Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.hardware Path: terra.net!news.sprintlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!Germany.EU.net!vampir.hnv.icem.de!euler!js From: js@euler.hnv.icem.de(Juergen Sell) Subject: Re: long printer cord??? Organization: Ink Unknown Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 09:25:41 GMT Here you go : Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.sysadmin Path: balu.hnv.icem.de!Germany.EU.net!mcsun!uknet!pipex!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!csus. edu!netcom.com!netcomsv!angst!dylan From: dylan@Angst.COM (Dylan Kohler) Subject: Re: Longest NeXT Laser Printer Cable (long) Message-ID: <1993Oct2.020713.5055@Angst.COM> Sender: dylan@Angst.COM Reply-To: dylan@Angst.COM Organization: Angst Animation Post Production References: <28homr$7sb@TAMUTS.TAMU.EDU> Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1993 02:07:13 GMT Lines: 168 In article <28homr$7sb@TAMUTS.TAMU.EDU> daugher@cs.tamu.edu(Walter C. Daugherity) writes: > | In article <1993Sep29.032602.7487@hot.com>, Robert_La_Ferla@hot.com writes: > | > Is it possible to get a longer NeXT laser printer cable? > > The standard NeXT printer cable is about 10 feet long. There was a post > a year or two ago (which I didn't save) from someone who had > successfully extended one. > > As I recall he said NeXT used the signal propagation delay for timing so > a longer cable had to be just exactly the right length (75 feet???) so > that signals would sync on the next clock pulse. > > Maybe someone who saved the post can repost it, or maybe you can find it > in an archive. Good luck! I asked the same question and in one response got this bit of urban folklore. If you succeed, let us know! Begin forwarded message: Date: Thu, 17 Sep 92 00:39:12 PDT From: izumi@pinoko.berkeley.edu (Izumi Ohzawa) To: tgr@trans.csuohio.edu Subject: Re: longer printer cable Cc: izumi@pinoko.berkeley.edu In comp.sys.next.hardware article <1992Sep16.215632.26112@news.csuohio.edu> you wrote: >We have 2 NeXTs here and one has a NeXT laser printer attached. We have >them configured so both computers can share the printer. Here is the >problem: > >The printer is in the directors office and we would like it outside of his >office to eliminate any disturbances. So I call NeXT support to get the >specs on the cable so I can have a custom cable made. They tell me it >will not work and can not be longer than the supplied cable. > >So if anyone out there is using a longer cable on their NeXT printer, >please drop a not to me to verify that it does work. > >Thanks, > Wayne > Yes, I heard that you can use a longer cable but it has to be really long like 80feet. Officially, NeXT says you can't, but apparently it is possible. You have to make your own cable. Read on. --- Izumi Ohzawa [ Bg_78^=; ] USMail: University of California, 360 Minor Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 Telephone: (510) 642-6440 Fax: (510) 642-3323 Internet: izumi@pinoko.berkeley.edu (NeXT Mail OK) =============== Here's an old posting about this =============== [Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.hardware Path: agate!ames!haven.umd.edu!darwin.sura.net!mips!think.com!rpi!usc!sol.ctr.co lumbia.edu!src.honeywell.com!umn.edu!ux.acs.umn.edu!bru!newsman From: brunkhorst@mayo.edu (Geoff Brunkhorst) Subject: Re: Printer cable length.... Message-ID: <1992May15.150332.4258@bmw.mayo.edu> Sender: newsman@bmw.mayo.edu (/home/bmw/usenet) Reply-To: brunkhorst@mayo.edu Organization: Mayo Foundation, Rochester MN. Campus References: <78062@netnews.upenn.edu> Date: Fri, 15 May 92 15:03:32 GMT Lines: 76 In article <78062@netnews.upenn.edu> anstine@rm105serve.sas.upenn.edu (David Anstine) writes: > How long can the cable be? Can I use an amplifier to make it longer? > > -dave It can be multiples of 80, plus 15 feet, if you use coax (see below) this was a suggestion that is NOT SUPPORTED IN ANY WAY BY NEXT!!! I received this from a NeXT SE, and am forwarding it to the net without permission. Sounded good. If the original author sees this, he can respond if he wants... - Geoff ------------------------------------------------------------ You know how the official party line is that you can't make a longer NeXT printer cable? An engineer I knew at University didn't buy this story and has successfully made an 80-foot long printer cable. Here's some email he sent me about what was involved. From: To: name_deleted@NeXT.COM Subject: Re: lengthening a NeXT printer cable I made a cable using seperate coaxs for each signal. It works fine, except that when the printer runs out of paper, putting in more paper does not get the printer printing again. found that he had to turn the printer off using the soft window, and then it starting printing again. As far as signal skew goes, there should be no problem with data going to the printer, since the CPU provides data and data clock. However, the return data may be suffering skew problems. One solution, is to adjust the length of the cable so the return data is skewed by exact one clock cycle. I will try this sometime and let you know how it works. From: To: @NeXT.COM Subject: Re: lengthening a NeXT printer cable Hi again, Steve: I measured the delay with the oscilloscope and found that that I made the cable a poor length for skew. I added enough cable to the return data line so that the cable is now equal to 80 feet in length. This adjusted the skew for the return data one full clock cycle. and I tested to see if the running the printer out of paper still caused a problem. We found that the problem is fixed. So, the moral to this story is to make long cables multiples of 80 feet (for 81% c coax). The cable can be slightly longer that 80 feet but not by more than 15 feet. The cable can not be shorter that 80 feet. These cable length should work: 0 to 15 feet 80 to 95 160 to 175 240 to 255 Of course the lengths will have to be adjusted for the velocity factor if it is different than 81 percent. Mabey, Next can make a special cable and sell it! --------------------------------------------------------------- Geoffrey Brunkhorst, RCF brunkhorst@Mayo.edu Guggenheim 10 (507) 284-1805 Mayo Foundation, Rochester MN, 55905 USA fax (507) 284-5231 [izumi@pinoko:+/NeXT-announce.nfold] % ================== end quote ===================== -- ___________________________________ Dylan Kohler Angst Animation Post Production dylan@angst.com (NeXTmail welcome) Juergen --- Fon ++49-511-440688 NeXTMail welcome Fax ++49-511-440617 == What time do we live in when spontaneity and freedom get associated with instant coffee, == when a politician's idea of social change is changing names?