Imagewriter

Printing to the non-AppleTalk-enhanced ImageWriter and ImageWriter LQ is indeed possible with this driver from OpenPrinting:

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting/MacOSX/imagewriter

They recommend the well-tested Keyspan USB to Serial adapter, and suggest others may work as well.

The package installs a number of different drivers -- just delete the ones you are not going to use.

One caveat is that the intricate "last-form-tearoff" paper positioning we took for granted in OS 9 is not supported. Printing tends to stop about an inch below the tear-off position. Do not roll the platen up to tear off, unless you immediately roll the platen back down to the red line before printing resumes. (Rolling the platen by hand changes the paper position relative to top-of-form.)

If you have another AppleTalk printer, such as a LaserWriter, it may be preferable to acquire an AppleTalk option card for your ImageWriter II or LQ and use the AppleTalk version of the driver over Ethernet with an AppleTalk-over-Ethernet to AppleTalk/LocalTalk Bridge device.

I am trying to use an ImageWriter II with iMac 5.6. I have been using a Personal LaserWriter NTR without difficulty with a Fallaron EtherMac Print Adapter. I have downloaded the Linux files as you recommended but the ImageWriter printer does not print. In the System preferences, the Imagewriter shows up in the list of printers and the Printer is shown as "ready". But if I press + to add a printer it doesn't show up there under AppleTalk (only the (LaserWriter is listed). Why is the printer shown as "(BlueTooth-PDA-SyncPort)." What can I do to next.

Do you have the AppleTalk option card installed in your ImageWriter II? This will determine which options to pursue. The non-AppleTalk version will require a fast Serial adapter.

I have an ImageWriter LQ and ImageWriter II on an AppleTalk network bridged to my ethernet network that I can use under 10.5. Having trouble with some of my wireless devices that don't "speak" AppleTalk though. There is a nice "Foomatic" package that does the install for you for both USB and AppleTalk connections. Do a Google for: imagewriter-foomatic. It's on a Linux Printing support site.

I haven't used the printer in several years. I do not recall having any such card being installed when I bought it. How can I tell if there is a card or not. If not, what are the options? is such a thing available? Do you have any idea of where and at what price? Are there any other solutions if there is no card?

With the card installed, you have an AppleTalk ImageWrtier. Using an AppleTalk-over-Ethernet to AppleTalk/Localtalk converter/Bridge (AsanteTalk or Farallon Ethermac iPrint LT) you can print to it from any Mac on your network using "AppleTalk ImageWriter" printer drivers.

Without the card, it is a Serial ImageWriter printer. It is connected to one computer and that computer can print to it using ImageWriter print drivers.

Both kinds of Mac OS X drivers are avalaible from:

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting/MacOSX/imagewriter

The AppleTalk/LocalTalk option card is occasionally available on the used market, such as on eBay, but not always at reasonable prices:

eBay search in Apple Computers and components for "ImageWriter (AppleTalk, LocalTalk, option, board)"

The card was not a very common so the assumption is that you do not have a card unless you specifically purchased one to include the Imagewriter on an Appletalk network. The first question is whether or not you select "Appletalk Imagewriter" under chooser when changing printers. If you do not even have the driver loaded and available to select under chooser, you do not have that option in your printer.

The card is physically mounted on top of the printed circuit board below the name of the printer as printed on the lower left corner of the front of the printer case. The removable cover that hides the printer ribbon cartridge can be lifted off to expose some of the inner workings. The controller board is barely visible through the opening. On the upper left of the board are two chips that are not covered. They are labeled SW1 and SW2. If there was a chip to the right labeled SW3, it would be under the optional Appletalk card. However, the lower plastic case/cover that has the On switch and name of the printer on it has a tab that hides the optional Appletalk card. The printer has to be partially disassembled to access the card but you can peek in sideways and see where the card would be 'hovering' above the imaginary chip SW3. So, if you do not see a second printed circuit board in that little hole in the space where the bottom of the printer ribbon slides side to side while printing, you do not have the optional network card. A picture would be worth a thousand words here.

This website echos the observation that the card is easy to install but hard to find:

http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbsstuff/mprint.html#image

Both my cards have failed over the years and I have never found a replacement.

Jim

It appears that Grant and I were typing at the same time. He tells you what can be done if you find a card. Only you can decide if the cost and effort to find the card is worth it to you.