monitor if you
			wish commands being sent to the plotter
			through the computer/modem port to be echoed
			down the terminal port for debugging purposes.

Local/Normal:		Usually set to normal.  Set to local if the
			commands for the plotter come from the
			terminal port rather than the computer/modem
			port.

Parity:			Switches that set parity checking and
			generation.  Set according to what your host
			sends.

Duplex full/half:	Not normally used.  In somemodes indicates
			whether data fromt he terminal port is echoed
			back on that port.

Hardwire/Modem:		Usually set to hardwire.  If set to modem,
			hardware handshaking is disabled and full
			duplex is enabled.

DTR bypass/normal:	Usually set to normal.  If set to bypass, the
			DTR line on the computer/modem port is
			connected directly to the DTR line on the
			terminal port.

BAUD rate:		Set to the baud rate sent by your system.  The
			same rate must be used for both ports.

Normally the computer/modem port is used to connect to the host
computer.  The terminal port may be used to add a terminal either for
debugging or for remote operation.

The plotter uses handshaking modes:

Hardware handshaking:	Pin 20 of the connector (RTS) is used to
			control the flow of data to the plotter.  This
			will always be set if the hardwire/modem
			switch is set to hardwire.

Xon/Xoff:		XON and XOFF characters are used to control
			handshaking.  This is always used.

Enquire/Acknowledge:	The plotter will respond to an ENQ character
			by sending an ACK character when ready to
			receive data.  This is used by som HP computer
			systems.

Hope this information is useful.

	Mark Simms

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Opinions expressed are my own and are not intended to be an official
statement by Hewlett-Packard Company
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:         Mark Simms
Profession:   Software Engineer
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Computer Peripherals Division
Unix-mail:    mark@hpcpbla.bri.hp.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers