Okay, you engineers out there, what gives?

Now a days, when you buy any computer, you have to separately purchase a
printer cable and every manufacturer ALWAYS recommends a bi-directional
IEEE-1284 compliant cable.

Well, for about the last 8 years, all printer cables were bi-directional
capable (at that time it meant that all 25 pins were populated in the
DB-25 connector and properly terminated in the matching centronics
connector.

Somewhere along the way, manufacturers decided that a NEW (read that as
4X more expensive) printer cable was required for all new printers!

Even the lowly Lexmark 1100, Canon BJC250, and Epson 440 'require' a
bi-directional, IEEE-1284 compliant printer cable.

So what is the difference between an IEEE-1284 and an ordinary printer
cable?  Since both cables are shielded, the only thing I can think of is
that maybe the 1284 cable has each major signal wire individually
shielded, but I noticed that the cable diameter is almost the same
diameter as ordinary cable.

So what exactly makes the 1284 better?  I have used 'ordinary' cables on
many low and mid-grade color inkjets with no degradation in signal.  I
even used one on an HP-5000 for about 1 month until I could obtain a
1284 cable, and observed no difference in print quality or
computer-printer operation (errors and such).  So what is the big deal
here?

Any theories are greatly appreciated.
--
Jean Bourvic :>))

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