Roland DXY-1150A
As a tech nerd and an endless tweaker, one of the things on my wanted list was a plotter. I remember drawing out stuff at my school in the beginning of the 90's using (crude) CAD software and just being stunned with the sheer precision and accuracy of the plotter when it was drawing stuff.
I got lucky and found a guy in Germany who had been selling these way back in the day and he had plotters at his storage in unopened boxes(!). I immediately ordered one and then started looking around the web on what software and hardware people use to get it to function with today's computers.
I got lucky and found a guy in Germany who had been selling these way back in the day and he had plotters at his storage in unopened boxes(!). I immediately ordered one and then started looking around the web on what software and hardware people use to get it to function with today's computers.
Luckily, it was very very easy (albeit a bit expensive, but hey, it's a hobby!) - I got a Centronics-->USB adapter and a Parallel-->USB adapter (just in case) and got it working through Chiplotle. Chiplotle worked fine, but I needed something that would print directly from Inkscape, like a real printer driver. After hours (actually, days) of searching, I stumbled on a custom driver called WinLine Classic, which pretty much sealed the case. Total control over the plotter through Windows' printer driver.
But first, let's see what's in the package (WARNING! Engineering porn):
Omg. It's in the original box. Yummy yum.
The merchant opened the sealed stuff only to quickly run the self-test to see that he was really selling a functioning machine. Other than that, this baby had been sleeping in it's box undisturbed for all these years.
Plotter pen with black water-based ink and a ceramic tip.
<3 <3 Floppieeees! <3 <3
The monster itself!
Pristine, unused. Basically new, only ... not.
Centronics + Parallel connectors + DIP switches.
The Parallel-->USB adapter needed for Chiplotle. I now use the Centronics cable with the WinLine Classic Driver (yes, you can not live without that information).
Black pen ready to go for first testing!
I also wanted to see if it could plot using normal pens.
I butchered one of the pens and made a holster from the body. With this, I've used ball-point pens, Permanent markers, these architect pens and even pencils.
Look at it go!
