USB <--> Parallel

seamus

Is this possible?

I have a zip drive at home, but none here in on our brand spanking P4's in college. Can I get a cable to attach my parallel zippie to the USB ports on these comps to allow me download large quantities of data at scandalous speeds and bring it home?

Cheeers

Tom Dunne

Should be no problem. Belkin make a module that gives you a standard serial, paralell and PS/2 connector.

You plug your paralell device into this box, then plug this box into the USB port on the PC. I remember seeing one in PC World in Liffey Valley. Can't remember the price, though.

TD.

seamus

Cool! I'll have a look tonight on me way home

spongebob

the belkin gizmo should show up in the device manager (system control panel) on the p4 as a

usb hub

using plugnpray, it willn't require extra software

if it won't there ain't much chance the parallel port device will show up on the non existent usb hub

M

Tom Dunne

Also noticed on Komplett.ie that they have a USB->Parallel cable. It is 60 Euro, though.

Check it out here

seamus

Ah bollops! I'm always mixing them up!

I think it's actually USB --> Serial I'm looking for. Like the connector the printer uses to the computer with the 17 or so pins.

would this be the right one:?

http://www.peats.com/cgi-bin/shop/db.cgi?view=1&id=4520&type=6&path=14x106x617

Tom Dunne

No, I don't think this is what you are looking for. A parallel port has 25 pins, a serial has 9 (check the back of your PC - serial is usuall labelled COM1 or COM2).

I am fairly certain there was never a serial version of the Zip drive (correct me if I'm wrong). If there was, you would be waiting a VERY long time for files to transfer - Parallel ports transfer data at a much quicker rate.

Did you see the Belkin gadget in PC World?

seamus

Originally posted by tom dunne
Did you see the Belkin gadget in PC World?

Heh...no....I'll have a look tonight for definite .

OK, I'm always getting slightly confussd with serial/parallel

timeout

Also noticed on Komplett.ie that they have a USB->Parallel cable. It is 60 Euro, though.

this is for a printer only because it has the centronics connection.

Belkin make a module that gives you a standard serial, paralell and PS/2 connector.

this is truely what you need and costs about €100+.

But the belkin hub still won't be faster then trying it through the standard parallel. You could just save yourself the €100.

I am fairly certain there was never a serial version of the Zip drive

just parallel, SCSI and USB.(correct me if I'm wrong)

Tom Dunne

I don't think Seamus is doing this for the speed.

Now there's a question - why are you doing this? Surely new PC's have a parallel port? Or are they some of these "legacy free" PC's with no serial/parallel ports, only a mass of USB ports?