Our new official repo is on github
LCD Smartie version 5.6 is released!
Download it now: https://github.com/LCD-Smartie/LCDSmartie/releases

Program Compatability Through USB?

General discussion about LCD Smartie.

Moderators: _X7JAY7X_, caesar, IFR, mattcro, limbo, Fast351

Post Reply
stoogicide
Posts: 6
Joined: July 8th, 2010, 7:23 am

Program Compatability Through USB?

Post by stoogicide »

Was just wondering if there was a way to get the program to work through usb? i.e. buy a printer port to usb cable. Seeing as modern motherboards don't have printer ports.

If so, how do I check/change which port its connected to in the settings?

Thanks

limbo
Plugin Author
Posts: 1604
Joined: February 13th, 2005, 7:38 pm
Location: Athens - Greece
Contact:

Re: Program Compatability Through USB?

Post by limbo »

USB to parallel cables are rare... The common product you can find on the market is printer port emulator which is not a parallel port.. e.g. something like this.
The only compatible device is the UM245R parallel converter from FTDI
for more see hardware discussion.

stoogicide
Posts: 6
Joined: July 8th, 2010, 7:23 am

Re: Program Compatability Through USB?

Post by stoogicide »

Thanks for that, Will get one of those emulators when I upgrade.

mattcro
Forum Supporter
Posts: 590
Joined: March 8th, 2006, 1:58 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Program Compatability Through USB?

Post by mattcro »

What Limbo means is that the USB parallel port emulator will NOT work with Smartie (and other similar programs). These USB-parallel adaptors do not give you a "real" parallel port, they just emulate the printer parallel interface so that Windows can print to parallel-port printers.

There are a few other options to get an LCD/VFD display working over USB. The FTDI UM245R module (there are some other compatible ones too from the likes of DLP) is an easy way to use Smartie over USB - see http://forums.lcdsmartie.org/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1540 for info.

There are also some hobby projects mentioned on this forum that emulate a serial port on USB and allow Smartie to drive an LCD - all involve microcontroller programming and soldering, but some are available as kits from hobby electronics shops.

Post Reply