Re: Need Info on Parallel to Twinax Converter

The Marknet is the Lexmark version of the HP External JetDirect. That will give
us IP to parallel. We would be all set if we were using ASCII printers, but
since the 4224s use twinax for input we need to go from the parallel back to
twinax. Blackbox has several devices that will work for NON-IPDS printers.

I'll have to ask the Tamdem persons about a twinax option but that may to
costly. Right now we have 7 AS/400s, 3 in the corp office(where the Tamdem is)
and 1 each at 4 hospitals. The 4224s are at the hospitals, so we would need a
Tandem version of a 5x94 controller at each site. One major reason to keep the
4224s is cost of new commercial grade forms printers. We've tried the Lexmark
4227s and they have a heck of a problem with our 8.5 x 11 forms that are 3-hole
punched.

The reason for moving to the Tamdem... Our current Clinical Information System
that handles most of the record keeping and medical ordering(like labs) needed
replacement. IDX's Lastword product won the functional test. It runs on Tamdem,
so bought a Tamdem. This shop finds the SW that does the job and buys the
platform that runs it if they don't have it. Which is pretty common in Health
Care.

BTW the 400's will still handle financial backend and HR functions, the R6000s
will still handle the pharmacy, the NT's and Novell will handle Office
Automation(Word, mail etc) and the Sun's and Alpha's will do what ever they are
doing. AND! The programmers will keep righting interfaces so they all can share
data.

Jeffrey Silberberg wrote:
> 
> Kirk,
> 
>         Clear as mud. But, I would suggest you talk with the Axis people
> they have done some neat things with printer interfaces for the Printek
> printer line, and may be able to help you with this project.   Also, recheck
> with Black box as most of there interfaces are BI-directional units and they
> may in fact be able to handle your needs.  Remember, that an out of forms
> message would travel from the printer to the AS/400.
> 
>         What exactly does the "marknet" bring to this project ??  At one
> time I thought Tamdem had a Twinax option, but that was pre-Compaq so it
> might not be there any longer.
> 
>         Also, IP to Parallel is fairly straight forward grab a DataComm
> Warehouse or other catalog and you should be able to find lots of options.
> 
>          JMS..
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kirk Goins <kgoins@ix.netcom.com>
> Cc: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>
> Date: Sunday, April 11, 1999 3:29 PM
> Subject: Re: Need Info on Parallel to Twinax Converter
> 
> >Let's try this again...The end result is to keep the 4224 printers but
> print
> >from the Tamdem.
> >
> >Current setup is    AS/400 >>>>> Twinax Printer(4224)
> >
> >                            IP  IP to Para   Para to Twinax
> >Desired setup is    Tamdem >>>>> Marknet >>>> Converter >>>>> 4224
> >
> >Did I do better ???? Sorry for the confusion
> >
> >Jeffrey Silberberg wrote:
> >>
> >> Kirk,
> >>
> >>         I have read this a dozen times, and I am not sure what you need
> to
> >> solve your issues.  Can you do a block diagram in words or pictures so we
> >> can try and offer some advice.  It seems you have two issues here
> physical
> >> connectivity, (Twinax,  Parallel. LAN ??) and logical connectivity.
> (Native
> >> 400-SNA LU 7 verses IP).
> >>
> >>         One possible answer is to move the printers to the Tamdem
> >> configuration now, and use LPR/LPD, or Telnet printing (RMTOUTQ) through
> the
> >> TAMDEM from the AS/400 until the move of the application is complete.
> >>
> >>         By the way ??  Why the move ?????
> >>
> >>         JMS...
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Kirk Goins <kgoins@ix.netcom.com>
> >> To: MidrangeList <midrange-l@midrange.com>
> >> Date: Sunday, April 11, 1999 2:37 AM
> >> Subject: Need Info on Parallel to Twinax Converter
> >>
> >> >We are moving a major application off the 400 to Tamdem. We have a
> number
> >> of IBM
> >> >4224 printers printing multipart forms that will need to still be used
> >> after the
> >> >cut over. Now the Tamdem will be printing via IP to Marknet(IBM/Lexmark
> jet
> >> >directs). As of now the users really want to keep the
> multicolor/multipart
> >> form.
> >> >
> >> >What I'm looking for is what Blackbox calls a REVERSE PROTOCOL
> CONVERTER.
> >> What I
> >> >need is PARALLEL to TWINAX so I can run 4224's from the Marknets. Here's
> >> the
> >> >catch... in the case of Blackbox there converters don't support 4224s.
> They
> >> >autocfg so I can't even try to fake it out trying to say its something
> >> else. I
> >> >just tried 2 different devices today  and the test modes on both just
> make
> >> the
> >> >READY LIGHT FLASH, never prints.
> >> >
> >> >Anyone know of a device that will do parallel to twinax? This would
> really
> >> make
> >> >life easier since I could convert 1 or 2 printers a day to IP on the 400
> >> and
> >> >when we go live just quit printing to them and the the other system do
> its
> >> >stuff.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >--
> >> >Kirk Goins
> >> >Blue Heron Consulting,Inc
> >> >2418 SE Burnside Rd #321
> >> >Gresham, OR 97080
> >> >503-618-1493
> >> >EMAIL kgoins@ix.netcom.com
> >> >+---
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> >
> >--
> >Kirk Goins
> >Blue Heron Consulting,Inc
> >2418 SE Burnside Rd #321
> >Gresham, OR 97080
> >503-618-1493
> >EMAIL kgoins@ix.netcom.com
> >      kirkgoins@aol.com
> >+---
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> david@midrange.com
> >+---

-- 
Kirk Goins
Blue Heron Consulting,Inc
2418 SE Burnside Rd #321
Gresham, OR 97080
503-618-1493
EMAIL kgoins@ix.netcom.com              
                kirkgoins@aol.com
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