Black Box PI049A User manual

Connect async serial hardware to
an IEEE 1284 bidirectional interface.
Connect async serial hardware to
an IEEE 1284 bidirectional interface.
IEEE 1284 Serial→Parallel Converter
© 2007. All rights reserved. Black Box Corporation.
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FEATURES
• Converts serial to IEEE 1284 parallel.
• Runs at speeds up to 115.2 kbps.
• Supports two IEEE 1284 Bi-Tronics
modes: Compatible and Nibble
(switchable).
• Super compact, pocket size.
• LEDs provide at-a-glance monitoring.
• Power choices: from both interfaces
or from an external power supply.
• Features 10-kV ESD (electrostatic
discharge) protection on the serial
interface.
Use your speedy IEEE 1284 laser printer with your async RS-232 hardware!
OVERVIEW
Get more out of your equipment with the IEEE 1284
Serial→Parallel Converter from Black Box. Use your speedy
IEEE 1284 laser printer with your async RS-232/423 hardware.
You can use this converter with all your hardware equipped
with an IEEE 1284 Bi-Tronics®parallel interface.
This tiny box gives you lots of operational options because
it works in either Level 1 Compatible or Nibble modes
(according to the IEEE 1284 standard). So it supports the high
speeds—up to 115.2 kbps—necessary for graphics-intensive
laser-printer applications. Depending on your equipment,
all you have to do is set a switch to change modes.
Conversion is simple. On the serial side, the converter
translates Nibble operations into standard HP®LaserJet®IV
serial printer escape sequences. This enables operation with
standard printer drivers.
On the parallel side, the converter translates all commands
received from the PC or other serial devices into Bi-Tronics
Nibble operations or Compatible operations.
The converter supports all Bi-Tronics Level 1 compatible
hardware and is backward-compatible with Level 2 hardware.
IEEE 1284 Serial→Parallel
Converter (PI049A)
HP LaserJet RJ-45 (8-WIre)
Modular Cable
(EL08MS)
RJ-45 Modular
Adapter,DB9 Female
or DB25 Female
(FA065 or FA027) PC
TECH SPECS
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Protection — 10 kV on the serial interface
Flow Control —
Serial: Hardware or software (X-ON/X-OFF), user selectable;
Parallel: Hardware
Leads Supported — Serial: 1–8;
Parallel: Pins 1–13 active; 31, 32, 36 held high; 16–30 ground
Power Requirements — IEEE 1284 B interface must support optional 5 V
on Pin 18, IEEE 1284 C must support interface Pin 36; otherwise, use
included external AC power supply
Speed — 9600 bps; 19.2, 38.4, 115.2 kbps
Transmission Format — Serial: Async, full-duplex;
Parallel: IEEE 1284 [supports Nibble and Level 1 compatible modes
(switchable)]
CE Approval — Yes
Interface — RS-232, RS-423
Connectors — Serial: (1) RJ-45;
Parallel: (1) 36-pin Centronics M
Indicators — (2) LEDs: Power, Data Mode
Power — From RS-232/423 and IEEE 1284 interfaces;
External wallmount transformer: Input: 120 VAC, 60 Hz, 10 W;
Output: 9 VDC, 500 mA
Size — 3"H x 2.4"W x 0.8"D (7.6 x 6.1 x 2 cm)
Weight — 0.5 lb. (0.2 kg)

3 of 3
6/25/2007
#26658
724-746-5500 blackbox.com
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IEEE 1284.
Introduced in 1994, the IEEE 1284 standard addresses
data-transfer speeds and distance for parallel interfaces.
Standard parallel interfaces support speeds of up to 150 kbps
at distances of up to 6 feet (1.8 m); IEEE 1284 parallel
interfaces can send your data over 100 times faster at
up to 5 times the distance!
Although the Centronics®interface enabled only unidirec-
tional computer-to-peripheral data flow, the IEEE 1284
interface enables bidirectional flow so peripherals can send
data to the computer.
The IEEE 1284 standard covers five separate parallel modes,
from the original Centronics (with which it’s compatible) to
the high-performance Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) mode.
The computer negotiates with the attached device to deter-
mine which mode to use.
Technically Speaking
Item Code
IEEE 1284 Serial→Parallel Converter PI049A