prallel port printer work with usb

[budddie]

Hi all. Anyone know if a you can plug your printer that needs a parallel port can be plugged into a Universal Serial Bus port through some kind of adaptor? Or will a USB not know what's hitting it if it comes from a parallel cable? I suppose what I mean is are USB ports backwards compatible to equipment that uses a parallel port?
Hope ya can help

 

[Samm]

Yeah, you can buy a parallel-to-USB adapter.
Newegg.com sell one for $12 :

http://www.newegg.com/app/Viewproduct.asp?Submit=list&catalog=353&DEPA=0&srchFor=parallel

 

[budddie]

will it work?

thanks for that - but will it really work? It seems that some thing s that need a parralel port really do need a parallel port and not a usb? Or is that just crap? Does this adaptor change the usb into a parallel port completely?

 

[gsbtech]

You can buy an adatper. Try this link. (I will see if html displays on this board...)

http://www.goldxproducts.com/usb/1284.htm

 

[Samm]

I don't know for sure as I've never come across one myself.

The adapter is specified for use with a printer though so should be OK. Might be worth checking the printers manufacturers website however in case there are any issues.

 

[budddie]

thanks

I gather that the whole matter is complicated - you have to have particular specifications if using an adaptor to change usb to parallel. I wonder are you really better off with a simple parallel port instead of adapting..?

 

[Samm]

probably. I suspect the printer won't print any faster through USB anyway with an adapter, because of the bottleneck at the printers parallel port.