The Original IBM PC Parallel Port Pin-Out [also known now as the 'A'
connector], was replaced by IEEE-1284 cable [25 Pin D-Sub on the Host
side].
The IEEE-1284 'A' cable is backwards compatible with the original IBM
Personal Computer [PC] Parallel Port cable and has the same pinout.
The IEEE-1284-B connector is designed to replace the Centronics
pinout
The IEEE 1284-B: connector is a Female 36 pin ribbon connector (.0850
center line) Centronics, Bale locks [Peripheral connector, Printer
side].
The IEEE-1284 'B' cable pin-out or signal assignments are shown below, along with the connector pin locations.
Pin Number | Signal name | Pin Description and Function |
---|---|---|
1 | nStrobe | Strobe |
2 | data0 | Address, Data Bit 0 |
3 | data1 | Address, Data Bit 1 |
4 | data2 | Address, Data Bit 2 |
5 | data3 | Address, Data Bit 3 |
6 | data4 | Address, Data Bit 4 |
7 | data5 | Address, Data Bit 5 |
8 | data6 | Address, Data Bit 6 |
9 | data7 | Address, Data Bit 7 |
10 | /nAck | Acknowledge |
11 | Busy | Busy |
12 | PError | Paper End |
13 | Select | Select |
14 | /nAutoFd | Autofeed |
15 | GND | Signal Ground |
16 | GND | Logic Ground |
17 | GND | Chassis Ground |
18 | PLH | Peripheral Logic High |
19 | GND | Signal pin 1 GND |
20 | GND | Signal pin 2 GND |
21 | GND | Signal pin 3 GND |
22 | GND | Signal pin 4 GND |
23 | GND | Signal pin 5 GND |
24 | GND | Signal pin 6 GND |
25 | GND | Signal pin 7 GND |
26 | GND | Signal pin 8 GND |
27 | GND | Signal pin 9 GND |
28 | GND | Signal pins 10, 12, 13 GND |
29 | GND | Signal pin 11, 32 GND |
30 | GND | Signal pins 14, 31, 36 GND |
31 | /nInit | Initialize |
32 | /nFault | Error |
33 | GND | Signal Ground |
34 | GND | Signal Ground |
35 | GND | Signal Ground |
36 | /nSelectIn | Select In |
Personal Computer [PC] Parallel printer bus specification defines a
Point-To-Point asynchronous bi-directional interface. Devices may be
either 1284 compatible {the older parallel port devices} or 1284
compliant. The maximum recommended length for a printer cable is 25 feet.
Centronics parallel cables run out to 12 feet. The IEEE1284 cable
replaced the 'Centronics' cable, the Centronics cable is obsolete.
Operates in five different modes: [The connector or cable does not change
with each different mode, but the function of some of the pins do]
Compatibility mode; Centronics type operation (PC to Peripheral),
providing the original (required) control signaling bits. These bits
include 8 data lines, a Strobe, a Busy, an Acknowledge, a Select, Paper
Empty, Fault, Initialize Printer, Select Printer, and a Auto Feed line.
Compatibility mode is the basic mode of operation, asynchronous, byte
wide operation with a transfer rate of between 50kBps to 150kBps.
Nibble mode; 4 bit data bus (Peripheral to PC), 8 bit data bus (PC
to Peripheral); supporting uni-directional printer interfaces. This
provides an interface which operates full speed forward and half speed in
reverse. The transfer rate is between 50kBps to 150kBps
Byte mode; 8 bit bi-directional bus. Normal port operation. The
transfer rate is between 50kBps to 150kBps
ECP; Extended Capabilities Port. Allowed the PC to send 32 bit
data to the port, than letting the port divide up the data into four 8
byte messages, improving system (PC) operation. Transfer speeds are ten
times faster then the previous modes.
EPP; Enhanced Parallel Port; Allows high-speed transfers of bytes
in either direction. EPP is used with real time controlled peripherals.
EPP transfer times are the same as ECP transfer rates.
Pin | Compatibility mode | Nibble mode | Byte mode | EPP mode | ECP mode |
1 | nStrobe | HostClk | HostClk | nWrite | HostClk |
2 | Data 1 | Data 1 | Data 1 | AD1 | Data 1 |
3 | Data 2 | Data 2 | Data 2 | AD2 | Data 2 |
4 | Data 3 | Data 3 | Data 3 | AD3 | Data 3 |
5 | Data 4 | Data 4 | Data 4 | AD4 | Data 4 |
6 | Data 5 | Data 5 | Data 5 | AD5 | Data 5 |
7 | Data 6 | Data 6 | Data 6 | AD6 | Data 6 |
8 | Data 7 | Data 7 | Data 7 | AD7 | Data 7 |
9 | Data 8 | Data 8 | Data 8 | AD8 | Data8 |
10 | nAck | PtrClk | PtrClk | Intr | PeriphClk |
11 | Busy | PtrBusy | PtrBusy | nWait | PeriphAck |
12 | PError | AckDataReq | AckDataReq | User defined 1 | nAckReverse |
13 | Select | Xflag | Xflag | User defined 3 | Xflag |
14 | nAutoFd | HostBusy | HostBusy | nDStrb | HostAck |
15 | Signal Ground | - | - | - | - |
16 | Logic Ground | ||||
17 | Chassis Ground | ||||
18 | Peripheral Logic High | ||||
19 | (nStrobe)ground return | ||||
20 | (Data 1)ground return | ||||
21 | (Data 2)ground return | ||||
22 | (Data 3)ground return | ||||
23 | (Data 4) ground return | ||||
24 | (Data 5) ground return | ||||
25 | (Data 6) ground return | ||||
26 | (Data 7) ground return | ||||
27 | (Data 8) ground return | ||||
28 | (nACK, PError, Select) ground return | ||||
29 | (Busy, nFault) ground return | ||||
30 | (nAutoFd, nSelectIn, nInit) ground return | ||||
31 | nInit | nInit | nInit | nInit | nReverseRequest |
32 | nFault | nDataAvail | nDataAvail | User Defined 2 | nPeriphRequest |
33 | Ground | -- | |||
34 | Ground | -- | |||
35 | Ground | -- | |||
36 | nSelectIn | 1284 Active | 1284 Active | nAStrb | 1284 Active |
Back to the main IEEE-1284 bus page.
Parallel Cable Port Pinout ....
Centronics Cable Pin-out ....
1284-A Cable Pinout .... 1284-C Cable Pinout
IEEE1284-A to 1284-B Adaptor
Pinout .. IEEE1284-A to 1284-C Adaptor
Pinout .. IEEE1284-B to 1284-C Adaptor
Pinout
Navigation: Engineering Home > Interface Buses > Cabled Interface Standards > IEEE-1284 Standard > B-Cable Variation.
Home | |||||||
Distributors | Components | Equipment | Software | Standards | Buses | Design | Reference |