SX PARTS CATALOG

PRINTERS AND CONTROLLERS
Apple LaserWriter II Series

APPLE LASERWRITER II NT PRINTER

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Model Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

The LaserWriter II NT is an Adobe-based PostScript printer designed to be adequate for the needs of most Apple Macintosh users. The LaserWriter II NT was popular in the expanding business market for Macintosh computers. The letters NT may be short for New Technology or an abbreviation of NeTwork connectable Ð the NT has an AppleTalk interface. The lack of an IBM-compatible Centronics parallel interface and HP emulation made the II NT less popular in the PC market, but it can be connected to a PC via the serial port and used as a PostScript printer or as a Diablo 630.

The exteriors of the Apple family printers are very different from those of other Canon SX-based printers and reflect Apple's emphasis on industrial design. Inside the covers, however, the mechanism is standard Canon LBP-SX. All electro-mechanical parts are interchangeable with those of any of the many other LBP-SX based models. Power supplies are also the same.

Apple LaserWriter IIf and IIg controllers are available separately to upgrade LaserWriter II SC, II NT, and II NTX.

FONT INFORMATION

Resident fonts are the same Adobe-licensed 35 typefaces that were first introduced with this printer's predecessor, the LaserWriter Plus. This group of fonts has since become known as the Adobe "Plus" set. No additional resident fonts can be added. Additional fonts can be downloaded, and performance is reasonable as long as only a few soft fonts are used at a time. Macs allow an unlimited number of downloadable fonts in a document by paging them through VM (Virtual Memory). If many non-resident soft fonts are required, they will not fit in the available memory and the host Mac may have to reload the same fonts repeatedly to complete a document. The result will be slow printing.

REFURBISHED PRINTERS AVAILABLE

Although the Apple LaserWriter II series has been discontinued, The Printer Works offers refurbished printers in like-new condition with a full-one-year warranty. For a price quote, select the part number of the model that interests you in the ordering information table.

Controller Notes

Model Information | Supplies and Accessories | Ordering Information | Text Only

The LaserWriter II NT controller is a basic 68000-based computer without any of the sophisticated ASAP speed-up hardware used in QMS designs. Apple chose less than state-of-the-art technology when they designed the NT controller. The 12 MHz version 68000 processor was less expensive than the 16.67 MHz version, and the slower processor allowed Apple to use less expensive RAM as well. The result was a simple, reliable design that met the needs of most users.

There is no provision for expanding the RAM or the ROM. A single serial interface chip serves two connectors for RS-232 or AppleTalk. A push-button rotary-dial type switch is used to select the active interface and the emulation mode.

All LaserWriter II controllers are easily interchangeable. There are two captive phillips-head screws that when released allow the controller to slide out on card guides. The hardware interface to the DC controller is an elevated connector that mates to a small transition circuit board (part number RG1-1251) which turns the traces 90 degrees and connects to the DC controller. The DC controller has different power and interface connectors. If necessary, these connectors can be changed with a soldering iron to make an Apple compatible version from the standard part.

Supplies and Accessories

Model Information | Controller Notes | Ordering Information | Text Only

You can check prices or order these items from the ordering information table below.

TONER

The LaserWriter II NT uses the same toner cartridges as all other SX-based printers.

PAPER HANDLING

The LaserWriter II NT printer uses the same shaped paper trays and high-capacity feeders as all other SX-based printers. All versions are physically interchangeable, but there are slight color differences. The Apple-brand part number versions match the color of the cover set, but the differences are so minor most people don't notice them. (See also Diagram 300.)

MEMORY

The LaserWriter II NT comes with 2 MB standard, not expandable.

INTERFACES AND CABLE ASSEMBLIES

The LaserWriter II NT controller has standard connectors for AppleTalk and RS-232.

CONTROLLER UPGRADE OPTIONS

The Printer Works recommends improving PostScript performance by exchanging the NT controller for any one of the more advanced Apple controllers (NTX, IIf, IIg). See the detailed information about the other Apple printers in this section for information about their controllers.

Ordering Information

Model Information | Controller Notes | Supplies and Accessories | Text Only

For price and ordering information or to place the item in your shopping cart,
select a Part Number in the table.