RWAP Software

Anyone wishing to connect a printer to a retro computer, older DOS programs or a piece of industrial equipment, may find that they struggle to find a compatible printer. Normally people need a printer which has a parallel port (which is increasingly difficult to find) and can understand plain text.

How many printers will work with the following DOS command:
Not a great many unfortunately.

This is because modern printers expect Windows to do all the donkey work, and convert text to the commands to tell the printer where to print the ink on the paper.

If you have a DOS program which will run under a DOS box under Windows, then there are software solutions, such as QPCPrint for DOS which will capture the ouput intended for a printer supporting ESC/P2 Epson printer codes and convert this for printing to any printer connected under Windows. However, not every system is capable of running under Windows and that is where the problem lies.

Now we wonder if it would be possible to create a hardware based solution.

Basically, what we would like to see is a small box, running (say) Windows CE, which would connect to a computer's parallel port, take the Epson output sent to the parallel port, and then use the in-built QPCPrint for DOS to convert it to a Windows printer connected to the box itself. Theoretically, this would be possible - there would be no need for any graphics card, and only a small amount of memory to hold the document currently being printed. A USB port would be available for connecting a modern printer, and a network port which could be used to install a Windows printer driver onto the box.

Now all we need is someone to make it - I guess the main issue would be the cost of the operating system, unless Microsoft would get involved and offer a suitably cut down low cost version of Windows to put on this.

We actually have an Epson Stylus Colour 850 Printer for sale on our website at the moment. It is fully compatible with any of the early Epson ESC/P printers, supporting ESC/P2, therefore if you use an Epson Stylus 400 or 600 (for example) already and need to replace it - try one of these - see http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk/Printers2.html

They are hard to find in working order, but do have a parallel port and work with DOS or any old retro computer (if you have a centronics interface). What more do you need?

Just a quick update on this.

We have now developed a prototype module which can act as a print server and allow you to connect a modern USB printer to older retro equipment and computers which have a centronics port (or a serial port with centronics adaptor).

The Retro-Printer is a module which plugs into a Raspberry Pi, captures the incoming ESC/P2 control codes and text and then prints it to a modern printer conencted to the Linux based Raspberry Pi.

The Retro-Printer Project is progressing well - we have tested the hardware with a range of computers, including the ZX Spectrum, Sinclair QL, Commodore Amiga and Atari ST and whilst some of those computers need an interface to provide them with a centronics port, the Retro-Printer has proved worth its while, capturing the native Epson ESC/P2 codes sent by the computer to the parallel port, and then sending that output to a USB or Network printer connected to the Retro-Printer.

We have highlighted some minor improvements to the Retro-Printer module, but the main work now is to improve the software side which converts the ESC/P2 printer codes and creates a PDF file which is then printed.

Whilst there are several similar bits of software out there which already do this for a DOS based program running on in a Windows DOSBox, unfortunately, there is nothing similar for Linux, which is what the Retro-Printer needs.