SCSI to USB Juryrigged Solution: will this work?

[michaelmrkle]

I have a very valuable old industrial scanner. It has HD50 SCSI 2 outputs. Will this work to allow me to use this through a usb drive:

Buy a SCSI to Parallel Port Adapter
Buy a Parallel Port to USB adapter
Connect them together and hook it up to the USB on my laptop.

There is something call USBxchange that used to sell for 30 bucks only that did this in one step. However, it now sells for 60 and 100+ dollars. With this solution, I would be able to do it for 20 bucks

I really want to salvage this old scanner because it really is industrial strength and has a ton of features modern scanners don't (or do, but cost thousands).

What is the chance of this working? (Let's assume that the drivers for the hardware work normally if it were simply a direct SCSI to SCSI connection).

 

[HEXiT]

you can buy a scsi/paralel/rs232 to usb adapter here for £22.99
http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-to-serial-and-parallel-adapter-9-way-rs-232-25-way-parallel-07m/42838.html

 

[michaelmrkle]

you can buy a scsi/paralel/rs232 to usb adapter here for £22.99
http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-to-serial-and-parallel-adapter-9-way-rs-232-25-way-parallel-07m/42838.html

I don't think scsi will work with that parallel port without a further adapter

I forgot to mention too that the SCSI port on my scanner is 50 pin high density

 

[hairystuff]

Be wary that some USB to SCSI adapters can only connect as mass storage, the best route is to get a PCI SCSI card and appropriate cable or adapter.

Failing that these emulate SCSI quite well but you will have to trawl around to get one as they're discontinued:
http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-to-scsi-converter-cable/32895.html

 

[molletts]

I'd say the chances of that working are extremely low.

Unless you can find a parallel port to USB adaptor that presents a full, transparent emulation of an IEEE-1284 compliant EPP port on the PC, it's highly unlikely that the parallel-SCSI adaptor's driver will be able to find the adaptor. (It may even try to access the port directly rather than going through the OS's port driver layer, in which case you're stuffed.)

If the scanner is as good as you say, I'd say $60-$100 or equivalent for a USB-SCSI adaptor to get it working isn't unreasonable. (There's one available for €25 - about $35 - from Kalea Informatique in France - http://www.kalea-informatique.com/mag/fr/product-290899.htm - but they are a bit scarce apart from that.)

Alternatively, you could probably get a CardBus or ExpressCard SCSI adaptor but that may well be much more expensive.

Stephen

 

[michaelmrkle]

Be wary that some USB to SCSI adapters can only connect as mass storage, the best route is to get a PCI SCSI card and appropriate cable or adapter.

Failing that these emulate SCSI quite well but you will have to trawl around to get one as they're discontinued:
http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-to-scsi-converter-cable/32895.html

Is there any way to know whether it's only for mass storage? What is the alternative?

I was thinking about using the Jaz traveller, which is an adapter that sells for 16 bucks on ebay.
Some info on the device is below. Since it is meant to use with an old iomega external storage, would that mean the adapter would only connect as mass storage?


http://micha.freeshell.org/traveller/index.php

 

[michaelmrkle]

I'd say the chances of that working are extremely low.

Unless you can find a parallel port to USB adaptor that presents a full, transparent emulation of an IEEE-1284 compliant EPP port on the PC, it's highly unlikely that the parallel-SCSI adaptor's driver will be able to find the adaptor. (It may even try to access the port directly rather than going through the OS's port driver layer, in which case you're stuffed.)

If the scanner is as good as you say, I'd say $60-$100 or equivalent for a USB-SCSI adaptor to get it working isn't unreasonable. (There's one available for €25 - about $35 - from Kalea Informatique in France - http://www.kalea-informatique.com/mag/fr/product-290899.htm - but they are a bit scarce apart from that.)

Alternatively, you could probably get a CardBus or ExpressCard SCSI adaptor but that may well be much more expensive.

Stephen

Thanks for the info

 

[hairystuff]

The Jazz adapter only does mass storage.

 

[soest009]

Check this:

http://www.cwc-group.com/ad18usbtosca.html

 

[Tealwood]

Did you try this? Did it work? I've got the same issue ... and there are no SCSI to USB adapters available anymore!

I have a very valuable old industrial scanner. It has HD50 SCSI 2 outputs. Will this work to allow me to use this through a usb drive:

Buy a SCSI to Parallel Port Adapter
Buy a Parallel Port to USB adapter
Connect them together and hook it up to the USB on my laptop.

There is something call USBxchange that used to sell for 30 bucks only that did this in one step. However, it now sells for 60 and 100+ dollars. With this solution, I would be able to do it for 20 bucks

I really want to salvage this old scanner because it really is industrial strength and has a ton of features modern scanners don't (or do, but cost thousands).

What is the chance of this working? (Let's assume that the drivers for the hardware work normally if it were simply a direct SCSI to SCSI connection).