Hi All,
I have a project that is driven through the parallel port with software on XP to read/write directly to the parallel port. It would be nice if I could convert this to USB for greater flexibility so that I can make use of more modern laptops that tend not to come with parallel ports. Ideally I would like to keep things simple from a programming perspective, I don't want to get deeply involved in the in's and out's of programming for USB ports. I'm not shy of getting my hands dirty when it comes to programming, it's just the time factor. The ideal situation for me would be to get a program module that I can plug into my existing software which I can call with the parallel port instructions I normally use, for the program module to convert this to USB format, transmit this data through the USB port and into a device that will convert the USB data back into parallel port output. I imagined that there would be a common need for a solution like this but I'm surprised that I can't seem to find anything suitable. I have seen devices that convert USB to parallel for parallel printers, would these be a good starting point? Are there any off the shelf solutions out there? Any help much appreciated.

 

i believe you can use the usb to parallel port, even it usually use for printer.. in our class we use usb to serial port,but before that we install a software in our notebook to be able to read that..
this site could help http://pinouts.ru/ too..

if you want the software we use, just email me.. have a nice day..

 

At http://FTDIchip.com you can find usb to anything converter chips, I used USB to RS232 converter and it is really easy, after you install the drivers it appears as a new serial port in your computer, so I think that with parallel it will be the same.

 

Here's a link to some USB/Parallel Port Adapters.
http://www.emtcompany.com/catagories/usb-to-parallel-adapters.htm

I've never used one of these but I do own 5 or six USB/Serial Port Adapters that I use primarily with Visual Basic's MSComm Control. Once the drivers are installed Windows and VB treats it just like a real Serial Port.

BTW, it might be helpful to post what you want to control, as the parallel port may not be the best choice to use. The Serial Port has long been considered the universal interface.

 

Have you tried a Serial Port? The external connector for a serial port can be either 9 pins or 25 pins. Originally, the primary use of a serial port was to connect a modem to your computer. I do think a serial port is the way to go.

 

Jim, welcome to the forum.
Here's a tip. You may want to check the post date of a post before you reply to it. The OP posted this back in May and never responded to any of the replies.