RetroPrinter Support

v3 PCB Released

The v3 PCB has now been finalised and tested successfully.

This includes

• Changes over the v2 PCB to enable software control of the LEDs

• Change to layout to make it align better on the Raspberry Pi

• Change to layout to make it easier to design a case for the Raspberry Pi + Retro-Printer Module

We have now placed the order for the case moulding to be produced.

The v3 PCB is also on order, but we just need to check that it will meet FCC and CE certification requirements so are waiting on a golden sample, as well as working with another contact in the USA over this.

Hopefully, it should not be too long now

Just a quick update - the factory expect to have the initial golden sample in our hands during June.

The mould for the Retro-Printer case is currently being created, so we are getting closer...

I have received two samples of the fully factory manufactured Retro-Printer module - there was a short wait as they did not have any of the double height IO connectors which will be used on the final version; so I had to order a long pin connector separately.

Long pin connector received today, plugged everything in and tested both modules successfully with a Sinclair QL computer, so success

They have promised to have the case sample with me tomorrow - in the meantime, I have asked them to commence manufacture of the modules.

Well - the trials and tribulations of creating some new hardware... The sample cases only arrived today..

There are a couple of small issues with the case which I want to tidy up and that impacts to some extent on the PCB (just the height of the online / offline switch) - so the factory should be able to address that quite quickly and then proceed to starting manufacture.

Not long left now...

Latest version of the case looks good - and the factory have addressed my concerns (although I would still like the switch to be slightly higher)...

Just a quick update - I have now received the invoices from the factory, so I assume the cases and PCBs are on the production line

After a couple of false starts, we are now expecting delivery of 500 Retro-Printer modules and the cases tomorrow (Wednesday 16th January 2019).

We will then be in a position to ship the pre-orders.

Well the Retro-Printer was officially launched on 16th January 2019.

We have however, had to temporarily withdraw it from sale, as some users had reported issues with it draining the power from the Raspberry Pi when connected to centronics equipment.

It appears that the factory managed to get their numbering of the pins 19 to 36 back to front on the PCB (it is correct in their schematic), which meant that 5V was being delivered to pin 13 (SELECT) and pin 25 (which should be GND according to the specification), instead of pin 13 and pin 32 (ERROR). Because the other pins on the bottom row are normally unused (or connected to GND), it was not obvious that anything was amiss during our in-house testing.

This does explain why removing the diode D1 fixed the issue for some users and some users did not experience the issue at all.

We are talking with the factory to see what is the best way of resolving this issue - obviously one way is to re-wire your centronics cable to reverse the wiring on pins 19 to 36, but that is not always possible.

The v3 Retro-Printer Module remains available at a reduced price for home users and those who may want a low cost unit to experiment with

We supply a metal adaptor which reverses pins 19 to 36 in order to overcome the manufacturing fault.

With that, and so long as you limit yourselves to a Raspberry Pi 3B (not the Pi 3 B+ or the Pi 4 models), then it works fine and over 100 units are currently out there in the wild.

https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/detai ... odel-37159


The v4 model is nearing release - the factory anticipate 2 weeks to finish making them - so probably be ready for sale from the end of October.