Current HP printer supporting PCL6?

I am trying to find a current HP printer that supports either printing
from DOS or supports PCL6 emulation? Any ideas on who I can contact at
HP?

Thanks,
Jay

This is a tricky one.

I doubt that any CURRENT HP printers even have parallel ports any more. If you
are running a computer with a true DOS environment, not a DOS box, it is pretty
difficult to print to a USB printer. If you are running a DOS app in a DOS box
under Windows, I think you can associate the USB port with a pseudo-parallel
port (LPT1, LPT2, etc), but I forget how to do it.

If you get an HP printer with an Ethernet port, you can associate it with a
pseudo-parallel port using a DOS-mode NET USE command. This works in either
environment, assuming that you have a network there.

As for PCL6, your concerns are well-founded. Some HP printers no longer have
any PCL at all, the so-called Windows printers. If you need only
black-and-white printing, a laser printer is your best bet. AFAIK, the HP
laser printers all still support PCL6.

Your best bet is to go on-line at the HP web site and CAREFULLY read the specs
of the various printers... Ben Myers

On Wed, 03 Jan 2007 09:54:18 -0600, Reverse first and last names
<> wrote:

>I am trying to find a current HP printer that supports either printing
>from DOS or supports PCL6 emulation? Any ideas on who I can contact at
>HP?
>
>Thanks,
>Jay

Reverse first and last names <> wrote:
> I am trying to find a current HP printer that supports either printing
> from DOS or supports PCL6 emulation?

Many of them. Could you be more specific about what kind of printing
technology, speed, connection type, and price range?

Come to think of it, let's just skip all that and make it easier. I
think that Ben Myers sells used HP lasers from time to time. Just buy
one from him. I suggest a LaserJet 4050. It'll be cheaper and more
durable than a new low-end HP laser, and you won't have to deal with the
process below.

> Any ideas on who I can contact at HP?

If you go to HP's web site, a "live help" icon will appear and float
around your screen. (Mine went away just as I was searching the page
source for blocking that script with Adblock.)

There may also be a "Was this page helpful?" survey that will pop up
just as you get there, before you've had a chance to look at anything.
I encourage everyone to answer that survey as creatively as possible.

It's interesting that HP thinks antagonizing potential customers is a
good idea.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

OK. I found the secret to getting my DOS applications to work.

1) Buy a printer that supports PCL3 or above. These include the HP DJ
5650, 6520, 6620, 6940, 6980, 9800, Business Inkjet 2300 or BI1200.
These printers are all USB only. With the apps I am using, you can
also use printers that support Epson FX and IBM Proprinter emulations.
The Epson Stylus C66 worked fine for me as well, but that is no longer
made.

FYI, the HP website doesn't have a list of printers that support PCL3.
The HP.CO.UK website shows the DJ6940 as supporting PCL3, the the U.S.
website doesn't.

2) Install the printer under Windows XP and designate it as the
default printer.

3) Go into Printer Properties and choose "Ports". Put a "check" next
to "Enable Printer Pooling" and then add LPT1 as a printer port.

I purchased a DJ6940 and did the above and my DOS app printed out the
USB port with no problem.

You can also set up a network printer using the DOS command:

NET USE LPT1: \\servername\printername /persistent:yes

Name the server and the printer share names so that they each have 8
characters or less and with no spaces (i.e. the 8.3 DOS filename
restriction)

FYI, I have tried add-on programs like Printfil and DOS2USB, but they
don't seem to support graphics, which I need.

Thanks for your feedback.

Jay

On Wed, 03 Jan 2007 17:44:07 -0000, Warren Block <>
wrote:

>Reverse first and last names <> wrote:
>> I am trying to find a current HP printer that supports either printing
>> from DOS or supports PCL6 emulation?
>
>Many of them. Could you be more specific about what kind of printing
>technology, speed, connection type, and price range?
>
>Come to think of it, let's just skip all that and make it easier. I
>think that Ben Myers sells used HP lasers from time to time. Just buy
>one from him. I suggest a LaserJet 4050. It'll be cheaper and more
>durable than a new low-end HP laser, and you won't have to deal with the
>process below.
>
>> Any ideas on who I can contact at HP?
>
>If you go to HP's web site, a "live help" icon will appear and float
>around your screen. (Mine went away just as I was searching the page
>source for blocking that script with Adblock.)
>
>There may also be a "Was this page helpful?" survey that will pop up
>just as you get there, before you've had a chance to look at anything.
>I encourage everyone to answer that survey as creatively as possible.
>
>It's interesting that HP thinks antagonizing potential customers is a
>good idea.