TITLE
    Newton Print Pack 1.0: General Use and Troubleshooting
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		24389
2/24/98
2/24/98
TOPIC

    This article describes how to use the Newton Print Pack 1.0, how to troubleshoot common problems, and provides links to compatibility information.

DISCUSSION

    Newton Print Pack 1.0 Description

    The Newton Print Pack 1.0 cable is a "smart cable". The cable contains both a serial to parallel cable converter and a ROM that stores printer drivers for Epson FX/LQ, HP LaserJet, Canon BubbleJet, and HP DeskJet printers. When the MessagePad is powered on, the print pack cable and the MessagePad communicate and transfer the drivers from the ROM to MessagePad's system memory. When the MessagePad is turned off and on again, without the cable attached, the drivers are flushed from system memory.

    Using the Newton Print Pack 1.0
      1. Power off both the MessagePad and the printer.
      2. Connect the Print Pack between the MessagePad and the printer.
      3. Power on the MessagePad and wait ten (10) seconds. During this time, the LED on the Print Pack should flash twice; the first flash is short and the second flash is longer. At the end of this period, the printer drivers should be downloaded to the MessagePad.
      4. Power on the printer and print the desired item(s).
      5. In the printing slip, "choose other printer" will display the following new choices: epson lx, epson fx, hp deskjet, hp laserjet, canon bubblejet.
    Newton Print Pack 1.0 Troubleshooting

    Most of the issues with the Print Pack cable involve the loading of the drivers from the ROM in the cable. To ensure that the MessagePad and cable are initialized and configured correctly, follow these steps:
      1. Turn the MessagePad and the printer off.
      2. Attach the cable between the MessagePad and the printer.
      3. Turn MessagePad on. Wait 10 seconds. During this wait time, the LED on the print pack cable should flash twice; the first flash is short, the second flash is longer.
      4. Turn the printer on.
      5. Try to print.
    If you continue to encounter printing issues, reset the MessagePad and try again. If the MessagePad powers off unexpectedly while printing or immediately after being turned on, try fresh batteries, or use an AC adapter. The Print Pack cable draws power at start up. This is when the Apple MessagePad is downloading the printer drivers. The Print Pack cable also draws power while printing.

    You should repeat these steps anytime the MessagePad is turned off or disconnected from the cable and printer reconnected.

    Important: You need to attach the Apple MessagePad to the cable with both the printer and Apple MessagePad off, then power the devices on. These are outlined in steps (3) and (4).

    Sometimes, if the printer is turned on while turning the MessagePad on, the cable gets confused and does not transmit the drivers to the Apple MessagePad. This only happens with some printers. If you follow the steps listed above, you will get a good connection between printer and Apple MessagePad.

    Issue: Powering on MessagePad: the drivers did not appear.
    Verify that the red light on the parallel plug turns on as you power on your Newton. If you continue to have printing problems, reset the Newton and try these steps again. If your MessagePad unexpectedly powers off while printing or immediately after it is powered on, be sure to install fresh batteries or connect your MessagePad to AC power. The Print Pack draws a large amount of power while printing and at start up (when your MessagePad is downloading the printer drivers), and this may discharge the MessagePad's batteries.

    Issue: Newton OS 1.x: the drivers disappear after a while.
    Newton OS 1.x systems will unload the drivers when the MessagePad goes to sleep or loses power. You will need to reconnect the cable and cycle power before being able to print. By contrast, Newton OS 2.x systems store the drivers as normal packages.

    Issue: Is Newton Print Pack 1.0 compatible with the Canon BJ 200e printer?
    The Newton Print Pack 1.0 supports the Canon BJ 200, but does not support the Canon BJ 200e. When printing to the BJ 200e with Newton Print Pack version 1.0, the document may be removed from the Outbox without the Newton MessagePad displaying any error messages.

    Issue: Canon Bubblejet printer outputs multiple pages of garbled text.
    The Canon Bubblejet printer is capable of several types of emulation. The printer must be set to "130e" emulation mode to print properly. In some cases, having the printer set to the wrong emulation mode can cause garbled text and multiple pages to be output.

    Compatibility Information

    The following Tech Info Library articles list compatible printers and the driver to select:

    Article 14474: " Newton Print Pack 1.0: Compatible Printers (A-L) "
    Article 15969: " Newton Print Pack 1.0: Compatible Printers (M-X) "

Document Information
Product Area: Newton
Category: Apple MessagePad
Sub Category: General Topics
Keywords: kalley, knmp, pcompat

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