Are printer to computer cables brand specific? (DVD, install, work)
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A new Kodak printer was purchased and it came with a new power cord, but not the printer to USB cable.
The old printer may or may not be bad. Never tested and unable to be tested with no cable.
Should this old Kodak C310 printer require a brand specific Kodak printer to USB cable?
There was a testing problem with the new Kodak printer. It copied fine, the test page came out fine, but when a Word document was printed there was an error. Unknown error. The new printer was set as the default printer. The cable from the old printer was used. The new printer had software but the computer's DVD rom won't work, so they'll have to figure something out on that. The error may be related to the software.
My printers are older models, two different HP, and a couple different Canon that are not used. All have USB on the computer end, but the other end is not same as the ones seen on Google images as standard printer cables. The two HP have a parallel connector on one end. I think, not sure, that the Canon has a cable similar to the Kodak. I'm trying to test the old Kodak printer as I am not clear on how it could work one day for the guy and not work the next day. I want to test it further before it hits the trash.
Go to Kodaks website and download the specific printers software/drivers. It would be the updated version to that sitting on the DVD. After downloading it, run the file to install it. It may require you to not have the USB cable connected to the computer until it asks for it.
I"d always try a "standard" USB cable before buying a new one, but I can't tell you how many supposedly "standard" mini/micro USB cables & chargers I've had over the years that only fit the one device they came with - seems the mini end is often shaped just a little bit differently.
Take a picture of the USB port on the printer. I've never seen a USB printer that didn't have a standard female B socket.
As to the different USB mini-B connectors, the only three I've ever seen were a 4 pin connector used on some really old cameras, 5 pin mini B (very common for a while) and now Micro USB (replacing mini-B). USB 3.0 adds a wider mini-B connector but that's relatively new and not proprietary.
A new Kodak printer was purchased and it came with a new power cord, but not the printer to USB cable.
The old printer may or may not be bad. Never tested and unable to be tested with no cable.
Should this old Kodak C310 printer require a brand specific Kodak printer to USB cable?
USB cables are industry standard and not brand specific, so you're OK there.
Take a picture of the USB port on the printer. I've never seen a USB printer that didn't have a standard female B socket.
As to the different USB mini-B connectors, the only three I've ever seen were a 4 pin connector used on some really old cameras, 5 pin mini B (very common for a while) and now Micro USB (replacing mini-B). USB 3.0 adds a wider mini-B connector but that's relatively new and not proprietary.
I had a couple of HTC phones that had a funny square cornered mini USB adapter on them. You could use a regular mini usb on the phone, but couldn't reuse the HTC cables for anything else.
Here is a photo of the printer connection.
Does that look standard? (or maybe Kodak wants you to buy their cable)
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My HP deskjet 710 and 1220 have parallel cables.
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