Parallelport configuration for HD-AE5000

The HD-TechManager5000 software can only built-up a communication to the HD-AE5000 if your personal computer has a bi-directional (PS2, EPP or EPP/PS2) parallel port. Even this bi-directional interface was developed many Years ago from IBM for their PS2 series still some motherboard manufactures did not support this basic 8-bit port also on the newer boards. If you computer should not support the standard bi-directional mode you have need an additional card. This is not a negative point! With such a new port you don't need to change always the printer cable with the keyboard cable. We are glad to help you for purchasing such a card. Please note that a lot of cards will be offer as standard bi-directional cards but in fact they only support the EPP/ECP mode which is note working with our standard protocol.

BIOS settings on you computer

Please check as first your computers BIOS settings. (In the regular case you can interrupt the boot-up sequence with ESC, DEL or F1 to call the BIOS settings). Below the Chip Set Features or Peripherals I/O (Parallel Port Mode) you should be able to select various parallel port modes. Actual BIOS offer ECP, EPP, PS2 (bi-directional) and SPP (old PC = 4bit uni-directional, new ones = 8bit bi-directional, NORMAL = uni-directional) or combinations of them. When we said EPP is working, unfortunately the "free" computer world offer a big variety of various EPP "standards". Today there are several different protocols already for the EPP mode but our LSI on the HD-AE5000 board is not capable to understand all hardware protocols.

The following settings are OK.:

Parallel port settings communication to HD-AE5000
Normal (4-bit) bad
Standard (8-bit) try
Bi-di (bi-directional) good
EPP/bi-di good
EPP try, many times OK
EPP/ECP bad
ECP bad

We have a proper working parallel port card in stock which is very easy to install on Windows95. No add drivers!

How to install such an additional card?

  1. Before you install the card you should check a free address on Windows95.
  2. Start you computer with Windows95. On the hardware assistant go to the page "Would you like to search new hardware components and click "No". Confirm with next.
  3. On the hardware selection list click "Connections" (COM und LPT). If there was no data base created for the drivers, this will be done now.
  4. Select now "printer port" and confirm with next.
  5. On the following window you will see the correct free address for your new card. Normally this will be: 03BC - 03BE as LPT2.
  6. Exit Windows95 and switch off your system. Don't forget: Take off the power plug before you open your computer.

Settings on the new card

Check the actual jumper settings and reset to the same address which was reported from Windows95.

Mount the card on a free ISA slot and screw it. Close your computer and start your system again. Windows95 will check the new system configuration and recognize automatically the new card.

Of course with such an additional card you don't need to make any changes on you BIOS system.