Customer Reviews

StarTech.com 1-Port PCI Parallel Adapter Card (PCI1PECP)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This item appears to be the `premium' version of another item that already had Amazon reviews, mainly positive. I chose this item in part because it put the order over the free shipping threshold.

A reviewer of the other item claimed that Windows instantly recognized the device with no need to install the provided drivers.
He also indicated that it might not work with older parallel devices whose drivers couldn't handle `virtual ports.' So it was with some hesitation that I made this purchase as my device, an HP Deskjet 890C, is at least five years old.

In my case, driver installation was required. The provided instructions, though in unusually good English, indicated that the drivers for Win XP had to be downloaded from their site, were not on the provided CD. I tried installing from CD anyway, seeming two drivers were loaded in sequence. XP then instantly recognized my printer and it works fine. I've not tried any other devices.

Just received in the mail today. I needed it for a receipt printer for my business which is older but we use a new Compaq computer which doesn't have a parallel port installed. I installed this today in about 20 min. I put the driver software in the computer and ran the "add new printer" walkthrough and voila!

I needed to install a software application in Win7 32-bit which is protected by a printer port dongle. My motherboard (MSI P55GD65) does not even have a pin header so I came across this PCI1PECP card. I was initially reluctant as no mention was made of Win7 support (here or at the StarTech site). My system recognized the card but I needed to manually install the drivers which were on the supplied CD (it had versions for Win7 32-64, Vista 32-64 and earlier). The port defaulted to LPT3 which can be renamed. Installation with a restart took under 10 minutes. Software & port lock all happy now and running fine (your mileage may vary depending on application/dongle type).

For me it was worth a gamble considering that the USB port lock offered by the software vendor was going for $250. I previously tried a USB/Parallel cable adapter with no luck. This card did the trick.

I initially was going to purchase the "value" version of this card (same manufac, but a few bucks cheaper) but read on the Dell boards that the value card will not work with the Dell Vostro line. So, bought this version since I was using it with a Dell (right now an XPS, but will be moving the card in a few months to my Vostro 410).

Very easy install -- just pop it into an open slot, power up, and the new hardward wizard came up. The CD has 2 drivers for XP -- not sure of the difference (if there is one). Windows pulled in the driver, although it did pop up a warning saying the driver was not verified with XP. No problems installing it, and it works perfectly.

Using it with an old HP laserjet (a 4M) and a DOS application (yes, DOS. It's a legacy app that can't be ported to Windows). Wanted to get some use out of the old printer, plus DOS can't print to a USB port unless you go through all sorts of twists and turns. An old-fashioned LPT1, on the other hand, can be used with zero drama.

Love it when plug and play actually means plug and play!

I bought this card because my new (home-built) Windows 7 computer had no parallel port integrated into the motherboard, and I still wanted to use my perfectly serviceable HP Laserjet. I began by installing the card, but not attaching the printer. On my setup, Windows obviously detected the new card since it showed up in Device Manager, but Windows did not offer to install any drivers. In Device Manager, the card was shown with a yellow exclamation point, indicating that it wasn't working properly: Of course not, since the drivers had not yet been installed! At that point I installed the drivers manually from Device Manager, and that went quickly on my Win7 Professional 64-bit machine -- fortunately, 64-bit drivers are included on the CD that accompanied the card.

On my computer, the card defaulted to LPT3 rather than LPT1. That caused a problem when I attempted to install my Laserjet 6p printer; Windows was unable to find any drivers for it. However, once I changed the card's port to LPT1 (again in Device Manager) and tried again, Win7 was able to locate the proper drivers and install them right away. It seems odd that Windows could recognize the attached printer when the port was set to LPT3, but couldn't find any drivers until the port was changed to LPT1. In any case, once that issue was sorted out, there was smooth sailing. (Possibly Windows would have installed the drivers automatically after the port setting was corrected; I didn't wait to find out the answer to that.)

Before long, Windows Update offered to install newer drivers for this printer, but I'm resisting that offer since the original ones are working fine at this point. When it comes to drivers offered by Windows Update, I'm of the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" school.

In conclusion, the item under review isn't quite a "plug 'n' play" device, but if you're comfortable fiddling with the above-mentioned settings, it should do the job.

When a USB to parallel converter cable didn't work at all with the SafeNet dongle I needed to use, I tried this PCI parallel card instead. It works great with the dongle. The enclosed CD contained all the drivers necessary for Windows 7 64 bit, even thought the printed manual did not mention Windows 7 at all. The driver does have to be installed manually, though. After installing the card in the computer, I opened the device manager and saw that the card showed up with the yellow symbol, meaning that there was a problem. I selected to update the driver and selected the Windows 7 64 bit driver folder on the CD. After the driver was installed, the card showed up correctly in the device manager, and everything worked fine. I rated the card 5 stars but only gave it 4 stars for ease of use, because the documentation did not cover Windows 7, and the driver has to be installed manually.

I recently spec'd out a Dell Vostros 230 system for a family member who runs a small home business. I was a hero at first, but that didn't last long. I had forgot that a Laserjet 4200 was in regular use and the Vostros arrived without a 25 pin serial port. I looked at other options, like getting a USB-to-serial adapter, but I wasn't convinced they would absolutely work. Besides, adding this card would make the new computer just like the old one, simplifying things for the intended user. The StarTech card was flawless. It dropped right into place and Windows 7 Professional 64 bit detected it automatically. Why that dumb old Laserjet 4200 doesn't even know it is now connected to new computer. The StarTech PCI-Parallel card is the one to buy!

Installed without a hitch in Windows 7 64-bit on an Intel Media series motherboard. I needed it to hook up an old printer/copier, HP PSC 500.

I am a software developer and some of my application still uses the parallel port for printing... So I try these STARTECh PCI Parallel ports card
for my printing.. it work well for Win xp and Windows 7 . However when installing the card in windows 7 .. you will have to remove the default Printer Port from the Device Manager and reset this PCI Parallel Port to LPT1
because the default installed setting is LPT3. A very stable and reliable product.

Works well with Win 2008 R2, comes with drivers. I use it to drive an older HP Laser printer that has only parallel interface.