Re: pci-to-parallel vs usb-to-parallel?

On Fri, Aug 15, 2008 at 10:33:50AM -0700, Bob McGowan wrote:
Mike Fontenot wrote:
My new PC doesn't have a parallel port on the back (or anywhere else),
and I need one for my HP1200 B/W laser printer. I've seen inexpensive
PCI cards that have one or two parallel ports, and also some cables that
convert between USB and parallel.

(They convert from a parallel port printer to a USB host, which is what
you need. The other way around is more complicated)

Any advice on which of these
alternatives is likely to give me the least trouble getting printing to
work (with etch or lenny)?

Mike Fontenot



The absolute least trouble would seem be to get the PCI card, since it
will use "standard" chips that will work, out of the box, with Linux.
But the USB is easier, since you just need to plug it in, no opening the
case with associated potential for breaking something physically. And
USB to parallel support should not be an issue, though I'm no expert on
that aspect.

USB printer support (usblp) works well in recent kernels. "recent" also
includes the Etch kernel.


Other issues to consider:

How many PCI slots are available? Will there be a need for other PCI
cards, now or in the future? The answer here may indicate the USB route
is better, as it conserves PCI slots for future use.

Speed over USB will be limited to the PP port speed at max but could be
impacted by other devices on the USB bus, if there are any.

Speed? Even USB1.1 is about the same speed of a parallel port (probably
faster). And with USB2 you have nothing to worry about with the speed.


If it were me, I'd factor in the cost, as well. If they were close, I'd
probably choose the USB interface path, mostly due to not needing to
open the chassis to implement it.

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