printer for NES

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Memblers
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printer for NES

Post by Memblers »

At my work we have this thermal printer with an RS232 interface, much like a receipt printer but using wider paper. It's a type often used for logging data from industrial and scientific instruments. For a little Friday evening project I wanted to get this thing working with my NES, and I did:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afcDpJh8SW8

It can print graphics, 320 dots per line (1 BPP obviously). Otherwise it's just like an ANSI terminal going onto paper instead of a screen (can do 80 columns, but it's set to 40 in my example). My GTROM board has a debug output connector (mapper bits shared with the on-board LEDs), this can be used to communicate with the printer. In this video though it's connected to the controller port instead, and is printing the same data that you would see on the terminal when connected over the USB adapter. I figure I might use it for some little fun stuff, maybe debugging if it's something interesting enough to have a printed log from.

I might put together another kit for a friend, I was wondering though if any devs on here would be interested in one? The printer is a Seiko DPU-414 and it's fairly expensive new (like $200+). However, used ones do regularly come up for sale. The (very temporary) source I've found for one now will cost maybe $45 for the printer + power supply + roll of paper. The only custom part is a TTL-to-RS232 adapter, but those are easy to throw together. I didn't bother to put my test one in a project box, but it could look nicer if it was.
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koitsu
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Re: printer for NES

Post by koitsu »

While I have no use for this myself, I do think this is both cool and cute. I'll point Rachel Simone Weil to this, I think she'd get a kick out of it.
calima
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Re: printer for NES

Post by calima »

A tool for proof you've beaten some game? Kinda like the GB printer with Pokemon.
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