Commodore.ca: The PET, VIC, 128, 64 & More Forum

I'm looking for a small desktop printer for my VIC20 that I can use to print program listings. Not a full size printer like the 802 or 803. Does anyone know if the Commodore 1520 is a realistic choice to perform this task. If not, can someone recommend a better printer choice.
Thanks!

Personable85 wrote:Does anyone know if the Commodore 1520 is a realistic choice to perform this task.

Realistic? No. The C1520 is not very durable (its plastic gears break), and the ink pens are nearly impossible to get.

If not, can someone recommend a better printer choice.

The problem with miniature printers is that trying to get ribbons for them is extremely difficult. It is far better to get a standard printer (which many people had or still have), because ribbons would be easier to find. Such a standard printer would be an Epson LX/FX/EX printer.

Truly,

Thank you for the information. I found it very helpful.

What about the traditional Commodore printers? I'm looking for a printer for my VIC that is regular size, but it must be bi-directional and fast. I'm considering either a dot matrix or daisy wheel printer. I had a dot matrix printer back in the 80s, but I always thought the daisy wheel printer was a better choice. There's some nice printers on EBay. If you have any recommendations I'd love to hear them. Thanks again!

Someone may have developed an Commodore Printer Port to USB or Parallel Printer Conversion Module... I am not really in the know..

This would allow you to use modern printers and so it saves you from having to look for inks for various 1980's commodore printers....

I had a rackety noisy old Oki-Data Printer for my Commodore back in the day.. I thought it was cool...

There was someone working on a USB/Commodore/Parallel conversion module, but I don't think there's been any new progress made on it for close to a year now, which is a shame, as that would be great to have! Otherwise, for using newer ink/bubble jets printers, on a C64, I think one would be limited to models made up to the late '90's or early 2000's, as I think manufacturers stopped putting the Centronics style interfaces on printers after that time period.

For the older printers, from the era, I wouldn't have a great deal of knowledge to offer on which would be better, but I have a feeling that some of the off brand ones, using a parallel interface would be the way to go, if you're looking for speed, quality and replacement parts availability (what Robert said )

The only printer I had, and actually used quite a bit, was an Okimate 10 color thermal transfer printer. It was small, compared to most other printers on the market, and used cartridges loaded with plastic, non re-usable ribbon. The cartridges came in black and in color, and the print results were actually quite good for the time (actually, the smoother the paper the better the results). It was only unidirectional, and in color mode would be quite slow to finish, but it was very quiet, when in operation, and wasn't reliant on only using continuous feed paper, which I think is also becoming more difficult to source out.

I have 1 for you, no paper or lead to computer. +3 black pens as well as colored 1s.

Plotter = OK, but some find dot-matrix easier to read, as plotter not form the letters perfectly.

AndrewH7 wrote:I have 1 for you, no paper or lead to computer. +3 black pens as well as colored 1s.

Here's one that just popped up on ebay. I couldn't believe my eyes
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161752405755
Price may be just a little steep for the average user......