Apple LaserWriter Plus
The Apple LaserWriter Plus is the Apple LaserWriter with a larger ROM set on its I/O board. It was introduced in 1986.[1] Apple's service guide treats the two printers as one product, with a single tab section, parts list and set of troubleshooting tables. The only specification line that differs is "512K ROM (LaserWriter) and 1 MB ROM (LaserWriter Plus)".[3]
| Apple LaserWriter Plus | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| The original LaserWriter. The Plus uses the same enclosure and engine and differs only in its I/O board ROMs. | |
| Manufacturer | Apple Computer, Inc. |
| Type | Laser printer |
| Release date | 1986[1] |
| Price | US$6,995[1] |
| Interface | AppleTalk (DB-9), RS-232 (DB-25) |
| Compatible | Macintosh 512K, Macintosh Plus, Macintosh XL[2] |
| Dimensions | 11.5 in. H x 18.5 in. W x 16.2 in. D (28.2 in. with trays)[3] |
| Weight | 77 lb[3] |
| Power | 100-115 V AC 60 Hz (domestic); 220-240 V AC 50 Hz (international)[3] |
The specifications, safety rules, status lights, test prints, pre-power-on checklist, laser power and image skew adjustments, preventive maintenance schedule and parts list on the Apple LaserWriter page apply to the Plus unchanged. Apple's exploded view for both printers lists the top cover in two colours, white (810-0608) and platinum (810-0610).[4]
Differences from the LaserWriter
| LaserWriter | LaserWriter Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Marking engine | Canon LBP-CX | Canon LBP-CX |
| Processor | 12 MHz 68000 | 12 MHz 68000 |
| RAM | 1.5 MB | 1.5 MB |
| ROM | 512K | 1 MB |
| Resolution | 300 dpi | 300 dpi |
| Speed | 8 ppm | 8 ppm |
| I/O board part number | 661-0436 | 661-0437 |
Apple's LaserWriter Reference gives the same figures for both printers apart from ROM (0.5 MB and 1.0 MB), and states that the 68000 runs at 11.16 MHz. It gives power consumption for all its models as 170 W average on standby and 900 W maximum when operating at 115 V.[5]
The larger ROM holds more built-in fonts. The LaserWriter has four built-in font families: Helvetica, Times Roman, Courier and Symbol. The LaserWriter Plus adds seven: Palatino, ITC Bookman, ITC Avant Garde, New Century Schoolbook, ITC Zapf Chancery, Helvetica Narrow and ITC Zapf Dingbats.[2] The owner's manual describes the upgrade from a LaserWriter as the LaserWriter Plus Kit, with the hardware fitted by an Apple dealer and the software installed from the Printer Installation Disk and the LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus Fonts Disk.[6]
ROM layout
The two I/O boards are told apart by their ROM complement in the parts list. Apple's guide also draws both boards side by side for identification.[3]
| Board | Part number | ROMs | ROM part numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| LaserWriter I/O PCB | 661-0436 | Eight, in high/low pairs H0/L0 to H3/L3 | 342-0081 to 342-0088 |
| LaserWriter Plus I/O PCB | 661-0437 | Sixteen, H0/L0 to H7/L7 | 342-0089 to 342-0104 |
Both boards list a 16-pin IC socket (511-1603) and a LaserWriter Configuration Block (750-0102).[3]
ROM upgrade
Apple published a field upgrade from LaserWriter to LaserWriter Plus. There are three I/O board variants with different configuration arrangements, so steps 5 to 7 depend on the board in hand.[3]
- Switch off the power, place the printer on the grounded workbench pad and put on a grounding wriststrap.
- Remove the top cover and the LaserWriter I/O board. Place the board on the grounded pad.
- Using an IC extractor, remove all ROMs from rows E and F on the I/O board. There may be four, eight or sixteen ROMs fitted; remove them all.
- If the board has no 16-pin socket at location E-20, fit one: desolder and discard the four jumper wires at the socket location, desolder all 16 holes, fit the socket on the component side and solder all pins.
- On a 256K/512K I/O board, install the configuration block at the socket labelled "512K".
- On a 512K/1M I/O board, install the configuration block at the socket labelled "1M".
- On a board with the 512K/1M jumper, install the jumper on the pins marked "512K".
- Install the upgrade ROMs, matching the marking on each chip to its socket location. The notch on each ROM faces the three rows of RAM on the board.
- Refit the I/O board and switch on. The printer should produce a user test print within two to three minutes.
- Read the PostScript ROM revision on the user test print. The upgrade has succeeded if it shows Rev 3.0.
- If no user test print appears, check that the ROMs are seated correctly. If they are, fit known-good ROMs from a LaserWriter Plus Kit, or run the LaserWriter/LaserWriter Plus built-in diagnostics.
A configuration block or jumper in the wrong position leaves a printer that produces no user test print, which is the case step 11 covers.
Diagnosis
The two test prints divide the printer in half:[3]
| Test print | How to produce it | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Service test print | Jumper J205-1 to J205-2 on the DC controller PCB | The print engine alone |
| User test print | Produced at every power-on unless suppressed | The I/O board; it also reports the PostScript ROM revision, the operating mode and the page count |
A printer that gives a good service test print but no user test print has a fault on the I/O board or in its ROMs. On an upgraded printer the user test print is also the check that the Plus ROM set is fitted and working (Rev 3.0), and the configuration block position is the first thing to check if it does not appear.[3]
Safety
The LaserWriter safety rules apply in full. The laser is invisible and sits behind an optical fibre, the fuser needs five minutes switched off before it is touched, the printer has a high-voltage supply, and the I/O board carries ESD-sensitive CMOS parts, which the ROM upgrade above involves handling. Remove jewellery, do not be grounded when working on plugged-in equipment, and handle ROMs by their edges.[3]
Documentation
Apple's on-site service guide covers the LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus in tab 2:[3]
Other Apple documents for this printer on the wiki:
- Laserwriter And Laserwriter Plus Manual 030-1296-a 1986, the owner's manual for both printers, including set-up, the power-on test print and the built-in font list.[2]
- LaserWriter Plus Service Source, a six-page Service Source volume with a wiring diagram and the exploded view with part numbers for the LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus.[4]
- Service Support Tranning Programs Laserwriter Technical Procedures Jan 1985, Apple's technical procedures for the original LaserWriter. They predate the Plus, but their Basics, Take-Apart, Adjustments and Troubleshooting sections cover the Canon LBP-CX engine that both printers use.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Computer History Museum, "Apple LaserWriter Plus laser printer", Revolution online exhibition, object 102625368. Gives date introduced 1986, cost $6,995, 1.5 MB memory, dimensions 11 1/2 x 16 x 18 1/2 in.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Apple Computer, LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus owner's manual, 030-1296-A, 1986, p. vii ("The LaserWriter and the LaserWriter Plus"). Hosted as Laserwriter And Laserwriter Plus Manual 030-1296-a 1986 (PDF).
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Apple Computer, Apple Service Guide for LaserWriter Printers, Volume I, January 1992 (072-0631-B), tab 2 (LaserWriter/LaserWriter Plus): parts list pp. 3-4, I/O board identification p. 6, specifications p. 7, test prints p. 9, troubleshooting pp. 10-51, LaserWriter Plus ROM upgrade pp. 52-53. Hosted as Apple LaserWriter Printers Volume I (PDF).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Apple Computer, LaserWriter Plus Service Source, File:Laserwriter plus.pdf. Basics, General Information p. 1: "This manual contains only an exploded view and parts information for the LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus." PDF p. 4 is a wiring diagram; PDF p. 6 is the exploded view with part numbers.
- ↑ Apple Computer, Apple LaserWriter Reference, Addison-Wesley, 1988, ISBN 0-201-19258-6, Appendix B "LaserWriter Technical Specifications", pp. 147-150. Hosted as Apple Laserwriter Reference 0-201-19258-6 1988.
- ↑ Apple Computer, LaserWriter and LaserWriter Plus owner's manual, 030-1296-A, 1986, p. 4 ("The LaserWriter Plus Kit").
- ↑ Apple Computer, Apple LaserWriter Printer Technical Procedures, preliminary version for internal use only, sections stamped rev. Jan 85 and rev. Feb 85. Held in the Service Support Training Programs binder scan, File:Service_Support_Tranning_Programs_Laserwriter_Technical_Procedures_Jan_1985.pdf.