# Issues with a USB->Parallel Adapter



## Nevryn (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi,

I'm having issues a Prolific PL-2305 based USB to IEEE-1284 Adapter. I have a HP 5L printer plugged into the parallel end (which understands plain text) but I don't seem to be able to get it to print anything.

(I have tried this under Linux, and it prints, so its not that the hardware doesn't work.

I'm running FreeBSD 8.3:


```
bsd83# uname -v
FreeBSD 8.3-RELEASE #0: Mon Apr  9 21:23:18 UTC 2012     root@mason.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC
```

When I plug the adapter in I get this, as expexted:


```
ugen0.2: <Prlific Technology Inc.> at usbus0
ulpt0: <Prlific Technology Inc. IEEE-1284 Controller, class 0/0, rev 1.00/2.00, addr 2> on usbus0
ulpt0: using bi-directional mode
```

However, if I try this (as root, to avoid permissions errors):
`# cat /etc/passwd > /dev/ulpt0`
or 
`# cat /etc/passwd > /dev/unlpt0`

it just hangs indefinitely until I hit Ctrl-C, which seems to the do some sort of reset regardless if I'm pushing data to ulpt0 or unlpt0:


```
ulpt0: at uhub0, port 1, addr 2 (disconnected)
ulpt0: <Prlific Technology Inc. IEEE-1284 Controller, class 0/0, rev 1.00/2.00, addr 2> on usbus0
ulpt0: using bi-directional mode
```

I've tried turning debugging on:

`# sysctl hw.usb.ulpt.debug=1`

and the following message appears every second or so in dmesg


```
ulpt_status_callback: error=USB_ERR_SHORT_XFER
```

but stops when I'm cat-ing data and everything hangs. After the Ctrl-C, it looks like this:


```
ulpt0: at uhub0, port 1, addr 2 (disconnected)
ulpt0: <Prlific Technology Inc. IEEE-1284 Controller, class 0/0, rev 1.00/2.00, addr 2> on usbus0
ulpt0: using bi-directional mode
ulpt_status_callback: error=USB_ERR_TIMEOUT
ulpt_status_callback: error=USB_ERR_SHORT_XFER
```

and continues with the USB_ERR_SHORT_XFER messages.

Does anyone have any ideas where I might be going wrong?


Simon


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