|
Prices surpassed $100 here and there.Then I saw this Amazon incredibly cheap cable for $7 or so and was so sure I was going to just get what I paid for that I set up a temporary solution for my home problem involving an old computer and a hub.Anyway -- the cable came, I connected it to the DB-25 end of the Centronix cable coming out of my printer, and plugged the USB end into a USB port, then hoisted my not-so-young-any-more-self up from under the desk, just in time to see the automatic configuration process and the new printer ready to print. First time in 30+ years of computers anything was that easy.My OS is VISTA Home Premium 64-bit. So I have this old, trusty HP LaserJet 2100 on my 5-computer home network that refuses to die, yet prints reliably and cheaply, and has seen many computers come and go during its long life. NO loading of the included driver mini-CD, no doing anything. While I had no choice about the OS and am a card-carrying XP luddite, maybe I should give Vista another chance, since in this particular instance with this cable, it worked the way I wish all computers worked. The latest computer I just bought to replace the Printer's "home" computer had no parallel port and so I did some research on what to do. I found all kinds of converter cables, I even found outfits that were going to send me a cable with some converter black box incorporated.
Then right click on the default printer and go to properties. You don't need the driver CD to make this product work with your Windows XP. Then hit apply.4) Enjoy printing & remember not to waste any paper. Select the Ports tab, scroll down in the window to find USB001 (Virtual Printer port for USB) and check mark the box. All you have to do is:1) leave the printer disconnected with only the adapter cable plugged in2) I let Windows find the adapter and load the drivers3) Plug in the printer to the adapter, then installed the printer manually telling it to use USB001 (Virtual Printer port for USB). You can do this by going to Control Pannel >> Printers.
I didn't think it would work, but it works great and it has saved me from having to buy a new printer when I didn't need one. I would definitely recommend this converter cable. It works like a charm and anyone who has an older printer with a serial port can use it.
Not to mention that it never got to me on time. It was an extremely frustrating experience. BrilliantStore billed me:Subtotal of Items: $6.90Shipping & Handling: $12.48 ------Total for this Order: $19.38So how did my cost go from $12.19 to $19.38 you ask.
It took 3 long days to make it work. I eventually did get it to work after many long hours of dead-ends.Save your self a lot of pain and buy something that will work easily. I even Babblefished the Chinese website.
BrilliantStore will rip you off.Amazon sent me a notice the cost was:Order Grand Total: $12.19 and that was shipping and product. Expedited my ear.OK, so now my trials with getting the cable to work. And don't trust the ripoff company BrilliantStore.
Well my friends, I have to believe that the folks at BrilliantStore got real greedy. I got it 3 days later.
I went to the manufacturer's site and attempted to find drivers for Vista and they didn't have it. I went to all lengths to get this cable to work with my HP LaserJet 6L, unfortunately it had no response. I'd recommend getting another more reliable brand instead of this kind. This was quite cheap and the product itself is cheaply made. The actual manufacturer of this cable is Wanteng, a Chinese based company.
|
