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OGR3
Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 6
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:12 pm Post subject: Laptop needs parallel port |
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I have a MD-PRO and want to start feeding it ROMs with my laptop -- which has no parallel port. I just ordered a USB to Parallel adapter, will that work? Or do I need a PCMIA parallel card?
I am familiar with editing the DreamWriter ini for port addresses.
Just wondering if you can get a compatable port from a USB device. |
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kyuusaku
Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:26 am Post subject: |
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The USB adapter won't work, you'll need a PCMCIA one. |
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OGR3
Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 6
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:19 am Post subject: |
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Parallel PCMCIA cards are $100! Screw that! I'm thinking about picking up an older laptop, in particular the IBM Thinkpad 770e.
IBM.com wrote: | OTHER FEATURES: The ThinkPad 770E systems have the full complement of ports (enhanced parallel, serial, USB port, and external display). The FDD external attachment port is standard on all 770E models. |
I have to admit, the word "enhanced" bothers me. Do you think TOTOTEK's hardware will still be compatable? I also have a Game Doctor SF7 to worry about.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=LWIK-3TQGSL |
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kyuusaku
Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:01 am Post subject: |
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Apparently Tototek's hardware requires EPP features but the Game Doctor does not. As long as your parallel port is EPP compliant it should be OK. You must also be able to map it to standard port addresses because some software doesn't have user definable addresses. |
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rbudrick
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 373
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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Tomy's products are pretty easy to use, but if you want to use your parallel port for old school copiers, beware, as some PCMCIA cards can be pretty wonky. They can be a real bitch to get to work right, depending on what card you buy, how picky your laptop is, and sometimes even how pick your bios is.
If you buy a laptop with a parallel port, the controller chips used in many laptops can also be very picky compared to desktop models.
Older desktops are really best, especially those with ISA parallel ports.
In my experience, it's just a crapshoot no matter what when using old school copiers, but Tomy's products are generally much easier to get working than them. Not that you asked about that or anything, lol. Just wanted to point that out.
Oh, and anyone know what the deal is with PCMCIA parallel cards being so damn expensive (and limited in modes, eg EPP, ECP, etc.)?
-Rob |
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Senshu
Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 3
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Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:33 am Post subject: |
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Just a word of advice for people who want to buy before mentioned pcmcia ->lpt card.
I've got one of those expensive cards (transdigital) and unfortunately it doesn't work with tototek's Super Flash . I tried various configurations, LPT enabling drivers etc. to make it work, but the software always said (official one as well as ucon64) it couldn't detect the super flash... I haven't checked it with copiers, though, but I guess the story might be the same for them...
PS What is really strange, is that the card works fine with almost every other LPT device I have tried, from GBC programmers to normal eprom programmers, like Willem for example... |
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alaterale
Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 8
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:16 am Post subject: |
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Hi,
In response to the original post about USB to parallel adaptors, I found a few items of interest.
First, when I was compiling my new kernel, I noticed an option for parallel to usb adaptors and at first thought it was just for printers. But apparently, there's a chip, a Lucent USS720, that allows for any kind of parallel port hardware on a USB line.
Here's a link to the driver information:
http://www.linux-usb.org/USB-guide/x532.html
Now, I am still trying to figure out what hardware uses this chip; I've seen people post online about adaptors that they found out has this chip, but no specific names or models yet.
Also, I found this guy who makes a similar cable (and currently only has windows software, but I contacted him and he would allow for porting via the source to linux or wherever):
http://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~heha/bastelecke/Rund%20um%20den%20PC/USB2LPT/index.html.en
Anyway, I thought the people here might want to know there are potential options for USB out there. As far as I can tell, both of the sources say they are slower than native parallel, but I personally wouldn't mind waiting another 5 minutes or so I'm not sure how good they are, but for people like me who own macs, its a good start! |
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kyuusaku
Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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I'm unsure whether the parallel port's interrupt can be used through the USB controller's interrupt or even if parallel port interrupts really work in anything other than single-tasking OS like DOS, so not matter how good the USB<->parallel adapter, it won't be compatible with a lot of things. |
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alaterale
Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 8
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I asked the guy if it would work for a parallel EEPROM programmer (albeit much slower than native parallel) and he confirmed that it does. I think the programmers for these flash cards are pretty much the same thing, so it may work. In any case, I'm going to try to find something along these lines. Worst case, it doesn't work like you said. But it would seem likely that it will work somewhat.
Also, I'm a bit confused by what you said about the interrupts via parallel. I know this can be used in windows via a real parallel port, which is not a single tasking OS (such as DOS), so I don't understand what you are referring to there. |
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kyuusaku
Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us
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Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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Many parallel devices using IRQs require the system to respond within a period much smaller than a time slice in multitasking operating systems. Besides that I don't think you can access the IRQ vector table, only drivers can.
Parallel EPROM programmers can be used with such a device because there are practically no timing requirements, copiers are often like this too because they use polling to handshake but many devices do use IRQs instead. |
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alaterale
Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 8
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:29 am Post subject: |
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Ah, I see your point now.
Well, I don't know how the tototek programmers are setup, but I would guess they don't use IRQs. If so, then at least the devices here can be used (potentially) via this USB method.
By the way, I found an actual device that uses this chip (the Lucent USS-720). It's a "Belkin F5u002v1 Usb To Parallel Adapter". Granted, since it was originally intended for printers, the parallel end is not the standard pin type, but with a gender changer or something it should work.
They have it lots of places, including Amazon. The cheapest I could find is this:
http://www.beachaudio.com/Belkin/F5u002-V1-p-74526.html
I'm going to get one and see what I can do with it. If I can at least use the super flash programmer with it that will be great |
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kyuusaku
Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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Kind of pricey :) Hope it works for you, you'll have to add it into uCON64 right? |
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Vlcice
Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 35
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Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:11 am Post subject: |
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Just to warn you, araterale: Belkin made a large number of types of F5U002s and F5U002v1s, not all of which use the USS-720. They didn't change the product number for revisions of the hardware. I've heard from elsewhere that only the version manufactured with a detachable USB cable contains the USS-720, or at least has it reliably. I own one that's otherwise identical but uses the wrong chip and is useless for working with my SF7.
Last edited by Vlcice on Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Senshu
Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 3
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Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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@Vlcice - do you know if that belkin cable (the good one) works with the SuperFlash cart programmer ?
Thanks,
Senshu |
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Vlcice
Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 35
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Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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No idea, sorry. I haven't been able to get one yet. |
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