COMMODORE 1520 PRINTER PLOTTER FOR C64 64C +4 C128 with paper and ink For Sale

COMMODORE 1520 PRINTER PLOTTER FOR C64 64C +4 C128 with paper and ink
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COMMODORE 1520 PRINTER PLOTTER FOR C64 64C +4 C128 with paper and ink:
$50.00


Selling a used and not fully tested commodore 1520 plotter/printer. Includes printer, power cord, roll of paper, two tube of original ink (I\'ve installed 4 of them to test what I could), and some gel pens with a single 3d printed holder to use with cut gel pens that are reported to be compatible. I tested power and initialization of this unit, lubricated it, and checked that gear is ok. I don\'t know if the original ink will still work given their age, but discovered that there are a few sources for new ink because this plotters internal mechanism was and is used in various model plotters including Atari computer, medical printers, etc. The new ink is very expensive (subjective), but there\'s a how to online that explains how to use gel pens in a 3d printed sleeve to be compatible with the original inks. I was going down this path to use this in my c64 setup, but I\'ve not been able to replace my c64 yet, and cannot test it any further without a c64.
New pinion gears installed and gear movement looks good manipulating head back and forth and tractor feed roller.. Without c64 cannot test further.
The Commodore VC-1520 is a compact roller plotter with small ballpoint pens in four colors (black, blue, green, red) and a speed of 12 characters per second on average, with a maximum of 80 characters per line. The character count in CBM-ASCII mode is 96 characters and in plotter mode a maximum of 260 steps per second. The plotter prints on roll paper (cash register roll) with 114 mm width (96 mm printable), which is fixed on a spindle outside the plotter. The plotter mechanism comes from the company Alps Electric and was also used in other devices, such as the Sharp MZ-731 or Olivetti M10.
The small pins are inserted into a so-called revolver magazine. By rotating the magazine via software command or key on the device, the four colors can be controlled.
Ideal purpose are simple vector graphics, such as the plot of mathematical functions or small technical drawings.
The plotter is special because it draws the characters on the paper with the small pens in both ASCII mode and graphics mode, instead of firing tiny needles from a print head as in the dot matrix printer. The paper roll is controlled both forward and backward for vertical lines via the platen. There are additional small gears on the side to prevent the paper from slipping. Precise paper guidance is essential to ensure that graphics, such as circles, actually look round. The pen magazine is moved horizontally via a pulley.
Due to vintage nature and incomplete testing, selling as parts or repair, and cannot not guarantee working properly. Sold strictly as-is without warranty, guarantees, returns, or refunds.
Cool plotter/printer. No box or cable to connect to commodore computer (presumably serial, not sure). See pics for whats included. Power cable included, but not pictured.
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