In Search of a Unicorn: New Production Parallel/PCL6 Printer

Discussions about chromatography data systems, LIMS, controllers, computer issues and related topics.

6 posts Page 1 of 1
I'm wondering if anyone can suggest to me a printer that meets all of the following:

1. Parallel port
2. PCL6 and Windows 98 Compatible
3. Available new from Office Depot

The first two relate to the fact that I have a 5890/59871 running MSD Chemstation A on Windows 98. I don't THINK this particular revision can use a newer version of Chemstation, and despite my best efforts I can not for the life of me get it running anything newer than Windows 98.

If it were up to me, I'd hunt out an old HP II or HP III, but unfortunately work policies are ADAMANT that this is considered "office supplies" and must come from our contract vendor for this(Office Depot/Office Max). I'm at a bit of a loss as to whether or not there's anything I can find that will work, short of buying something used out of my own pocket.

Can anyone suggest something?
benhutcherson wrote:
If it were up to me, I'd hunt out an old HP II or HP III, but unfortunately work policies are ADAMANT that this is considered "office supplies" and must come from our contract vendor for this (Office Depot/Office Max).

Can anyone suggest something?


OMG. When I started working (mid 1970s), the department shared a single desktop calculator. A few years later I started using my girlfriend's handheld Radio Shack calculator, and a few years later it was deemed OK to buy handheld calculators, but had to be from a specific contract vendor, and were real expensive. So I ordered two from Scientific Products with our regular order, and just called them "mathematical aids", and the order was OK'd by our Purchasing Dep't. !!!

Still have that calculator, still works.
Image
The on-off switch broke about years ago, and I had this toggle switch lying around, and a file folder plastic tab had a nice tint.....
You're not going to find a new printer that meets those specs (any more than you would be able to find a new Model T Ford car). Honestly, if this were my problem, I'd just do what you proposed: buy a used printer on FleaBay and then put in for reimbursement.

Alternative: if your company has a purchasing department, this would be the time to have them earn their paycheck. Give them your specs (parallel port, PCL compatibility) and let *them* hunt for it.

Good luck either way (you're gonna need it!).
-- Tom Jupille
LC Resources / Separation Science Associates
tjupille@lcresources.com
+ 1 (925) 297-5374
tom jupille wrote:
You're not going to find a new printer that meets those specs (any more than you would be able to find a new Model T Ford car). Honestly, if this were my problem, I'd just do what you proposed: buy a used printer on FleaBay and then put in for reimbursement.

Alternative: if your company has a purchasing department, this would be the time to have them earn their paycheck. Give them your specs (parallel port, PCL compatibility) and let *them* hunt for it.

Good luck either way (you're gonna need it!).


That's what I was afraid of.

Unfortunately, purchasing seems to be of the mindset of "it's not our job to buy stuff for you-it's just our job to negotiate contracts and tell you who you can buy from." I got my wrist slapped about a year ago because I bought a half dozen toner cartridges on Amazon for less than the cost of a single one from Office Depot-I was told that if I did it again they'd come after me to collect.

Purchasing has become a huge department here that frankly micromanages everything-I remember having to write a full page justification over $3K spent at Agilent back in May over what I'd consider some routine consumable purchases-MS filaments, GC columns, and diffusion pump oil. More than once, I've ordered chemicals for teaching lab experiments, and they've wanted a an experimental procedure that showed exactly what we used and a break-down with enrollments, etc to justify not only what we ordering but also the quantities(never mind that for stuff that doesn't go bad, I often order a few semesters worth at a time-I got questioned on that).

So, they're too busy doing that to actually FIND what I need...

I use to be able to find this kind of stuff at surplus, but unfortunately that source has been cut off since they recycle anything even remotely computer related rather than let people take it.

While I'm at it-even if I went the route of buying on Ebay with a procurement card, which I can do pretty easily-and ask for forgiveness rather than permission-I'm still in trouble because Ebay has made it a royal nightmare to get things tax exempt and that's going to raise a red flag also.

I'll go hunting and see if I can find a 3rd party supplier with an HP II/HP III, possibly refurbished and with a guarantee, as that MIGHT fly better than Ebay.
Do they make a parallel to usb adapter that would allow a newer printer to work?

Also, can the computer be connected to another on a network and share a printer across the network to allow it to print?

I know it is a pain working with MSDChemstation because it has to have a printer setup in Windows or it will not even quantify a sample, which is crazy.
The past is there to guide us into the future, not to dwell in.
benhutcherson wrote:
I'm wondering if anyone can suggest to me a printer that meets all of the following:

1. Parallel port
2. PCL6 and Windows 98 Compatible
3. Available new from Office Depot

The first two relate to the fact that I have a 5890/59871 running MSD Chemstation A on Windows 98. I don't THINK this particular revision can use a newer version of Chemstation, and despite my best efforts I can not for the life of me get it running anything newer than Windows 98.

If it were up to me, I'd hunt out an old HP II or HP III, but unfortunately work policies are ADAMANT that this is considered "office supplies" and must come from our contract vendor for this(Office Depot/Office Max). I'm at a bit of a loss as to whether or not there's anything I can find that will work, short of buying something used out of my own pocket.

Can anyone suggest something?

I have the same situation. My solution is to share to the network the HP Laserjet 2300d paired with my 6890/5973 system. That printer has a win95/98/NT driver. You just search for the printer on the network and then let it get the driver from the printer CD. This works fine with one caveat: printing is a memory leak in my win95 setup and eventually uses up all the memory with application crash resulting. But its useful for generating tune reports and so on.
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