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Cable for MacImprint 2.2 and Edge 2

Wouters

New Member
We are using our EDGE II since about 20 years now and it was very reliable all the time. It is still useable for various tasks, regardless of it’s age. But the original cable, that came with our edge seems to be broken and we need a new one.

As we have a quiet unique setup (EDGE II with MacImprint 2.2 on an old Macintosh G4 with MacOS 10.3) it is hard to find any useful informations on the web. I contacted the dealer that sold us the system back in the days but they stopped hardware support long ago. An other company took over the support, so I contacted them. I asked them about the Gerber USB to Parallel Cable (P83301A) that I found on the web and they told me, that they would sell it, but that It would be most likely NOT compatible with our setup. So they could not really help us. They told us to try a cheap cable from Amazon, so we did - but of course it did not work.

The cable that came with our EDGE II is NOT the P83301A, it is an ISD USB SMART CABLE, Model# ISD-103. It is the left one on the attached photo. I found one on eBay, that is nearly identical (the right one on the photo): same description, same model, even the serial number starts with the same letters and digits… But it is not recognized by the software. The cable, that came with our EDGE II is even recognized, when it is NOT plugged into the EDGE II. The spooler shows every plugging/unplugging of the cable immediately. Not so with the ISD-103 cable that I just bought. It does not show up.

After that, I contacted Gerber (LECTRA). They confirmed, that the original P83301A will not work with our setup and that it's possible that the serial number on the cable is somehow connected to the software, and that is why the one we purchased on Ebay won't work.

Maybe someone here had the same issues (even if this is very unlikely) an a solution to it?

Otherwise, the only way would be to switch to Windows and Omega - with a set of new cables, of course...
 

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netsol

Active Member
Put a parallel port print server on the edge2, give it an IP address and stop wasting time

Even the old dlink or the netgear ps101's work fine
 

Wouters

New Member
Sure, that it will work with my setup (MacImprint)? When the software even doesn’t work with a nearly identical cable, how should I tell MacImprint, to find the Edge via network?
 

Attila Nagy

New Member
Only OMEGA Software limits you to use EDGE2 only with Gerber Cable, or ECP parallel port. Other softwares should work with any cables or Network Print server, as long as you can select Network output.
 

FunkotronXL

New Member
Flipped through an old MacImprint user manual. Is the parallel port on your Mac using a PCI card? If so, those were often added after the fact given Macs did not always come with a parallel port. If you have the discs available (and the drive works), you could consider reinstalling the drivers and software package to see if it will properly identify the new cable/connection (recommend doing backup/recovery options before trying)
 

netsol

Active Member
You create an ip port
I haven't done it in a few years.
I can plug in one of my old MacBooks tonight and go through the process or port creation

Should be like this, though


What rip will you be using?

Flex I has a "thermal module" that handles all the settings the edge requires

Gerber software, of course, talks to the edge
 

netsol

Active Member
Flipped through an old MacImprint user manual. Is the parallel port on your Mac using a PCI card? If so, those were often added after the fact given Macs did not always come with a parallel port. If you have the discs available (and the drive works), you could consider reinstalling the drivers and software package to see if it will properly identify the new cable/connection (recommend doing backup/recovery options before trying)
Using a print server eliminates the whole spp/pep/ecp printer port issue

I have a pile of the dlink print servers and they work fine with original edge, edge le & edge 2

The netgear oldies (ps101's & newer) work fine as well

Keep in mind THEY ARE NOT GIGABIT, but, a child could set them up and be printing in ten minutes
 

Wouters

New Member
Flipped through an old MacImprint user manual. Is the parallel port on your Mac using a PCI card? If so, those were often added after the fact given Macs did not always come with a parallel port. If you have the discs available (and the drive works), you could consider reinstalling the drivers and software package to see if it will properly identify the new cable/connection (recommend doing backup/recovery options before trying)
It is an USB to Parallel Cable.
 

Wouters

New Member
You create an ip port
I haven't done it in a few years.
I can plug in one of my old MacBooks tonight and go through the process or port creation

Should be like this, though


What rip will you be using?

Flex I has a "thermal module" that handles all the settings the edge requires

Gerber software, of course, talks to the edge
As I wrote in the original post, I was searching for an identical cable like the one that came with our EDGE back in the days and use it with the existing Hardware and Software (Macimprint). I doubt, Macimprint will accept a network connection via Print Server. Of course, If there is no way, getting an compatible cable or a solution to get the identical one that I bought working, I can buy a PC, Omega and new cables...
 
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