Amstrad PCW Tips - Printer Ribbons and Printing

This article is an extract from Malcolm Surl's LuxSoft.co.uk website - thank you Malcolm for your many years of contributing to the Amstrad PCW community!

 

Amstrad PC & PCW Printer Ribbons

We regret that we no longer sell ribbons. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to previous customers but all is not lost as there are several suppliers still advertising ribbons at reasonable prices on the Internet, including on E-Bay.

    Internet Search Tips .....

  • Amstrad referred to their ribbons by their own in house part numbers (060070 etc) but most 3rd party manufacturers used instead an international standard reference system for ribbons - CARMA numbers. Using these avoids wading through heaps of irrelevant search results as well as guarding against buying the wrong item.

  • CARMAs define the ribbon width, orientation and cassette size but, due to rationalisations in manufacturing over the years, each ribbon suitable for an Amstrad PCW has amassed two or three different references, so it is important to search for all variants - see below.

  • If the right CARMA ref (from below) is shown as being (say) a Seikosha or Juki ribbon, worry not as many ribbon cassette shapes were used by several different printer and typewriter manufacturers (and the 8256/8512 printer was effectively a Seikosha in disguise).

  • The four figure CARMA numbers are followed by a two-letter code for the ribbon type: FN (Fabric Nylon), DN (Double density Nylon), MS (MultiStrike - the shiny-backed type like a videotape) and SC (Self-Correcting)  

  • PCW8256/8512/10/9256 - 2741 (try first) plus also 2888 & 2944. These were originally available in both MS and DN flavours but MS - the highdays & holidays good quality species - was dropped many years ago so are best avoided if offered as they are bound to be old stock ... and prone to mould. The original distinction between DN and FN seems now to be less important so try both 2741DN and 2741FN

  • PCW9512/9512+ Daisy Wheel - 2746 (try first) and 2949. Similarly originally available as both FN and MS but conversely it was the FN that was dropped many years ago so now it's just MS. BEWARE the 2746SC - this type fits a 9512 but gives a poor print as it is actually a typewriter ribbon. Always check the ribbon spec & CARMA ref carefully as some E-Bayers are unaware of the relevance of the ribbon type suffix.    

    We do hope that this helps !

 

Printing with External (non-PCW) Printers - Why not run an Inkjet or Laser printer from your PCW ? 

In a nutshell, if a printer is DOS compatible on a PC, has a parallel port (not just a USB) and you have the relevant printer driver for it on your Loco SoD disc, LocoScript 2, 3 or 4 could drive it direct from a PCW. 

The PCW 9512/9512+ is fitted with a standard PC-type parallel port so, with the relevant "printer driver" file(s) on your Loco SoD, you can print to:

  • most older Canon Bubblejets eg BJ10, BJ/BJC2xx and BJ/BJC4xxx

  • many early Epson Stylus inkjets eg Stylus 200, 500, 600, 740 but not 400/440

  • most old HP Deskjet printers eg 5xx. 6xx, 7xx, 8xx, 3820, & 6122

  • any HP Laserjet DOS compatible laser printer eg HP Laserjet 1200, Panasonic 44xx,  Brother HL6xx, 7xx, 2070n, 5240 & 5250dn; Samsung 1750 and 2250. We also understand the Dell 1710 to be Laserjet compatible.

.... so at last you can have bold, italics, and a variety of type sizes as well as the luxury of auto sheet feeding ... even from Loco2.

The same applies to Amstrad 8256 and 8512's that are fitted with a CPS8256 serial/parallel interface or equivalent, but if you are still running the original LocoScript 1, you will need to upgrade to Loco2.28 or higher.

Please note :

  • We believe that there are now very few DOS compatible printers still being manufactured, at least in the sub £250 bracket. In fact we believe the Brother 5240 & 5340 DL laser printers to be the only ones around but we have yet to try one out ... and things do have a habit of changing in this industry. (if anybody has tried one, please let us know !). Meanwhile, remaindered merchants and second hand are now the only realistic options. 

  • whilst 'external' printers work OK in LocoScript, they cannot necessarily be driven by other programs you run from CP/M. Your program's documentation should indicate the types of external printed supported.