>
> At 11:28 PM 6/8/99 -0700, you wrote:
> >I saw a cable today at CompUSA.  Centronics to USB.  S'posed to let you
> >run your printer through your USB. The packaging boasted - "Free up your
> >parallel port for other devices such as your Zip Drive or external
> >drives.  Connnect your printer to your USB..."
> >
> >If a printer is designed to use the parallel port, can it use the USB
> >bus as well?  Is this ability defined by the printer? the chipset?  (USB
> >rev?)
> >
> >
> >TIA
> >Joan

Epson has a USB cable for most of their printers.  I am using one for a 1520
but I had to install their USB printer drivers because the refill ink
function does not work with the USB cable.  Before I invested in the USB
cable I would ask the technical support for your printer whether the printer
will work on a USB cable with the installed printer driver.  I had some
trouble even with the Epson USB printer driver until I changed the spooler
to the Microsoft spooler.  Epson has a work around but I haven't tried it
yet as the printer works the way it is.  Epson also does not have their USB
drivers for download so you must buy their cable to be able to convert the
printer to USB.

Mary Wolden

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