SiPix pocket printer A6 on Windows 10 (64-bit)

There are 2 approaches — the Linux driver that uses GhostScript and suchlike, and the old Windows drivers. The old Windows drivers are too old — they work on XP, but not on Windows 10, and they do not work using compatibility settings in Windows 10, either.

This is hardly a surprise, but it was worth checking. Now, let’s try something using the Linux driver. The advantage of that method is that the Linux driver uses some tools (like GhostScript) to process the document into a file than can just be copied or catted/typed to the printer. See openprinting.org/driver/sipixa6.upp.

I already have the Windows versions of GhostScript and MikTeX, so I have psresize and gs (as gswin64.exe and gswin64c.exe) installed. So in a CMD window, assuming we have a PostScript file to start with (it could be a word processor file printed to PostScript file, for example):

1. Put the sipixa6.upp file where it can be found — say c:\gs\gs9.21\lib if that fits with your GhostScript install
2. Make the .ps file a sensible size (psresize, whatever tool you like — A6 I guess)
3. Enter command (assuming gs is in the path):

   C:\prompt>gswin64c.exe @sipixa6.upp -sPAPERSIZE=a6 -sOutputFile=file-to-print.bin file-to-print.ps -c quit

4. This works to make the bin file
5. Make sure the COMn port is configured as required; I am assuming com1 is ready to go.
6. Run the command: C:\prompt>type new.bin > com1:
7. Seemed to work but fed a lot of blank paper out first; then batteries went flat!

Same method would probably work for DOS. The above is for a hardware IO port. It ought to work using a USB to DB(E)9 adapter, depending on the quality of the adapter.

Bleh.

Author: Darren

I'm a scientist by training, currently working as a writer, trainer and editor. View all posts by Darren