Converting ESC/P2 output for modern printing

Anything QL Software or Programming Related.
RWAP
RWAP Master
Posts: 2834
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:51 pm
Location: Stone, United Kingdom
Contact:

Converting ESC/P2 output for modern printing

Post by RWAP »

Just a thought, but surely with the low cost of the Raspberry Pi, it should be possible to make a low cost print server which could be connected to a serial port / parallel port to accept incoming data (think Epson control codes / or even just plain text) - then process it using the Linux printer drivers and output to modern USB printers (which don't have any software built in)...

You would potentially need to box the Raspberry Pi and add some easy method of installing a new printer driver as default.

But that would solve the issue for many users of retro computers (not just the QL) and industrial machinery...

(** THREAD has now been moved to the software section as it is now concentrating on the actual software to convert ESC/P2 output - something which could be achieved on the QL with enough memory!)
Last edited by RWAP on Tue May 16, 2017 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.


User avatar
1024MAK
Super Gold Card
Posts: 592
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:16 am
Location: Looking forward to summer in Somerset, UK...

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by 1024MAK »

I like this idea :D

On the connection to retro machines, it would be most widely compatible if it had both a RS232 serial port and a Centronics (IEEE1284) parallel port for input.

As well as converting incoming data, it could act as a printer buffer as well. No more waiting for your retro machine while it is busy waiting for the printer to print...

Maybe (by using an extension to the Epson control characters) the input data format could be configurable between different types / settings?

For output, as Rich says, USB connection to a modern "dumb" ink-jet.
But also I would want it to connect to laser printers as well.

Also it would be nice if it could print to a network printer via Ethernet :mrgreen:

Mark


:!: Standby alert :!:
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :)

QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
RWAP
RWAP Master
Posts: 2834
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:51 pm
Location: Stone, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by RWAP »

Just an update on this project - a simple working prototype...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywi9rU6A ... e=youtu.be


RWAP
RWAP Master
Posts: 2834
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:51 pm
Location: Stone, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by RWAP »

This is getting closer to fruition... The software is ready for testing and we are just waiting on a small batch of test PCBs to conert a parallel port to the Raspberry Pi.

We are in need of a project name though - any suggestions?

Retro-Print
PiCent

Are the best two so far, I like PInterface too - but someone has used that already


Ralf R.

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by Ralf R. »

RWAP wrote:This is getting closer to fruition... The software is ready for testing and we are just waiting on a small batch of test PCBs to conert a parallel port to the Raspberry Pi.

We are in need of a project name though - any suggestions?

Retro-Print
PiCent

Are the best two so far, I like PInterface too - but someone has used that already
Q-Pi :shock:


RWAP
RWAP Master
Posts: 2834
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:51 pm
Location: Stone, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by RWAP »

Q-Pi has already been used by CST - plus it is not just aimed at the QL market.... ;)


RWAP
RWAP Master
Posts: 2834
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:51 pm
Location: Stone, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by RWAP »

Just for an update on this project. I have been using the knowledge I learnt writing the enhanced ESC/P2 colour drivers for LineDesign (yes, it really was my first attempt at C programming :D ); and updating the software for this project to handle ESC/P2 codes - a lot of other printer capture software only implements either the ESC/P codes used on 9 pin dot matrix printers, or only has a sub-set of ESC/P2.

The project also has a name - The Retro-Printer and we have released the sources for the conversion software as a new project on Github - Printer To PDF - Epson printer capture software

There is still more work needed on the software side but a new PCB layout is currently with the factory and expected back in the next few days.

One thing we are short of, is fonts compatible with the various Epson printer character tables as it would be nice to emulate all of the variations.


User avatar
Peter
QL Wafer Drive
Posts: 1953
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 8:47 am

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by Peter »

The required file "dir.c" seems missing.

Except for the SDL dependencies and the missing file, this looks like it would compile with QDOS-GCC.
Do you already know it would be too slow on a native machine?

Otherwise it would make sense to include a compiletime define, so a QDOS version can also be made. I had a quick go, but got stuck because of "dir.c".


RWAP
RWAP Master
Posts: 2834
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:51 pm
Location: Stone, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by RWAP »

Ah - good point - I have added dir.c

It is written for use with our retro-printer project, so desinged to run on a Raspberry Pi. I have not thought about trying it on a native machine.


User avatar
Dave
SandySuperQDave
Posts: 2765
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:52 am
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

Re: Raspberry Pi - A commercial use?

Post by Dave »

What parts of the Pi do you use? As this is the quintessential embedded use, you might save a lot of production costs and gain a lot more control of the physical box you sell this thing by redesigning your board to accept a Pi 3 compute module then only implementing the ports you're using. This makes the unit smaller, either cheaper or the same price, and more dedicated to that single purpose. I mean, you could literally have a card with just parallel, USB and a solid 3v3 power supply section. Then you could just use any 1A or so USB PSU.

Right now the RPi compute module is quite expensive as it is so new, but in time I expect it to fall nearer to Raspberry Pi Zero prices. That gets you to where you could potentially fit the entire computer in the parallel connector case.


Post Reply