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Parallel Port Tutorial

This document provides an overview of controlling devices using a computer's parallel port. It describes the anatomy of the parallel port, including the 8 data pins that can be used to send signals. A simple C program is given to set all the data pins high as an example of how to send commands to the port. Additional examples are provided for controlling an LED or motor by writing different values to the data port address. Steps are outlined for connecting a motor to the parallel port via a motor driver and controlling its direction.

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richad villanueva
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92 views

Parallel Port Tutorial

This document provides an overview of controlling devices using a computer's parallel port. It describes the anatomy of the parallel port, including the 8 data pins that can be used to send signals. A simple C program is given to set all the data pins high as an example of how to send commands to the port. Additional examples are provided for controlling an LED or motor by writing different values to the data port address. Steps are outlined for connecting a motor to the parallel port via a motor driver and controlling its direction.

Uploaded by

richad villanueva
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Parallel Port Tutorial

his tutorial will help you get a taste of controlling your machine using the printer
port. Though the parallel port isn't being used for many applications ,it is a boon
for us hobbyists. This tutorial's main aim is to get you working ,so that you can
send signals from the port like control a motor. Taking inputs from the port will be
covered in a subsequent tutorial.

Parallel Port Anatomy:

Following are the pinouts:

Picture Courtesy :: Ian Harries

 8 Output pins [D0 to D7]


 5 Status pins [S4 to S7 and S3]
 4 Control pins [C0 to C3]
 8 ground pins [18 to 25]

The Pins having a bar over them ,means that the signal is inverted by the parallel
port's hardware.If a 1 were to appear on the 11 pin [S7], the PC would see a 0.
The Status pins are mainly used by the PC to know the status of the printer ,like
if there is paper in the printer, end of paper etc.

Only the Data Port will be covered in this segment.


Parallel Port Female Connector

The Data Port

Sending commands involves only the data pins [D0 to D7].Though it is possible
to use the some other pins as input, we'll stick to the basics.

Please remember that the Data pins are from pin 2 to pin 9 and not from pin 1.

If you have a good eyesight, check your parallel port connectors. Both the
connectors [male/female], have numbers etched next to their pins, so people like
us don't screw up our ports, connecting them the wrong way.The word "Parallel"
denotes sending an entire set of 8 bits at once to the PC [That's why term
Parallel Port].However we can use the individual pins of the port ; sending either
a 1 or a 0 to a peripheral like a motor or LED.

Sending Commands to the Port:

This part is easy.Just a single line of code does the trick.

 Open up your C compiler.


 Type the following program:

#include{stdio.h}
#include {dos.h}
[Please replace the {} bracket to <>]

void main(void)

{ outportb(0x378,0xFF); //da line


}

That's it ,you just set all your data pins to 1.


 

If you take an LED and put one terminal at pin2 and the other to pin 18,it would
glow.[Use a 2K resistor in series with the LED, otherwise u'll end up ruining your
LED, or source too much current from the port pin]

if you wish to switch it off. Type this:

outportb(0x378,0x00);

instead of the above line.(da line)

What did you do?:


0x378 is the parallel port address . Usually this is the default address.Sometimes
it is 0x278 too

0x00 is the command appearing at the output pins. The Format is in


Hexadecimal

So if u want to make pin no2 high, that's the first pin you type

0x01 which would mean 0000 0001 for the data port.

0x04 would mean 0000 0100

0x55 would mean 0101 0101

0x0A would mean 0000 1010

see the table below for reference

0000-0
0001-1
0010-2
0011-3
0100-4
0101-5
0110-6
0111-7
1000-8
1001-9
1010-A
1011-B
1100-C
1101-D
1110-E
1111-F

That finishes your basics so that you can run your motor.

Material to control a Motor via a parallel port:

 1 parallel port Male connector


 1 DC Motor
 1 Motor Driver [L293D]
 1 5V regulator [7805]

Before trying out anything ,please remember that your parallel port is not meant
or designed to handle more than 5Volts.If possible , trying accessing your parallel
port using Windows 98.Windows XP does not allow access to the parallel port.
You'll need special drivers for that.

Steps to Control a Motor:

 Use the Voltage regulator 7805,to get a constant DC 5V voltage from your
DC power supply.

Connect your motor to your Motor Driver L293D

Connect your parallel port pins to your Female connector [on your PC],through

the male connector as follows

 Short all Ground pins i.e from 18 to 25.

Commands for the motor


o outportb(0x378,0x00); ---------STOP MOTOR
o outportb(0x378,0x03);---------MOVE MOTOR(Break!))
o outportb(0x378,0x01);---------MOVE MOTOR(CCW)
o outportb(0x378,0x02);---------MOVE MOTOR(CW) .

 C program for the motor

#include{stdio.h}
#include{conio.h}
#include{dos.h}
[Please replace the {} bracket to <>]

main()
{
outportb(0x378,0x00); ---------STOP MOTOR
sleep(2);
outportb(0x378,0x01);---------MOVE MOTOR(CCW)
sleep(2);
outportb(0x378,0x02);---------MOVE MOTOR(CW)
sleep(2);
outportb(0x378,0x03);---------MOVE MOTOR(Break!)
sleep(2);
return 0;
}
The Sleep(n) function tells the port to hold [Latch] the command for (n) seconds.
eg: sleep(2)------------------delay or sleep for 2 seconds
If you want to work in milliseconds ,use the delay(n) command
eg: delay(500) --------------delay for 500 milliseconds

That's it, you can now control a motor using the parallel port.
Use 2 motors and you have a moving machine.
You can actually control the motors using the arrow keys using the Bioskey()
function. Check "C" help for this.

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