[Sprite_tm] sent us his latest project. He has found a way to display custom messages on a laserjet printer without a computer. He’s using an ATTiny2313 to send signals through a parallel port. This project is so cheap and quick to install it could be disposable. Just program your message before hand, pop it on and walk away.
cool except…you’ll have to travel back to 1996 to use it in a widespread manner.
Posted at 1:12 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by corn brown
@corn brown: you’ve never worked with a government office, have you? We’ll have parallel ports when your grandkids are waiting in line at the DMV.
Posted at 1:34 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by Coderer
I work in a municipal government office, and a new printer is a big thing, meaning entire departments will spend a year or 2 analyzing things then put it in the budget and get something mediocre that will be good for a couple years and need replaced, and then 10 years later they realize how old this “new” printer is. (yes, we do have old parallel stuff, shoot we still have a few tractor feed printers)
Posted at 1:39 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by mike
Student: Can I get change for a dollar.
Helpdesk: There’s a change machine next to the vending machines.
Student: I know, but I need change for the printer.
Helpdesk: ???
Student: It says “INSERT COIN”
Backoffice techs: [giggle]
Posted at 2:04 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by anonymous coward
This website (http://kovaya.com/miscellany/2007/10/insert-coin.html) has a little perl script for changing the display over the network.
It works, I’ve tried it. Many offices use HP network printers.
Posted at 2:28 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by Jon
neat. it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to adapt this idea to work over USB, for those of us who don’t work in government offices.
Posted at 4:19 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by amk
‘PC load letter?’ what the fuck??
Posted at 5:57 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by Jack
“Please plug me in before printing”
“Go away”
“Press ctrl-alt-delete to begin”
“WRYYYYYYYYYY”
“Place keyboard on head then select paper size”
“How do I printed paper?”
The possibilities are endless
Posted at 6:14 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by _matt
I have an HP Laserjet 5 (got from Salvation Army, $5. Works great, too) and I’m gonna see if I can get this to work through the serial port instead.
Posted at 6:20 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by ArtemisGoldfish
ascii tongue anyone?
Posted at 9:20 am on Dec 13th, 2008 by eMpTy
lp0 on fire
Posted at 6:54 pm on Dec 13th, 2008 by Josh
@ #6 – jon
No need to download little programs to do this…
Telnet onto port 9100, type @PJL RDYMSG DISPLAY=”MESSAGE”
Simple as that.
Posted at 7:30 pm on Dec 13th, 2008 by null
very cool idea, only problem is that no printers use parallel ports now a days…
Posted at 4:47 pm on Dec 14th, 2008 by EZ Computers
@jon ( and @null)
be aware that @PJL needs to be in capitals when using telnet to change the display.
Posted at 1:45 pm on Dec 16th, 2008 by dazzam
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I’m sure thatguy or gal wasn’t happy.
Posted at 12:56 pm on Dec 12th, 2008 by rsolmn