[OB] Detail question about parallel port on Omnibook 800CT (F1275A)

[Victor Roberts]

Mu Omnibook manual says just "bi-directional port" but in the I/O
Address data it says "LPT1 in ECP mode."   Based on one entry I found
with Google, ECP just means Extended Capability Port and that
"extended capability" means it is bi-directional and about 10 times
faster than the original Centronics standard.  A more complete
description can be found here:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1284

This indicates that ECP is one step above EPP.

I don't know why ECP or EPP should create any problems for you.  In
any case EPP seems to be the least complex mode that has
bi-directional capabilities. If you are doing data collection, then it
would seem you need at least EPP. 

I don't remember any weird things about the 800CT's parallel port, but
if it has some issue, you could always use a PCMCIA parallel port
card.  The most likely issue you are likely to have is that the Linux
driver may not support all the features you want or may not fully
support whatever chip set is used for the parallel port.

Vic Roberts

-----Original Message-----
From: omnibook-bounces at lists.elektro.com
[mailto:omnibook-bounces at lists.elektro.com] On Behalf Of David Feldman
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 7:45 PM
To: omnibook at lists.elektro.com
Subject: [OB] Detail question about parallel port on Omnibook 800CT
(F1275A)

I'm working on a personal project based on Omnibook 800CT (fast
enough, runs
off 12 volts, no fan, sufficiently power efficient, sufficiently
compatible
with the version of linux - puppy 4.00 - I'm using, etc....)

I plan to use the parallel (printer) port as interface to some
home-made
instrumentation electronics. The BIOS gives me the option of standard
or
"bidirectional"; in some reading I've gathered there are two
"post-bidirectional" versions - ECP and EPP - that give additional
features
(or complications) in using the parallel port for things other than
printing.

My question is this - does anyone know specifically the features
supported
by the Omnibook 800CT's parallel port, and if there are any
bugs/deficiencies (given it's vintage) I should be aware of?

Thanks very much,

Dave

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