26 Nov
2002
26 Nov
'02
4:54 p.m.
Hi
I have an old Intel tape reader ( I think it was made
by REMEX ). It was a parallel output. I took me about
20 minutes to make an adapter to plug into the bi-directional
printer port on my laptop( it took me longer to buy the
cable since I went to Fry's to buy it). I took me another
hour or so to look up the info on the parallel port to write a
simple reader to take input from the printer port to
a file.
I started without schematics or docs on the reader,
just knowing that it was parallel. One should be able to
find the output strobe and data lines with a logic probe
( although I used an oscilloscope ).
Dwight
From: "Loboyko Steve"
<sloboyko(a)yahoo.com>
They once made these but I haven't seen any surplus in
years.
Until I picked up some paper tape readers on eBay
(cheap - no one wants readers, they want punches) - I
was considering making one out of tiny
phototransistors/IR emitters using wooden strips
masked with Mylar tape punched with the RUBOUT
character. I definitely think this is doable. But
seriously, I'd look at eBay, because readers with
nonstandard interface go for cheap. I recently missed
a complete Remex reader (with reels, etc) for $20
(nobody bid on it), and I DO know how to interface
these.
--- "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwightk.elvey(a)amd.com> wrote:
Hi Glen
There isn't much application for things with this
spacing.
Remember, you will most likely be connecting this to
a
uP. You really don't need to space then in a
straight
line. You can stager them and reassemble the entire
byte width afterwards.
Another though would be to use one of the linear
arrays,
used in scanners. Most of these are about as wide as
a paper tape. You could use a collimated source and
drag the tape directly over the array. You'd need
to do a little image processing but it shouldn't be
too
difficult.
There are some mechanical options that might work
as well.
Like I said, use some imagination.
Dwight
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From: "Glen Slick"
<glenslick(a)hotmail.com>
I was hoping there might be some sort of
preassembled optical sensor array
available with the right spacing for paper tape
holes, but maybe that is
hoping for too much. If you build one with
discrete sensors, is it easy to
find ones that are narrow enough to stack side to
side with the correct
spacing?
>Hi
> Ahh, such concepts as make one come to mind.
You could
>scrap a number of mice for the optical sensors
(
two for
>each axis, 4 total per mouse ) or you could
buy
photo
>transistors from Jameco. In a pinch, the clear
lensed
LED's
make reasonable detectors.
Use a little imagination.
Dwight
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