Which cable is better for Printers?

[Jza]

IEEE or USB?

 

[MasterHoss]

Hmm, by IEEE I guess you mean IEEE 1284 aka parallel bi-directional cables. I think it's more a matter of taste. I like using the USB interface for my printer since I don't keep it plugged in all the time. I just plug it in when I need to print and unplug it when I'm done.

 

[rimshaker]

USB for sure. Can't wait to get rid of that chunky parallel cable. Not to mention faster data rates on USB cables as well.

 

[DeschutesCore]

One more vote for USB.

- The cost of the cables and the printers is almost identical in most shops.
- Printers tend to spool faster with USB (IMHO).
- The thinner cable helps immensly in routing / bundling / looks.
- Eventually (this could be a while, for sure), we won't even have parallel ports anymore.
(I still use a 9 year old laserjet, so I tend to keep my printers around. I'd kind of like to still use the OfficeJet (USB) in a few years, and parallel just might not be there anymore.)

DC

 

[Pariah]

Parallel port is faster than USB, both potentially and in real world performance. That said, it doesn't really matter which you use if you don't frequently plug and unplug your printer.

 

[nemo160]

usb, because you can disable your parallel port in the bios and free up an irq
same with serial ports if you're not using them
more free irqs can lead to fewer headaches when adding new cards
also in the longer term parallel ports will be phased out of more and more boards,
and printers can have a long life span if your printing needs aren't all that demanding
i still use the canon bj-100 i got for $100 when my parents bought a 486 dx2 50mhz

 

[Dolemite76]

USB gets my vote... it's fast enough... and provides true plug and play (meaning you can disconnect it and connect it whenever, shouldn't really do this with a parallel port cable)... no dealing with clunky parallel port cables...

 

[dj4005]

Just to add a tidbit of perspective to this discussion:

While I *DO* realize that the discussion is about printer cables, and not the applications to be used, keep this little detail in mind:

Older DOS applications will have a major problem with USB printers as USB was not a valid port at that time.

If you are in a network environment, you can redirect network printer.

Best of luck!