Printing via Serout to USB printer

[manie]

Hi all
After a long while I need some info again........ I need to print from a Picaxe via Serout/Hserout to a USB printer, linked directly to the Picaxe.

A forum search showed some FRM015 chip but those printers are impossible to find now.

Any help ???

 

[hippy]

You will need some sort of serially controlled 'USB host' module which can convert from serial to USB. Something like this might be what you need -

http://www.hobbytronics.co.uk/usb-host-board-v2

 

[manie]

Thanks Hippy
Will I require printer drivers etc. before I can even think of printing to USB printers ? I was thinking to connect the printer directly to the Picaxe.
What I want is a datalogger with printing facility. Possible ?

 

[hippy]

You can't simply connect a PICAXE to a USB printer. and you will need something in the USB Host module which can understand your printer and that probably does vary depending on printer.

You could use a PC which has the required printer drivers and write a program which receives serial and then prints that out. A small single board computer might be the best bet.

 

[manie]

Thanks Hippy, I see that EPSON still makes Serial and Parallel printers, might be the way to go.......

http://www.pinnacleafrica.co.za/Product/bycategory.aspx?ID=2934

 

[Paix]

Not that you would want a teleprinter/TTY machine, but things were certainly very simple with serial dot matrix printers.

 

[Morganl]

There are some small reciept printers with serial and parallel interfaces.
Some for panel mounting.
Here is one: http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/embedded-thermal-printer-p-1621.html
You could also search the markets for used computer printers. I have one HP Laserjet 3 with serial interface, and a HP LJ1100 and a LJ4 with parallel interfaces.

 

[papaof2]

I have an ancient HP DeskJet 520 inkjet printer with serial and parallel interfaces. I have occasion to use it maybe once a year.

There's also an HP inkjet plotter that will take up to 36 inch wide paper. It has serial and parallel interfaces, but there's a NetGear parallel-network interface on that port. The plotter is available to any computer on the network. The plotter was a freebie - a restaurant had used it for printing menus and decided to move from black and white to color menus. Black and white works fine for big schematics

 

[manie]

Thanks to all for the replies ! It seems I will go with the small receipt printer types, using serial for comms. They are quite PRICY though !!!!