PNC5000- how to hook it up to PC?

[mglamoc]

My Roland PNC5000 was connected to an old Mac and I have been using the Signmate Software. My mac broke down, and now I have to connect the PNC5000 to a PC (XP).

Does anyone know the type of software and cables I can use to connect the PNC5000 to a PC? Do I need any drivers for the new USB?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Arlo Kalon 2.0]

I have the same plotter. It would never function until I hooked it up to the parallel port with a null modem. Good luck finding one of those. I just happened to know an IT guy who had one laying around.

 

[round man]

Arlo I don't want to rain on your parade here but a null modem is a serial cable,.....it has to be hooked up to a com port. Some of the older com ports look alot like parallel ports but null modem cables are for serial communications not parallel. The confusion here may be due to the fact that most of the newer serial ports are 9 pin ports and not the older 25 pin type plugs.It is going to be very very hard to find a null modem parallel cable,..the null modem has two pins crossed from one end to the other so that the pc can handshake with the plotter.This is why most sign software has the port settings to plot set to xon xoff and or hardware both of which allow for handshaking from the device to the computer. Just trying to help out here,....Null modem serial cables are sometimes called hp cables if it helps in anyone's search. Most any sign supply house that deals in plotters will have one.

 

[J Hill Designs]

If im not mistaken, null modem cables are RS-232

 

[OldPaint]

why would you not treat that 5000..........the same as a PRINTER???? with a LPT-1 printer port cable???? this is how i run all my ROLAND PLOTTERS....

 

[P Wagner]

The Roland PNC5000 contained a traditional printer port. A parallel cable would have been used for it's PC-based interface.

USB did not even exist in 1995 when the machine was introduced.

 

[round man]

Jhilldesigns is right rs-232 is the standard technical term for null modem connections and more than likely will be part of the parts number or product classification

 

[Mosh]

I had one. First thing I would do is put it out in the drive and run it over with a car, then toss it in the trash!!! You can't get ribbons for it anymore anyway (unless you found some refills)

I had mine hooked up with a printer cable, stuff was sent to it like it was a printer, even if only cutting. 15 years later and I am still bitter about getting rooked on that machine!!!! It did print, but I guess I was exspecting ALOT more than what I got from it. I still have it, and have stole a few parts off it to put on my pnc1100, that is still going strong BTW after 20 years or so.