ZX Spectrum & Centronics E

[t0nyt]

I've just obtained a Kempston Centronics Interface E (the one that doesn't need software loaded) for my ZX Spectrum 48K

When I LLIST it prints the current basic listing ok (other than first line is missing, but will come back to that later) but it only prints when I turn off the ZX Spectrum

It also, after the listing, continuously spews out pages of "copy copy 3363" (I guess the "copy copy" bit might mean I need to turn off "tokens" but it's still going to print something so not tried that yet)

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on where I should start troubleshooting please? or the settings used if someone already uses a ZX Spectrum centronics interface please?

Many thanks
Tony

Retro-Printer_2025-03-19_134526-1.pdf

(202.74 KiB) Downloaded 3613 times

[RWAP]

I would ensure that the emulation is set to Epson, and probably bit_depth is set to 7 as a starting point.

It would be interesting to see what you get in the raw data files (/home/pi/data/eps)

[t0nyt]

I would ensure that the emulation is set to Epson, and probably bit_depth is set to 7 as a starting point.

It would be interesting to see what you get in the raw data files (/home/pi/data/eps)

I have it set to epson, and 7/8 bit depth doesn't see to make much difference (there was a difference but I'm not sure if that was 7/8 or the fact I changed from plugging Centronics into Opus Discovery or direct into speccy)

HOWEVER, I turned "tokens" off and with that turned off it prints as you'd expect (i.e. LLIST completes and I don't need to turn speccy off) including the first line (this was on both Opus Discovery & Direct to Speccy)

But with tokens turned off it means you can't print a program listing.... the attached is meant to be 10 Print "1" / 20 Print "2" / 30 Print "3"

I don't have anything in my EPS folder, do I need to enable retain_data please?

The original output I attached shows that "tokens on" does send proper command texts like "PRINT" so I'm still at a bit of a loss

Many thanks
Tony

Retro-Printer_2025-03-19_143406-1.pdf

(139.09 KiB) Downloaded 2598 times

[t0nyt]

Strangely I am now getting some files in EPS

I'll re-run the same printout with tokens off and on and post them

Many thanks

[t0nyt]

I don't get anything in EPS for "tokens on" only for "tokens off"

The attached zip has pdf/eps/raw for both tokens off and on (no EPS for tokens on though of course)

Many thanks

Archive.zip

(59.19 KiB) Downloaded 1361 times

[t0nyt]

FYI I've just updated to the latest version of the software

Doesn't make any difference to the Speccy problem

But I have managed to get my OfficeJet 3835 printer working with retro-printer (I'd held off with upgrades as CUPS stopped working with my printer when I tried previously)

Many thanks

[RWAP]

I don't get anything in EPS for "tokens on" only for "tokens off"

The attached zip has pdf/eps/raw for both tokens off and on (no EPS for tokens on though of course)

Many thanks


Archive.zip

Interesting - auto linefeed needs to be on
Bit depth 7 does not help -
The tokens on is the correct method to use and the file was generated in the EPS folder after the convertor finishes the final PDF page.

Where the extra COPY lines come from and corruption in line line 9110 and line 9120 is beyond me. I wonder if the ROM is corrupt on the Centronics E - I am not sure what settings you can use.

[t0nyt]

I don't get anything in EPS for "tokens on" only for "tokens off"

The attached zip has pdf/eps/raw for both tokens off and on (no EPS for tokens on though of course)

Many thanks


Archive.zip

Interesting - auto linefeed needs to be on
Bit depth 7 does not help -
The tokens on is the correct method to use and the file was generated in the EPS folder after the convertor finishes the final PDF page.

Where the extra COPY lines come from and corruption in line line 9110 and line 9120 is beyond me. I wonder if the ROM is corrupt on the Centronics E - I am not sure what settings you can use.

There’s no corruption in the program listing with tokens on, it’s supposed to look like that (it’s just code I can load quickly for testing, that configures the opus discovery drive table. Though I get the same problems with a simple 3 line program)

My problem with tokens on is I have to turn off the speccy to get the printout because it seems to hang but I guess the repeated codes after it are the problem

I’ll try a different interface that needs software loaded and see what happens

Many thanks

[t0nyt]

Well I tried a Tasman interface and that works fine

Trouble is it’s a pain to have to load software & configure whenever you want to print

I wonder what they do differently

I guess I’ll have to live with it though

Many thanks

[t0nyt]

I’ve found a download for the ROM so will see if I can give that a try