A Null Printer Cable for PLIP Contents
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A Null Printer Cable for PLIP

To make a Null Printer Cable for use with a PLIP connection, you need two 25-pin connectors (called DB-25) and some 11-conductor cable. The cable must be at most 15-meters long.

If you look at the connector, you should be able to read tiny numbers at the base of each pin, from 1 for the pin top left (if you hold the broader side up) to 25 for the pin bottom right. For the Null Printer cable, you have to connect the following pins of both connectors with each other:

   D0        2  ---  15    ERROR        
   D1        3  ---  13    SLCT 
   D2        4  ---  12    PAPOUT       
   D3        5  ---  10    ACK          
   D4        6  ---  11    BUSY 
   GROUND   25  ---  25    GROUND       
   ERROR    15  ---   2    D0           
   SLCT     13  ---   3    D1           
   PAPOUT   12  ---   4    D2           
   ACK      10  ---   5    D3           
   BUSY     11  ---   6    D4

All remaining pins remain unconnected. If the cable is shielded, the shield should be connected to the DB-25's metallic shell on one end only.

Andrew Anderson
Thu Mar 7 23:22:06 EST 1996