I have the next configuration: Motherboard INTEL SE440BX2. Windows NT 4.0 with SP5, LPT1 IRQ7 DMA 3 or 1,ECP mode. Postershop 4.5 (with the addendum installed) connected with an ENCAD 700 ( with the last firmware ). IEEE1284 printer cable. The problem is that the ENCAD 700 prints slow. I need some idea to work fine wtih ECP mode. I have tried to print through an INTEL NETPORT EXPRESS. If I set Bidirectional comunnication = on it still prints slow. Setting Bidirectional comunnication = off it prints at a right speed but thin color lines ( cyan,magenta,red ) are printed. Some idea for this option?

Thanks for your support.

-- Javier Marti (juprima@juprima.com), February 17, 2000

Answers

We are driving an Encad NJ 600 60" using the pony print server by XCD (support@xcd.com) that is the same suggested by Encad. It's a 10mbit ethernet adapter and i can drive it at full speed at 10, 8 and sometimes 6 passes with absolutely no problems. Using the same model at 100mbit maybe you can drive it even faster. The 10mbit is not expensive. I had to make some extra settings by telnet to avoid it to print one first work and then freezing. If you want to try it and have problems, please email me.

-- Nicola Bianchi (bianchisnc.pt@tiscalinet.it), March 07, 2000.

Windows NT does not support ECP Parallel mode. This is not an Onyx issue and it is not an Encad Novajet issue. Windows NT will only support 115kb/sec throughput from the parallel port the printer needs about 800kb/sec to keep the print head moving. So you need an Ethernet print server that has a minimum throughput of about 800Kb from it's own parallel port (ECP) to keep the print head moving.

Your solution is to get away from a direct connection to the printer. Are you sure your using an IEEE-1284 cable? This is very important. The Intel Netport should work but it has to be properly configured.

-- erik swanson (eriksoce@aol.com), April 01, 2000.