Apple Color Plotter: Configuring it to an Apple IIe

The following describes the connection between the Apple IIe and the Apple
Color Plotter. DO NOT USE the High Speed Serial Card with the IIe.

I. Apple IIe

    1. Super Serial Card (SSC)

         A. Circuit Configuration

            Near the internal cable (Part 590-0021) of the SSC there is a
            removable block of pins with a triangle on its top face.  Make
            sure this jumper block is plugged into its socket so that the
            triangle points to the word TERMINAL printed on the card.

            This configuration, called modem elimination, compensates for the
            standard RS-232-C pin assignments so that the internal cable of
            the SSC can transmit signals to the Imagewriter through the
            appropriate pins.

         B. IIe Motherboard Slot

              a. Preferred: Slot 1
              b. Range: Any slot EXCEPT AUX

         C. SSC Switch Settings

               SW1:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7    SW2:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7
                    | | | |X| |X|X|        |X| | |X| | | | (ON)
                    |X|X|X| |X| | |        | |X|X| |X|X|X| (OFF)


 These switch settings are for: 9600 baud (SW1: 1-4), Printer Mode (5-6),
 Normal Clear To Send (7),  8 data bits and 1 stop bit (SW2: 1), no delay
 after CR (2), video off with an 80 character line (3-4), no LF after CR (5),
 Disabled ACIA-CPU interrupts (6), and Normal Clear To Send (7).

 No parity is set automatically in the Printer Mode.

II. The Connection

     1. Cable

                Serial and Communications Cable
                         (Part 590-0037)

            From                          To

            Super Serial Card
            IIe Back panel                Apple Color Plotter
            DB-25 connector               DB-25 connector

            signal    -    pin    wiring  pin - signal

            Frame Ground   1       <->    1     Frame Ground

            Tx             2       <->    2     Tx

            Rx             3       <->    3     Rx

            RTS            4       <->    4     RTS

            Signal Ground  7       <->    7     Signal Ground


            DTR            20      <->    20    DTR

     2. Signal

          1. Levels from Super Serial Card:

               a. True (asserted): 0 volts
               b. False: +5 volts

III. Apple Color Plotter

      1. Switch settings

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
           | | | | |X|X|X|X| (ON)
           |X|X| |X| | | | | (OFF)

 These switch settings are for: 8 data bits (SW 1), no parity (SW 2),
 1 stop bit (SW 4-5), 9600 baud (SW 6).

      2. Test

            A. Set paper width to 8.5 inches or larger.

            B. Assemble and install pen head.

            C. Turn on Plotter and insert paper to paper set mark.

            D. Press pen up/down (test) button.

            Plotter will run automatic test routine.

Some applications may not give you all the features of the Apple Color
Plotter.
Published Date: Feb 19, 2012