About USB to Parallel Adapter
There was a time when a desktop PC or laptop would have both a serial and a parallel port. As most techie types who still had the privilege of working with XT 8086; AT 286, 386 or 486 systems would know, serial ports are communication interfaces mostly used to connect modems to computers.
These geeks would also remember that parallel ports are mostly used to connect PCs to printers and scanners. However, while serial ports are still used today, albeit in highly specialized industrial equipment, parallel ports have all but disappeared from modern desktop and laptop computers.
But while times have moved on, some hardware devices that use parallel port interfaces are still very much alive. Most noteworthy of these are the tough as nails dot matrix and laser printers (some banks actually still regularly send print jobs to their dot matrix printers because of these devices’ ability to use form feed paper and conveniently produce carbon copies).
The difficulty now is connecting these legacy devices to a new laptop or desktop PC that will only have USB ports. Enter a solution called a USB to parallel adapter.
A USB to parallel adapter is actually just a cable with a standard Type A USB plug at one end and a parallel connector at the other end. A parallel adapter device that came from a reputable manufacturer will usually include a CD containing the device driver for the USB to parallel adapter.
Installing a USB to parallel adapter
Installing a USB to parallel adapter doesn’t require much geek power as it is basically just another USB device. While some of these devices can be plugged in directly, with the computer system installing the drivers automatically, most prefer that a suitable device driver from the manufacturer of the USB to parallel adapter must first be installed. If the latter is the case, the CD from the manufacturer of the parallel adapter should initially be run to install the device driver of the USB to parallel adapter.
The device driver for the USB to parallel adapter may also be available for download from the manufacturer’s website. Installing the device driver for the USB to parallel adapter is usually a very straightforward affair, with the user just clicking on the “Next” button until installation is done.
After this, the USB to parallel adapter can then be plugged into a free USB port on the computer and its other end to the parallel printer. It will then appear as another “LPT Port” or a “USB to Parallel Port” when a new printer is added to the system.
A USB to parallel adapter conveniently allows users to connect perfectly good “legacy devices” to a new computer. But the functional uses for this type of device do not stop there. There are also those who use a USB to parallel adapter for more creative applications.
Some enthusiasts can be seen using the parallel adapter to control other devices like lights, robotic arms, vehicles, machines and appliances with their computers. This particular application for a USB to parallel adapter is also very popular in university electronics laboratories.
