I just made a really cool drag knife holder for my HP 7475 to cut vinyl stickers but I am unable to get the plotter to work. The error light on the front panel keeps blinking on and off and I can't get it to respond from any commands sent to it through DOS. The plotter will change pins, go into view mode, even print the demo sheet just fine, but the error light still keeps flashing. If I press the enter button and view button together the plotter does not reset. I bought a new serial null modem cable and hooked it up to my computer but I get no response out of the plotter when I send a DOS command. Is it because I am running Windows XP and accessing the DOS window to send the DOS commands, or do I need to be in a real DOS enviroment. It's as if the plotter is stuck in some error mode and will not accept any commands fromt he computer. If anyone has any ideas or help please let me know. I really what to get this plotter working so I can try my hand at sticker making. If it works I'll share my drag knife holder design with everyone. A little background on the plotter, it was given to me 5 years ago and I never hooked it up until now. I would think since the demo plot function works great that it would work, if can get rid of the error light and get the computer to talk to it.

Thanks in Advance
Victor Estes
emc3zach@hotmail.com

Hi,

I have one of those HP7475 plotters and a manual at home. If I can round up the book will see if I can give you some help. I have not used the plotter with XP but have used it with WIN98 in the past. I had to install a plotter driver to get it to work under Windose, and believe that my DOS shell programs would work directly. Not sure on the later point to be honest. I was using it with OrCad at the time and it came in both DOS and Windose versions back then.

I believe a flashing light is an error, maybe a paper detection issue or maybe the pin holder not inserted correctly. It's been a couple years since I have used it so the memory is getting bad...

Don't know if the cable is a direct connect or if a null modem is required. I believe that it used hardware handshaking so that could be part of the issue as well.

Robert

I absolutely remember that a NULL MODEM cable is needed.. in fact, my plotter and cable are still sitting somewhere in my own attic. If you don't find your manual, let me know.. I may still have mine somewhere.. I remember that the biggest challenge with using it was determining the initial configuration, in order to get the software to work with it properly..

Eddie


Hi,

I have one of those HP7475 plotters and a manual at home. If I can round up the book will see if I can give you some help. I have not used the plotter with XP but have used it with WIN98 in the past. I had to install a plotter driver to get it to work under Windose, and believe that my DOS shell programs would work directly. Not sure on the later point to be honest. I was using it with OrCad at the time and it came in both DOS and Windose versions back then.

I believe a flashing light is an error, maybe a paper detection issue or maybe the pin holder not inserted correctly. It's been a couple years since I have used it so the memory is getting bad...

Don't know if the cable is a direct connect or if a null modem is required. I believe that it used hardware handshaking so that could be part of the issue as well.

Robert

Victor,

Here is a little info from the 7475 manual you might find helpful:

Cable connection:

PC - DB25 connector------- Plotter DB25 connector
pin 2 ----------------------- pin 3
pin 3 ----------------------- pin 2
pin 5 & pin 6 ---------------- pin 20


Blinking LED:
I/O Error
Paper movement error
Paper wheel in up possition when a command is received.
HPGL error for which an error mask has been set, likely IM,OE,Esc e.

How do I deal with the ESC.E commands. I believe the problem is a I/O problem. How do I retrive the error mask codes?

Victor

your probelm is using xp it doesnt have the hpgl driver. i just bought one of these plotters myself and went through a pain trying to get it to work, i made my own cable and i made it correctly. did everything right but was always errors. if your using xp i recommend getting like signgo. i just got that and it has an hpgl driver and it works.

this is my cable.
Plotter 25pin Male PC 9pin female
Request to Send 4 ----------- 1 Rec'd Line Signal Detect
Transmit Data 2 ----------- 2 Receive Data
Receive Data 3 ----------- 3 Transmit Data
Clear to Send 5 ---|------- 4 Data Terminal Ready
Data Set Ready 6 ---|
Signal Ground 7 ----------- 5 Signal Ground
Data Terminal Ready 20 -------|--- 6 Clear to Send
|--- 8 Data Set Ready
Data Carrier Detect 8 ----------- 7 Request to Send
pin numbers 5&6 on the plotter side are tied to 4 on the PC side. pin numbers 6&8 on the PC side are tied to number 20 on the plotter side.