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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Thermal Printer for the Micromite...
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TassyJim Guru  Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5913 |
Not the one that dragged a stylus over the paper and burnt the surface as it went? If so, you will need your earplugs in. Jim in sunny Portsmouth (yes actually sunny!) VK7JH MMedit MMBasic Help |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
@TassyJim Portsmouth UK I presume? If so please contact me if you have a spare hour or two while here in the UK. I know we spoke about it before (but plans do change) - it would be invaluable for me to get your feedback about the Kids Computer that has been developed. And yes - its the ZX81 printer that had the horrible 'silver' paper (but I didn't know it worked by draging a hot stylus). Will have to dig it out to satisfy my curiosity now. WW For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| TassyJim Guru Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5913 |
Yes UK. I should have time to meet in two weeks when we are in the Big Smoke. The printer stylus made contact with the paper and a short electric current burnt the paper as required. I shudder to think what the RF interference was like. AS well as noisy, it was a bit on the nose. Jim VK7JH MMedit MMBasic Help |
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| astroboy Newbie  Joined: 28/12/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 38 |
@ Grogster Thanks for digging up that other source. I've ordered one and will report back here especially if something amusing happens.  I may have to lean on you to get started. 
Could you post a link to or brand name of the paper you bought which lasts seven years? The only one I have found here so far lasts for three. John |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
You should not have any issues - it was dead-easy to get it working, which was a nice surprise!  You do need a reasonably juicy PSU though - needs to be able to do 1.5A @ 7v as a minimum, preferably 2A @ 7v to ensure no problems. Thermal printing is thirsty on the current!
I bought my paper from Positive Systems. Paper rolls link I don't know if they ship internationally though, but I fully expect that you can find a local source for some paper. You probably don't want 50 rolls though! 
PM me if you would like a roll of what I have here to play with when your printer arrives. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| astroboy Newbie Joined: 28/12/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 38 |
Advice please. I have to nominate RS232 or TTL connection in ordering this printer. Now I know that RS232 is serial and TTL is transistor to transistor logic. I suspect that I should get RS232. Is this correct? Many thanks John |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
@astroboy If it is like any other product that has these options then it is the TTL version you need. Usually the two options mean: RS232= Higher voltage (around 12v; but not always the case) and potentially 'inverted' signals (when compared to TTL). Often with a 9pin D-type connector (but not always) TTL = Low voltage levels (usually 5v or 3v3) and Tx & Rx signals don't need any 'inversion'. Designed to be linked directly/easily to a MicroProcessor - often with just connection pins for the unit driving it. There will be thousands of example that fall outside the above 'high level' overview but the above hopefully helps you. WW For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
I concur - TTL is the one to ask for. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| astroboy Newbie Joined: 28/12/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 38 |
Thanks indeed gentlemen for answering my question which I now feel was a bit stupid. Incidentally, I've been looking at a page here which is about (I think) the same printer. John |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Don't feel stupid - a perfectly valid question. 
Yes, that link talks about the same unit that I have here, and thanks for posting it, as I have not seen that link, so will read that page now. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
UPDATE: I found this printer on AliExpress. 80mm Thermal Printer This is another panel-mount unit, and looks like it has USB, RS232 and TTL interfaces, which would make it suitable for practically anything. This unit is not TOO bad for price, and uses 80mm paper, so this one might be a candidate for the WhiteWizzard? I am toying with buying one of these to play with, but I am happy enough with the printing of the 58mm one, and MORE then happy with the price of the smaller one. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| plasma Guru Joined: 08/04/2012 Location: GermanyPosts: 437 |
this is so funny , print with micromite |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
Thanks Grogster - yes it could be good but I think it may need to be wider still! I am ultimately after a printer that can handle 80 characters per line without the text being too small to be read. I used to have one that was about 20cm wide but that was a complete printer. I am specifically after just the printing mechanism (that will be housed in a bespoke enclosure). Guess I should start Googling . . . WW For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Good luck with that, then - my searching is complete.
@ plasma: What's so funny?  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| astroboy Newbie Joined: 28/12/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 38 |
@ plasma Laugh all you like. Let me assure you this is a serious business. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
UPDATE: I have worked out how to change the code-page reference, so that I have replaced the Chinese characters with the more standard(for me!) code page 437, or CP437 MS-DOS font. 
The printer from AliExpress is exactly the same printer, and cheaper then the eBay ones, but the wiring is slightly different. However, the printers are electronically identical: 
Changing the code page requires use of the software tool. By default, these printers come with the "Traditional Chinese" code page programmed into them, but once you have the tool, it is simple to select the code page you want to use. There is an Engrish document in the ZIP below showing how to do this, but you just run the exe programming tool, and follow your nose, really. Using this tool, you can also reset the serial baud-rate, but I left mine at 19k2 - seems to work well at that speed. Thermal Printer setup and documents ZIP file (9.7MB) EDIT: The printers from AliExpress do not print anywhere near as black as the eBay ones. Looking at the images of the printers with the backs off, you can see the circuit is exactly the same, but their are differences in the ribbon cable going off to the print head between the two. eBay unit is on left, AliExpress unit on right. My testing was with the same exact roll of paper, which was the good quality paper. BOTH the AliExpress printers have faint printout, although they work fine. This may be something that can be tweaked, as there are commands for setting the dot heating time, so extending this just a fraction may well then render the same results as the eBay units. I have two of each, and both eBay ones give great results, whereas both the AliExpress ones are faint in the printout. The AliExpress ones were much cheaper - about half the price of the eBay ones, so I suspect the AliExpress ones use a cheaper print head. I will have a play with adjusting the heat time on the AliExpress ones tomorrow to see if I can improve their printout. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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