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Nimue

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Joined: 06/08/2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 420

Posted: 11:15am 28 Feb 2021

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Morning all

As part of my ongoing "classroom monitor" we now want to add a cheap thermal printer -- possibly to capture sensor readings on an hourly basis (student idea).

Having poked around TheShed and other forums, these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000670706301.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1bd63eabVtoWWy&algo_pvid=8f88d204-b836-46e1-bf84-8d0d5f70dfd8&algo_expid=8f88d204-b836-46e1-bf84-8d0d5f70dfd8-0&btsid=2100bdd716145105558498323ee1d8&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_ seem to be the goto variety.

Qs:

(1) This is available in TTL or RS232 --> Presumably TTL is the way forward.

Having poked around TheShed, there is reference to CSUBs or OPEN compspec$ as #1 and then printing directly to the printer (granted you need to send some control chrs to the printer first).

Has anyone got one of these working connected to CMM2?

Cheers
N

Entropy is not what it used to be

jirsoft

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Joined: 18/09/2020
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 533

Posted: 05:34pm 28 Feb 2021

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When you will get user guide with all control codes, then should be no problem to print. But first I would try to communicate with Chinese about this...

Jiri
Napoleon Commander and SimplEd for CMM2 (GitHub), CMM2.fun

TassyJim

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Joined: 07/08/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 6283

Posted: 08:46pm 28 Feb 2021

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This might help you.
It seems to be the protocol used and is possibly the same printer:
https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Components/General/Driver%20board.pdf

Jim

VK7JH
MMedit

TassyJim

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Joined: 07/08/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 6283

Posted: 09:20pm 28 Feb 2021

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If it really does "Support ESC/POS print instruction set", it might do bar codes.

I have a barcode printer sitting in the shed. I think it cost me about $3000 20+ years ago. It has printed a lot of labels.

Jim

VK7JH
MMedit

CaptainBoing

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Joined: 07/09/2016
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2170

Posted: 09:36pm 28 Feb 2021

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some considerations... http://www.fruitoftheshed.com/Platform%20Agnostic.Simple-and-Cheap-way-to-add-a-Printer-to-your-project.ashx

Grogster

Admin Group

Joined: 31/12/2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 9610

Posted: 01:02am 01 Mar 2021

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I've used these printers on a few projects. They seem to work fine. Best performance was at about 7v, but they suck a bit of current while printing - anything up to 2A depending on how dense the print is, so make sure you have a good regulated PSU module feeding the printer separate from the CMM2. DO NOT connect to the CMM2 5v supply!

I have not tried these printers on the CMM2 specifically, but I have used them on the MM2 and MM+ chips. The default baud-rate is 19k2. TTL is the one you want - you can connect directly to the MM2/MM+/CMM2 com port. In my case, I actually used the SerialTx Cfunction available as part of the firmware download.

You can change the font in them with some software. I set mine up to the common DOS font CP427? I forget the exact reference now - it was a few years ago, but I can hunt that information out if you want it.

Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1427

Posted: 04:21pm 01 Mar 2021

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I really have to resist the urge to buy one of these just to have it.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

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