HP DraftMaster I

Hi Patrick, What type of computer are you trying to connect to? Mac, PC, a classic micro, mini or mainframe? Which port are you using, serial or parallel? Are you using a network adaptor box to Ethernet? I think my DraftMaster MX has Etherbet built in, but as far as I remember, when we had a prototype of the previous model, it used an external adaptor box. I've connected plotters to Apple ][+, Apple ///, Lisa 1, Lisa 2 and every type of Mac, and if you need a plotter driver for a Mac my company can still supply one. Its not the connection that's difficult, often its that your application does not output the data in a format the plotter understands. Modern machines usually assume the data is going to written into a pixel map (either within the printer as with PostScript, or within the host computer) so that later geometries can partially obscure earlier ones. It is even possible to print from programs like PhotoShop, but it really works the plotter hard, and while runs of a colour are fine, and single dots come out with fibre pens, ball pens rely on movement to get the ink flowing, so can't do dots. Draughting(drafting if you're over the pond) pens are another game entirely. I am replying to the digest, so its possible someone's already answered this. Roger Holmes.