Homebrew PCBs

Hi All,
I am using Boardmaker for making my howbrew PCB's. Printing is done 
on foil for transparant overheadprojector. I was using a old Olivetti 
JP250 inkjetprinter but the machine is broken down now.
I used the laserjetprinter output of the program. I understand this 
in in HP PCL3 language to the printer. The Boardmaker program 
supports printers like HP LaserjetII.
The new HP Inkjet printers use HP PCL 3 IMPROVED language. So my 
question is: is this new  language backwards compatible? Can I use a 
HP Deskjet 920 or 960 with my old Boardmaker PCB design software?
The program runs under DOS; Windows should NOT be detected.
Any help greatly appreciated.
ELSO.

Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] Boardmaker Output to HP DeskJet 920 or 960
Inkjetprinters


  Elso,
  It should work. I also use an old program sometimes and it only outputs to
hp LaserJet 300 x 300 or dot matrix.
  It runs in a dos box inside Windows printing to a HP 970cxi and HP
LaserJet III. I have tried it with other printer manufactures
  it didn't work. I also had an older HP inkjet and it worked fine with that
too.
  All dos programs still send the print job through windows so the HP
program must be converting the file before it goes to the
  printer.

  Derek

    I used the laserjetprinter output of the program. I understand this
    in in HP PCL3 language to the printer. The Boardmaker program
    supports printers like HP LaserjetII.
    The new HP Inkjet printers use HP PCL 3 IMPROVED language. So my
    question is: is this new  language backwards compatible? Can I use a
    HP Deskjet 920 or 960 with my old Boardmaker PCB design software?
    The program runs under DOS; Windows should NOT be detected.
    Any help greatly appreciated.
    ELSO.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Derek,
Thanks for the reply. 
I don't understand the last sentence of your post stating that all 
DOS programs are sending the printjob through Windows.
Boardmaker does not work under Windows; Windows should not even be 
detected. Boardmaker is a pure DOS program and works on a PC without 
Windows on it. The printerdriver is contained in the program and has 
HP PCL3 language.
But if your old program can print to a HP970 I am confident it will 
work with the HP960 DeskJet too.
ELSO

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "High Tech" <hightechsystems@a...> wrote:
> 
>   Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] Boardmaker Output to HP DeskJet 920 
or 960
> Inkjetprinters
> 
> 
>   Elso,
>   It should work. I also use an old program sometimes and it only 
outputs to
> hp LaserJet 300 x 300 or dot matrix.
>   It runs in a dos box inside Windows printing to a HP 970cxi and HP
> LaserJet III. I have tried it with other printer manufactures
>   it didn't work. I also had an older HP inkjet and it worked fine 
with that
> too.
>   All dos programs still send the print job through windows so the 
HP
> program must be converting the file before it goes to the
>   printer.
> 
>   Derek
> 
>     I used the laserjetprinter output of the program. I understand 
this
>     in in HP PCL3 language to the printer. The Boardmaker program
>     supports printers like HP LaserjetII.
>     The new HP Inkjet printers use HP PCL 3 IMPROVED language. So my
>     question is: is this new  language backwards compatible? Can I 
use a
>     HP Deskjet 920 or 960 with my old Boardmaker PCB design 
software?

>     The program runs under DOS; Windows should NOT be detected.
>     Any help greatly appreciated.
>     ELSO.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Elso,
I am running my dos program on windows 98se right now but it did work
on a dos only computer too.
Derek


Hi Derek,
Thanks for the reply. 
I don't understand the last sentence of your post stating that all 
DOS programs are sending the printjob through Windows.
Boardmaker does not work under Windows; Windows should not even be 
detected. Boardmaker is a pure DOS program and works on a PC without 
Windows on it. The printerdriver is contained in the program and has 
HP PCL3 language.
But if your old program can print to a HP970 I am confident it will 
work with the HP960 DeskJet too.
ELSO

--
>   All dos programs still send the print job through windows so the 
HP
> program must be converting the file before it goes to the
>   printer.
> 
>   Derek
> 
>     I used the laserjetprinter output of the program. I understand 
this
>     in in HP PCL3 language to the printer. The Boardmaker program
>     supports printers like HP LaserjetII.
>     The new HP Inkjet printers use HP PCL 3 IMPROVED language. So my
>     question is: is this new  language backwards compatible? Can I 
use a
>     HP Deskjet 920 or 960 with my old Boardmaker PCB design 
software?

>     The program runs under DOS; Windows should NOT be detected.
>     Any help greatly appreciated.
>     ELSO.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Derek,
It works!.
I just made a very neat looking PCB with the HP DeskJet 960c!
First I had to overcome HP's Commercial trick; I had to install the 
colorcartridge before the machine was willing to print in black and 
white.
I am using transparencies made by Canon for Color BJ printer(CF-101) 
after almost getting 
a heardattack reading the price for the HP trannies ($ 45 for 50)
There are thousends of microscopic little pinholes on the 
transparency but that proved not to be a problem. I am using Bunguard 
FR4 PCB material. The PCB's are exposed with UV light using contact 
printing method.
Even with the slow output from the 286 computer I did not get white 
stripes as was always the problem with the old Olivetti.
Thanks again!
ELSO



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "High Tech" <hightechsystems@a...> wrote:
> 
> Elso,
> I am running my dos program on windows 98se right now but it did 
work
> on a dos only computer too.
> Derek
> 
> 
> Hi Derek,
> Thanks for the reply. 
> I don't understand the last sentence of your post stating that all 
> DOS programs are sending the printjob through Windows.
> Boardmaker does not work under Windows; Windows should not even be 
> detected. Boardmaker is a pure DOS program and works on a PC 
without 
> Windows on it. The printerdriver is contained in the program and 
has 
> HP PCL3 language.
> But if your old program can print to a HP970 I am confident it will 
> work with the HP960 DeskJet too.
> ELSO
> 
> --
> >   All dos programs still send the print job through windows so 
the 
> HP
> > program must be converting the file before it goes to the
> >   printer.
> > 
> >   Derek
> > 
> >     I used the laserjetprinter output of the program. I 
understand 
> this
> >     in in HP PCL3 language to the printer. The Boardmaker program
> >     supports printers like HP LaserjetII.
> >     The new HP Inkjet printers use HP PCL 3 IMPROVED language. So 
my
> >     question is: is this new  language backwards compatible? Can 
I 

> use a
> >     HP Deskjet 920 or 960 with my old Boardmaker PCB design 
> software?
> >     The program runs under DOS; Windows should NOT be detected.
> >     Any help greatly appreciated.
> >     ELSO.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Elso,

Thanks for posting!  My wife has a 960 DeskJet, which also has scanner,
fax.  I'm wondering if this is a similar machine?  The Canon supplies
note is especially interesting, considering the prices of HP consumable
products.  I remember buying supplies for my old HP7475A plotter!  

No one has mentioned using a plotter to lay out a PCB, not useful
anymore?  

Alan


elsokwak wrote:

> 
> Derek,
> It works!.
> I just made a very neat looking PCB with the HP DeskJet 960c!
> First I had to overcome HP's Commercial trick; I had to install the
> colorcartridge before the machine was willing to print in black and
> white.
> I am using transparencies made by Canon for Color BJ printer(CF-101)
> after almost getting
> a heardattack reading the price for the HP trannies ($ 45 for 50)
> There are thousends of microscopic little pinholes on the
> transparency but that proved not to be a problem. I am using Bunguard
> FR4 PCB material. The PCB's are exposed with UV light using contact
> printing method.
> Even with the slow output from the 286 computer I did not get white
> stripes as was always the problem with the old Olivetti.
> Thanks again!
> ELSO
>

Hi Alan,
I choose the HP Deskjet 960c because it is using the HP PCL3 
(enhanced) printer  control language and my Boardmaker PCB layout 
program also uses PCL3. I don't know about the combined 
printer/scanner from Hp. Please visit www.hp.com
I used the Canon transparencies as I was these using with the 
Olivetti and the Schaeffer refillink. I bought the Canon trannies  
cheap on a computer fair. I tried several brands and the Canon gave 
the best results.
I did consider buying a plotter on ebay.
But it takes a very long time, more than a hour, to plot a 
groundplane. Also have my doubts about the narrow pads and tracks 
needed for SMT. The Hp produces a layout of excellent sharpness in a 
few seconds...And it also prints a nice picture from a scanned color 
transparencie or photo.ELSO
 


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., Alan Marconett KM6VV <KM6VV@a...> wrote:
> Hi Elso,
> 
> Thanks for posting!  My wife has a 960 DeskJet, which also has 
scanner,
> fax.  I'm wondering if this is a similar machine?  The Canon 
supplies
> note is especially interesting, considering the prices of HP 
consumable
> products.  I remember buying supplies for my old HP7475A plotter!  
> 
> No one has mentioned using a plotter to lay out a PCB, not useful
> anymore?  
> 
> Alan
> 
> 
> elsokwak wrote:
> > 
> > Derek,
> > It works!.
> > I just made a very neat looking PCB with the HP DeskJet 960c!
> > First I had to overcome HP's Commercial trick; I had to install 
the
> > colorcartridge before the machine was willing to print in black 
and
> > white.
> > I am using transparencies made by Canon for Color BJ printer(CF-
101)
> > after almost getting
> > a heardattack reading the price for the HP trannies ($ 45 for 50)
> > There are thousends of microscopic little pinholes on the
> > transparency but that proved not to be a problem. I am using 
Bunguard
> > FR4 PCB material. The PCB's are exposed with UV light using 
contact
> > printing method.
> > Even with the slow output from the 286 computer I did not get 
white

> > stripes as was always the problem with the old Olivetti.
> > Thanks again!
> > ELSO
> >

Hi Elso,

I'll check to see if Hers has PCL3 language.  I didn't read it in any of
the sparse documentation we got with the printer/copier/fax.

Yeah, plotter pins would be too wide for SMT, I'm sure.  Might be OK for
hobbyist use.  Right now, I'm intent on mechanical etching!  I've just
cut some < 1" round boards for a digitizer probe I'm building.  

Now if I can just cut the tiny little leaf spring.  I found that I have
a bug cutting very small arcs contained in the -1, -1 quadrant.  Back to
the software!

Alan  KM6VV


elsokwak wrote:

> 
> Hi Alan,
> I choose the HP Deskjet 960c because it is using the HP PCL3
> (enhanced) printer  control language and my Boardmaker PCB layout
> program also uses PCL3. I don't know about the combined
> printer/scanner from Hp. Please visit www.hp.com
> I used the Canon transparencies as I was these using with the
> Olivetti and the Schaeffer refillink. I bought the Canon trannies
> cheap on a computer fair. I tried several brands and the Canon gave
> the best results.
> I did consider buying a plotter on ebay.
> But it takes a very long time, more than a hour, to plot a
> groundplane. Also have my doubts about the narrow pads and tracks
> needed for SMT. The Hp produces a layout of excellent sharpness in a
> few seconds...And it also prints a nice picture from a scanned color
> transparencie or photo.ELSO