Imagewriter II and Lion.

I wonder if my USB to Serial adapter could be the problem too. I am using a Dynex adapter which just uses the generic PL2303 driver (currently from NoZAP). I see everyone seems to use the Keyspan adapters. I may pick one of those up, but, which works best? The USA-28X with dual Mini Dins, or, the USA-19HS with the RS232 port? RIght now, my Dynex uses RS232, and I am connecting to the printer with a RS232 to Mini Din cable. I've tried the latest printer driver and it still does not print correctly.

Thanks!

If it prints even a short portion of intelligible output then the driver is OK. I suspect the Dynex USB to RS232 adapter is either not recognizing or not using the ImageWriter's hardware handshake. That fault may lie with the cable used between them, or a setting in the Dynex adapter. If it has configurable options make sure it is configured to use RTS/CTS and not XON/XOFF. I was never able to get the ImageWriter to work reliably using XON/XOFF but try it if you wish.

Whichever you choose verify the ImageWriter's DIP switch settings are correct:

http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/0/MA673/en_US/0302002IWIIUG.pdf

If you are using a DB9 connector it will require a "null modem" adapter with a DB9 to Mini-DIN 8 adapter. The ImageWriter is DTE. I posted a cable schematic with a pinout diagram on this website that I may be able to locate for you.

The USA-28X uses Mini-DIN 8 connectors which require only a straight cable between them, eliminating any uncertainty. That is the adapter I use, and I'm not familiar with the Dynex.

Completely forgot about the printer being DTE. I also forgot Apple is RS-422. I did set the Dynex adapter to be RTS/CTS, and, I was using an old Apple Newton (DE-9 to Mini-Din 8). I didn't have a nul modem in place, so, that must not be built in to that cable.

I did order the USA-28X, so, I have a feeling that will resolve my problem. I'll post back once it arraives. Again, thanks for all the help!

That did it. All is working ;-) The Keyspan USA-28X was the fix. Thanks John for the help and this post in general. Thank you too, Matt!

My inner geek is now happy.

Glad to here things are working for you. Now for the bonus round. Find your old serial Globbal Village fax modem and put it on the second serial port. You can have fax capabilities again. If memory serves me correctly, I used another Apple Discussion as the basis for how I connected mine. See https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3181458

LOL! Unfortuntely, I don't have that modem. I've still got a serial Boca modem 14.4k I belive, but, that's about it.

As long as it is a hardware modem, it will probably work. It doesn't look like Apple has inluded Boca modem scripts with the later releases of OS X, but the Generic modem script may well work.

Matt,

Forgive me if I have overlooked something in this forum that may solve my issue. I am running Snow Leopard 10.6.8. I have a Keyspan USA 19-HS (with a mini gender changer connector) to an Apple Imagewriter I. I have followed your instructions as listed below:

1. Download and install the latest KeySpan drivers. This one should work.

2. Download and install Foomatic-RIP and Ghostscript from here.

3. Download your PPD from http://openprinting.org/ppd-o-matic.php?driver=iwhi&printer=Apple-ImageWriter_II &show=0

4. Edit the PPD file. Remove the line:

*cupsFilter: "application/vnd.cups-pdf 0 foomatic-rip"

5. Place the PPD in the folder /Library/Printers /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/

6. Download and install the serial backend from my website Serial Print Enabler

7. Plug your printer into Port 1 of the Keyspan adapter and add your printer using the CUPS web inteerface at http://127.0.0.1:631/admin

8. Select KeySerial1 under Local Printers.

9. Set the printer to use 9600 baud, Parity:none, Data Bits:8, Flow Control RTS/CTS

10. Select the PPD that you just added to the PPD folder

"Apple ImageWriter II Foomatic/iwhi (recommended)"

The Imagewriter is recognized when I go to print, but nothing happens. If I check the status, it says "in progress" via the CUPS interface or "printing" via the print monitor. As soon as I cancel the job, the printer prints a few lines of gibberish and then stops. Any suggestions to get the printer to work properly would be greatly apprecated.

Thanks

It sounds like you have the same issue I ran into. See this post I pasted, below, from John (above). In short, you probably need a null modem, or, just get a USA-28X instead (which is what I did).

If it prints even a short portion of intelligible output then the driver is OK. I suspect the Dynex USB to RS232 adapter is either not recognizing or not using the ImageWriter's hardware handshake. That fault may lie with the cable used between them, or a setting in the Dynex adapter. If it has configurable options make sure it is configured to use RTS/CTS and not XON/XOFF. I was never able to get the ImageWriter to work reliably using XON/XOFF but try it if you wish.

Whichever you choose verify the ImageWriter's DIP switch settings are correct:

http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/0/MA673/en_US/0302002IWIIUG.pdf

If you are using a DB9 connector it will require a "null modem" adapter with a DB9 to Mini-DIN 8 adapter. The ImageWriter is DTE. I posted a cable schematic with a pinout diagram on this website that I may be able to locate for you.

The USA-28X uses Mini-DIN 8 connectors which require only a straight cable between them, eliminating any uncertainty. That is the adapter I use, and I'm not familiar with the Dynex.

Thanks Bryan! I just ordered the USA-28X with the 8 pin to 9 pin adapter to use with the Imagewriter I. Do you think the dip switch setting would be the same for the Imagewriter I as they are for the Imagewriter II?

Todd FYI here are the ImageWriter DIP switch settings: http://support.apple.com/kb/TA30460

Note that is for the original ImageWriter. The ImageWriter II DIP Switch Settings are in Appendix C of the document I linked earlier.

And if you want to be even more creative, enable AirPrint and fire off a print job from your iPad!

Here's what I used:

http://www.netputing.com/applications/handyprint-v5/

John & Bryan,

So I received my Keyspan USA-28X today with the 8 pin to 9 pin adapter. I updated my printer in CUPS. It is still doing the same thing. Doesn't do anything even though it is recognized in the printer monitor as "printing"

I am using the following dip switch settings in the Imagewriter I:

SW1 1-OPEN 2-CLOSED 3-CLOSED 4-CLOSED 5-OPEN 6-OPEN 7-CLOSED 8-CLOSED

SW2 1-CLOSED 2-CLOSED 3-OPEN 4-CLOSED

I looked to see if there was a keyspan driver specific to the USA-28X for Snow Leopard, but the information I found online stated that the driver I used for the USA-19HS is the same driver for the USA-28X.

Any suggestions? I'm obviously doing something wrong here.

Thanks for all your help guys!!

Todd

Bryan,

Very Cool! As soon as I get this printer printing from my Mac pro, I'm buying this app! Thanks!

Todd

TODD_K here is a User Tip that may be helpful:

Apple ImageWriter printer installation in OS X

If it doesn't help please write back and explain where you're getting stuck.