RedBirdMac

Q: What driver is needed for a 1987 LaserWriter Plus?

I have an old and apparently working; because upon turning it on, it spit out a test page; LaserWriter Plus for 1987! I would appreciate any advise regarding if it's possible how to connect it through a series of adapters from USB to an old billion-pin plug.

LaserWriter Plus, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Dec 29, 2013 3:40 PM

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Q: What driver is needed for a 1987 LaserWriter Plus?

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  • by Jan Hedlund,Solvedanswer

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Dec 30, 2013 4:10 PM in response to RedBirdMac
    Level 6 (9,869 points)
    Dec 30, 2013 4:10 PM in response to RedBirdMac

    Hi,

     

    In principle, you could connect some kind of LocalTalk-to-Ethernet converter to the 9-pin port, or a serial-to-USB adapter to the 25-pin port. However, these would be merely small steps in a broad context. Nothing useful can be done with the printer without access to proper drivers.

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TA21858

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/sp473

     

    The serial 25-pin port was intended for connections to a DOS or Windows computer. You may be able to find drivers in operating systems up to XP, but printing is probably going to be very slow.

     

    The 9-pin port was intended for LocalTalk network connections to Macintosh computers. With an appropriate old Mac, and a cable set, the printer could be used almost immediately. Certain older operating systems (and printer drivers) have been made available for download by Apple.

     

    http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html

     

    With modern Macs, things get much more complicated. First of all, a suitable converter would be needed to use Ethernet. Then there is the question about protocols. Have a look at the link below (mostly about other models, but the LaserWriter Plus is also mentioned), and you get the picture. To complicate matters even more, later editions of Mac OS X do not support AppleTalk.

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/message/7910595#7910595

     

    I would suggest that you study various posts by Grant Bennet-Alder for details about what can and what cannot be done.

     

    Good luck!

     

    Jan

  • by Appaloosa mac man,Helpful

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Dec 30, 2013 10:04 PM in response to RedBirdMac
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Dec 30, 2013 10:04 PM in response to RedBirdMac

    Red,

     

    The short answer is no, and it has more to do with drivers than cables and adapters.  That printer was first generation PostScript.  Many changes were made to PostScript after that.  The simple (only) use for that printer would be to connect it to an older computer and transfer files to be printed. 

     

    The biggest drawback to that printer was how slow it was.  It would take several minutes to print a complex page created in Filemaker.  Word was faster but limited in what it could handle. Font size and type were limited.  I remember that it could print a thousand small letters on a page but it could not print one large letter per page!

     

    Those printers are called boat anchors for a reason.  There are many great Apple Laserwriters (and HP Laser Jet printers that would cost far less to convert to use with a USB or newer computer.

  • by stevena1,

    stevena1 stevena1 Jan 13, 2014 8:19 AM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 8:19 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

    Jan,

     

    I never really used AppleTalk only because I only used less than 2 Macs (making it useless for me) and if I wanted to move files I would use floppies or swap the printer cable or in my current case, I have 2 Macs in current use and I use IP and current file protocols to transfer data or share printers.

     

    However, I've seen these kinds of threads recently connecting older Apple printers and struggling to find AppleTalk drivers/resources. I wouldn't be surprised there is a number of people who would want to transfer old files or attach their AppleTalk printers, has there been open source projects to fix this problem?

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Jan 13, 2014 10:54 AM in response to stevena1
    Level 6 (9,869 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 10:54 AM in response to stevena1

    Hi stevena1,

     

    This is not a subject without complication. If you have a look at Grant Bennet-Alder's list and other messages in the aforementioned  discussion (https://discussions.apple.com/message/7910595#7910595), you will notice that not all Apple printers can be treated the same way.

     

    Many Apple laser printers do have an Ethernet, parallel or serial port in addition to a Mac-specific LocalTalk port.

     

    An Ethernet port could handle TCP/IP connections directly. A parallel port can be connected to USB via a USB-to-parallel adapter. A serial port can be accessed through a USB-to-serial adapter. Finally, a print(er) server attached to a parallel port would allow the printer to act as a network printer over Ethernet.  If applicable, those other ports may make it easier to connect the printer to modern computers.

     

    So, you may find yourself in a position where it is better to use (for example) the parallel port of the printer, thus avoiding the AppleTalk protocol, even though the print job is to be sent from a Mac. However, this is of course only possible if an appropriate driver is available, and that is not always the case.

     

    Someone else here may be able to provide you with better information regarding these questions.

     

    Regards,

     

    Jan

  • by stevena1,

    stevena1 stevena1 Jan 13, 2014 10:53 AM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 10:53 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

    It makes sense for me to understand - its simply complicated if specfic drivers and interfaces have to be percise.

     

    I was asking for the sake of it - not that I am wanting/need to do it. I read in the Snow Leopard Missing Manual that it was in 10.6 that Apple pulled the plug for support with AppleTalk over IP.

  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Jan 13, 2014 12:52 PM in response to stevena1
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 12:52 PM in response to stevena1

    Steve,

     

    A little perspective might be in order.  When Apple sold the Mac IIfx, (68O3O) it was considered "wicked fast" for its day.  Day Star made an accelerator that made the 020 chip even faster.  But when the 040 chip came out in the Quadra line, selling for $7,000, it was so revolutionary in speed that Apple stopped developing the software to optimize the $10,000 IIfx.  How would you feel if you spent ten grand on a computer, only to find out that Apple was not going to finish writing the software to optimze it? 

     

    The OS for the PPC chip (050) was behind the adoption and sale of the chip.  Hardware is always at the mercy of the programmer.  If programmers move on, the hardware moves to the dump.  Sad reality in our society.

     

    Ji~m

  • by stevena1,

    stevena1 stevena1 Jan 13, 2014 7:50 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 7:50 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man

    >But when the 040 chip came out in the Quadra line, selling for $7,000, it was so revolutionary in speed that Apple stopped developing the software to optimize the $10,000 IIfx.

     

    that is a subject of in its own! That model lasted for quite a while too because it was targed to the Apollo workstation audience (hence the codename if you know the story!) 

     

    The Quadra line began Apple's near death insanity insisting of selling a handful of Macs with like 40 different SKUs; labeled with different model names aiming to different verticals, etc. If I can remember the craziness there was the Quadra, the Centris and the Peforma not to mention the existing Mac Classics, LC the PowerBooks (I almost forgot!); and the II series contiuned on for a little longer.  I remember thumbing through the catalogs when I was in my single digits and couldn't believe how many (and was intrigued) and now in my late twenties I want to forget that craziness!


    >  How would you feel if you spent ten grand on a computer, only to find out that Apple was not going to finish writing the software to optimze it?

     

    I'd be flippin PO'd myself if Apple did that, and I can't imagine how others would feel the same. I seem to believe the PCs of yesteryear were not built to last, but that was before HD video, before DSLR and TCP/IP and the Web... :/ (I believe the "3 year" PC biz model was the biggest scam in moden history! and more scandalous in those days in the cost department!)

     

    The same downhill cost could be explained with the original Mac II, it was about $10,000+ (when you factor the cost of a required video card that had to be purchased seperately.) That same spec (really it was the CPU?) got so low end by 1990, it could fit into the form factor of the LC for a humble cost of $3,700, and I don't think a monitor was included ether. I'm still stunned to this day about that fact.

     

    I'm glad those days are long gone, they are fun to remember though!

     

    > The OS for the PPC chip (050) was behind the adoption and sale of the chip.  Hardware is always at the mercy of the programmer.  If programmers move on, the hardware moves to the dump.  Sad reality in our society.

     

    I totally agree with that