[vcf-midatlantic] NeXT printer emulator/bridge

[Dave McGuire]

On 06/18/2018 02:47 PM, Herb Johnson via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> I've decided, to not say too much, and to not say it at length. First,
> as a personal matter, I'm sorry if Dave McGuire took my post in some
> kind of personal way, I apologize to him. I had no idea, that sort of
> personal response from him was at stake, regarding some set of laser
> printers, or my choice of words.

  No worries Herb.

> The technical issues and histories about these printers, the subject of
> the discussion thread, are sufficiently noted for more information to be
> found by anyone interested, for their purposes. And, in looking at posts
> after Dave's, I *strongly* suggest reading more about what "a Canon SX
> print engine" means. It does not mean a ready-to-go printer, it means
> something as Dave discusses. The printers in discussion are not
> identical, and again homework can be done to determine their differences
> and where they share components in common - that being my point.
> 
> Otherwise, I don't know about NeXT machines and printers, so I can't add
> further to that discussion.

  The NeXT laser printer interface is a raw clocked synchronous serial
interface that, as I understand it, carries several serialized engine
control and timing signals as well as a video signal ("video" doesn't
always mean "monitor", for others reading this thread) for the actual
dots on the page.  This interface is implemented in the NeXT "Peripheral
Controller" ASIC and is carried on a DE9 connector.  I don't know if
anyone has reverse-engineered the interface.

               -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA