Adding Parallel Ports

Hi, I need to add another parallel port to a Dell GX760 for a special
application.
for a total of two parallel ports. The application doesn't recognize USB
ports.
Is there any problem with IRQs or anything else re: using two parallel ports
on a GX760?

Thanks,

Sam

Hi!

> Hi, I need to add another parallel port to a Dell GX760 for a special
> application. for a total of two parallel ports.

You should not have any problems with adding the card. The only thing I'm
not sure about (as it has been a while since I did this) is how the system
will set the card up. It *should* put the port at the LPT2 IRQ and I/O
range, but with PCI devices, anything supported by the chipset in question
is possible.

Most of the cards I've seen sold for this purpose are based on a NetMos
(Moschip) Semiconductor part. Their early chipsets and drivers had some
problems. Later ones seem to be fine.

William

Hi!

> the problem is that most parallel port cards on the market are
> really just usb cards with on board usb to parallel type
> adapters.

I wouldn't say they don't exist, but I've never seen one like that. It
seems like an expensive and wasteful (one multiport USB controller,
probably a USB 2.0 one, for a single low speed device?) design.

All of the ones I've ever seen or used (most of them from
StarTech.com) are "real" ports provided by a Moschip controller. There
are PCI Express ones available now, although some of the earlier ones
used a controller for a PCI card and had a PCI-to-PCI Express bridge
onboard. (I doubt if that makes any significant difference.)

> if you insert a card and it asks for a driver then you know you
> have some sort of funky usb to parallel card that may not
> behave the way you want.

Quite far from it, actually. The Moschip devices typically do require
a driver, or at least an INF file that cordons off any unused ports so
that Windows won't try to enable them. (Cards that have only serial
ports frequently also show up as having a "Netmos Unusable Parallel
Port".

http://www.startech.com/category/par...ards/list.aspx

I've used many of these for both parallel and serial applications.
They've always worked fine, even with ancient application software.

William

"William R. Walsh" < m>
wrote in message news:V7SCm.91716$5n1.51970@attbi_s21...
> Hi!
>
>> Hi, I need to add another parallel port to a Dell GX760 for a special
>> application. for a total of two parallel ports.
>
> You should not have any problems with adding the card. The only thing I'm
> not sure about (as it has been a while since I did this) is how the system
> will set the card up. It *should* put the port at the LPT2 IRQ and I/O
> range, but with PCI devices, anything supported by the chipset in question
> is possible.
>
> Most of the cards I've seen sold for this purpose are based on a NetMos
> (Moschip) Semiconductor part. Their early chipsets and drivers had some
> problems. Later ones seem to be fine.
>
> William

Thanks

"William R. Walsh" <> wrote in message
news:93d9c1ef-1b62-4ebe-9b69-...
> Hi!
>
>> the problem is that most parallel port cards on the market are
>> really just usb cards with on board usb to parallel type
>> adapters.
>
> I wouldn't say they don't exist, but I've never seen one like that. It
> seems like an expensive and wasteful (one multiport USB controller,
> probably a USB 2.0 one, for a single low speed device?) design.
>
> All of the ones I've ever seen or used (most of them from
> StarTech.com) are "real" ports provided by a Moschip controller. There
> are PCI Express ones available now, although some of the earlier ones
> used a controller for a PCI card and had a PCI-to-PCI Express bridge
> onboard. (I doubt if that makes any significant difference.)
>
>> if you insert a card and it asks for a driver then you know you
>> have some sort of funky usb to parallel card that may not
>> behave the way you want.
>
> Quite far from it, actually. The Moschip devices typically do require
> a driver, or at least an INF file that cordons off any unused ports so
> that Windows won't try to enable them. (Cards that have only serial
> ports frequently also show up as having a "Netmos Unusable Parallel
> Port".
>
> http://www.startech.com/category/par...ards/list.aspx
>
> I've used many of these for both parallel and serial applications.
> They've always worked fine, even with ancient application software.
>
> William

The LPT2 port needs to work with a label printer but no USb.

Sam

"Christopher Muto" <> wrote in message
news: t...

> clearly we have had very different experiences. i have encountered a
> countless number of legacy parallel type security dongles and parallel
> port only multifunction printers and other specialty printers like those
> made by javelin that refuse to work properly with newfangled parallel port
> adapter cards (the cheap ones) or usb to parallel adapters. only real
> parallel hardware ports that do not require drivers in xp do the job as
> previously stated. a more modern application is more forgiving to the
> quirks of the simulated parallel ports, but the old stuff seems to get
> hung up. of course you and the op can do what he/she wants with the free
> advice given here. good luck.


The printers will not work w/ USB so simulated LPT2 won't work IMO.

Sam

"Christopher Muto" <> wrote in message
news: t...
> the problem is that most parallel port cards on the market are really just
> usb cards with on board usb to parallel type adapters. in other words not
> a true bi-directional parallel port. sounds like you will need a real
> hardware parallel port for which i suggest trolling ebay. siig still
> makes a true hardware parallel port card that supports epp/ecp/spp, but
> they also make many that are these simulated parallel ports which are not
> bi-directional and i would guess won't work with your mystery legacy
> application.
> $70 plus shipping for new...
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150109
> or search ebay for "hp 321722-001" and you can find a real hardware
> parallel port for about $10.
> no drivers required in windows xp for a real hardware parallel port. if
> you insert a card and it asks for a driver then you know you have some
> sort of funky usb to parallel card that may not behave the way you want.


I'll check them out.

I did a google search for PCI parallel port and clicked on the first
link.

On amazon's website they mentioned a startech.com card. I went to
startech.com and found quite a bit. They had a clearance special for
$4.99 but just noticed it was ISA not PCI.

I remember buying a second parallel card once and it worked for me.
As long as you get a 'real' parallel (IEEE 1284) card you should be
good to go.

Let us know what happens.

"vbDavidC" <> wrote in message
news:7b34bbf1-cc83-4cd7-b93c-...
>I did a google search for PCI parallel port and clicked on the first
> link.
>
> On amazon's website they mentioned a startech.com card. I went to
> startech.com and found quite a bit. They had a clearance special for
> $4.99 but just noticed it was ISA not PCI.
>
> I remember buying a second parallel card once and it worked for me.
> As long as you get a 'real' parallel (IEEE 1284) card you should be
> good to go.
>
> Let us know what happens.

ThANks I need a "real" IEEE 1284 card.