8 Apr
2026
8 Apr
'26
1:05 a.m.
Hello Sir,
I have this printer with Parallel Centronics connection.
How do I print something using modern pc?
Thanks for information on power connection, great help.
Thanks
Sunil
8 Apr
8 Apr
10:04 a.m.
New subject: Kodak Diconix 150plus - looking for info
you need a parallel to USB adapter from Amazon. Otherwise, use the default
printer driver. You'll probably need a new ribbon. I used to use these
back in the early 90s. Worked well then.
b
On Wed, Apr 8, 2026 at 9:10 AM Sunil Vadgama via cctalk <
cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hello Sir,
I have this printer with Parallel Centronics connection.
How do I print something using modern pc?
Thanks for information on power connection, great help.
Thanks
Sunil
10:15 a.m.
New subject: Kodak Diconix 150plus - looking for info
On Wed, Apr 8, 2026 at 6:05 PM Bill Degnan via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
you need a parallel to USB adapter from Amazon. Otherwise, use the default
printer driver. You'll probably need a new ribbon. I used to use these
back in the early 90s. Worked well then.
Ribbon? The Diconix 150+ uses the same inkjet cartridge as the
original HP Thinkjet, but is otherwise a very different printer. If
the old cartridge has been left in the machine it will probably have
leaked. The ink is somewhat corrosive (in my case it ruined the
torsion springs for the paper bail) but unlike HP Thinkjets, the
flexiprint to the carriage tends to survive
I rebuilt one some years ago. Totally stripped the mechanism, cleaned
it up, etc. I don't recomend doing it if you don't have to,
re-threading the carriage drive cable is 'fun'. The electronics is
essentially a 78C10 microcontroller, ROM. RAM, a custom gate array and
motor drives. Note that many of the Centronics lines go to the gate
array pins, something I totally dislike. I have one of my hand-drawn
reverse-engineered schematics for the thing and lots of photos of bits
of the mechanism which I can send out if anyone needs them.
-tony
12:12 p.m.
New subject: Kodak Diconix 150plus - looking for info
On Wed, 8 Apr 2026, Bill Degnan via cctalk wrote:
you need a parallel to USB adapter from Amazon.
Otherwise, use the default
printer driver. You'll probably need a new ribbon. I used to use these
back in the early 90s. Worked well then.
I would try for a USB to parallel :-) I refer to cables in the
direction of the signal, and you want the signal travelling from the USB
to the parallel, except for a bunch of handshaking lines.
Ribbons for it are not available, and never have been.
It uses an ink jet cartridge.
I think that it is HP# 51604A, which is same as used on some HP Quietjets
and some "Thinkjets"!
So, they are usually readily available, and cheap.
$16.99 on Anmazon
It's a neat little mostly Epson compatible travel printer; running on 5?
C-cell batteries, (preferably rechargeable) inside the hollow "platen"!
Or 9V wall wart.
It has an odd multiple-simultaneous-button press "chicken dance"interface
for some special functions.
I think that it has a 10 pole dip switch, for things such as newline being
CR or CRLF, and font selection, when in ASCII signal vS graphics pixels
mode
I just googled it and came up with:
http://www.zapro.dk/public/PDF/Kodak-Diconix-150-Manual.pdf
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com
2
days inactive
2
days old
3 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
-
Bill Degnan -
Fred Cisin -
Sunil Vadgama -
Tony Duell