So I dug out my old dot-matrix printer

Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
14,566
91
91
gilramirez.net
I forgot how fucking awesome these things were! Loud, too!
fap.gif


WHEEEEEE!!! :awe:
14507219977_6baf3241e8_c.jpg

14693674195_c0889d6339_b.jpg
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,407
9,929
126
We had an old Epson(I think) at the office for far longer than we should have. That thing pissed me off. It worked well enough, but it was slow as shit, and there was no question when SOMETHING WAS PRINTING.

I appreciate the bulletproof reliability, but fuck everything else.

Edit:
On the bulletproof reliability... Thinking about it, that thing was a PITA to get paper started in. Once you got it fed right, you were good for a long time, but I wanted to toss that thing out the window more than once. Good thing it was so heavy :^D
 
Last edited:

Thebobo

Lifer
Jun 19, 2006
18,574
7,672
136
Pretty cool to see you old stuff come right up and work.

Yea I suspect most remember the Okidata 120 and its commodore version. Its still being made for industrial applications.
 

cabri

Diamond Member
Nov 3, 2012
3,616
1
81
The dot matrix and other impact printers are still heavily in use where multiple copied are needed for original records.
 

Iron Woode

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 10, 1999
31,252
12,777
136
years ago I found a junked Panasonic 24" wide-carriage dot matrix printer.

I cleaned the hell out of it and replaced the ribbon. Plugged it in and it worked.

I then sold it for $100 to a business needing it for its form-feeding abilities.

:awe:
 

mcvickj

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2001
4,602
0
76
We still use them at work. We have six Okidata Microline 320's in service.
 

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
2 hours later and still printing. :awe:



No. Just no.

Yea, guess they should create a new forum " old, antique, useless, Peripherals" since ever time someone finds some '80's stuff laying around they start a thread. At least the dot-matrix didn't come with the mandatory ink-tank gouging that has replaced it LOL.
 

Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
14,566
91
91
gilramirez.net
Yea, guess they should create a new forum " old, antique, useless, Peripherals" since ever time someone finds some '80's stuff laying around they start a thread. At least the dot-matrix didn't come with the mandatory ink-tank gouging that has replaced it LOL.

That's what OT is for. Posting obsolete tech in the legit tech forums is (or should be) a ban-able offense. If you don't like it, don't click on the thread.

So what did you hook it up to and how did you do so?
It uses a Macintosh serial port, but it is really just a standard serial interface and will work with pretty much any computer. Just uses ASCII commands to print. No special drivers or anything are needed. In my case, I have it connected to an old Power Mac G4. But I've also used it with a computer running Windows 7.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,407
9,929
126
I still have this Panasonic KX-P2123 in storage. Not sure of drivers availability.

For kicks I was looking up drivers, and someone mentioned having near letter perfect quality on Vista. I forgot "letter perfect" was even a thing :^D
 

Kyle

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 1999
4,145
11
91
thread made me shudder...first job as a 15 yr old kid had our work orders print out through one of those...horrible sound
 

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
That's what OT is for. Posting obsolete tech in the legit tech forums is (or should be) a ban-able offense. If you don't like it, don't click on the thread.


It uses a Macintosh serial port, but it is really just a standard serial interface and will work with pretty much any computer. Just uses ASCII commands to print. No special drivers or anything are needed. In my case, I have it connected to an old Power Mac G4. But I've also used it with a computer running Windows 7.

Bullcrap, posting a dot-matrix thread in Peripherals will not get you banned, please quote the rules where this is stated, it's not. People post stuff in OT because their too impatient to wait for replies in the forum where it's supposed to be. I think I still have a few "5 floppy drives laying around, should I start a thread about a 30yr old useless, unwanted storage device?.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
Make sure the damn holes don't break... Mother effing POS, I remember using one. That was our first printer ever.
 

zerocool84

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
36,041
472
126
Pretty cool to see you old stuff come right up and work.

Yea I suspect most remember the Okidata 120 and its commodore version. Its still being made for industrial applications.
Yup still use Okidata dot matrix printers at my work daily. It's what we print invoices on.