This section summarizes the basic PC 98 hardware requirements for printers.
1. IEEE 1394 printer meets PC 98 requirements for IEEE 1394
Required
The IEEE 1394 bus is recommended for support of fast, high-density data transfer. For information about implementing IEEE 1394 for PC 98, see the “IEEE 1394” chapter in Part 3 of this guide.
2. USB printer meets PC 98 requirements for USB devices
Recommended
The USB bus is a requirement for PC 98 systems. It is recommended that USB printers conform to the Universal Serial Bus Device Class Definition for Printing Devices, Version 1.0 or higher. For information about implementing USB for PC 98, see the “USB” chapter in Part 3 of this guide.
3. IEEE 1284 printer supports compatibility mode, nibble mode, and ECP, compliant with IEEE 1284-I
Required
Parallel peripherals must implement nibble mode and compatibility mode. Nibble mode provides a means of transferring the identification string from the peripheral to the system. Compatibility mode provides backward compatibility with non-Plug and Play systems that do not support more advanced modes.
A parallel device complies with IEEE 1284 if it meets the required criteria documented in the IEEE 1284 specification, Standard Signaling Method for a Bi-directional Parallel Peripheral Interface for Personal Computers. For a parallel device that connects to a PC 98 system, the minimum requirement is IEEE 1284 Level I compliance, which implements the compatibility and nibble modes as specified in IEEE 1284 and defines the mechanical and electrical specifications of the peripheral.
An IEEE 1284-I–compliant peripheral uses the standard IEEE 1284-B connector. In all cases, ensure that there is enough space between the connectors and the surrounding enclosure to allow for a mating connector, a connector shell, and a latch assembly.
For more information about the electrical specifications for IEEE 1284-
I–compliant peripherals, refer to the IEEE 1284 specification.
For more information, see the following related parallel port requirements defined in the “I/O Ports and Devices” chapter in Part 4 of this guide:
4. IEEE 1284 printer meets IEEE 1284-II requirements
| Recommended |
Peripheral devices capable of handling a high-speed data rate should comply with the mechanical, electrical, and protocol specification of IEEE 1284-II. In particular, such devices should support the protocols of the IEEE 1284-II ECP mode and should use the IEEE 1284-C connector.
5. ECP printer works correctly when ECP mode is turned off
Required
This ensures that the user has correct printing support when ECP mode is not in use.
6. IEEE 1284 hardware supports error notification
Required
The following minimum errors must be reported individually by the hardware: