Dart Scanner for DMP-Printers
A scanner for the Amstrad DMP 2000/3000 printers from Dart Electronics.
Reviews
The Dart Scanner was reviewed in Amstradbladet 1987, Issue 3, page 8 (Danish)
Technical
Uses port FBEFh, the port seems to be read-only.
Bit2 Carriage Returned/Parked (0=Wait/Head Parked, 1=Scan/Head Moving) Bit? Scanned Pixel Color (0=Black, 1=White)
Scanning is done in single scanlines (one pixels height). The scanning procedure waits while FBEFh.Bit2=0 (which probably indicates that the head is in the left-most position, or that it has just leaved it, or so). The horizontal "dot clock" is implemented as software delays. When scanning a black dot, one or more bits in Port FBEFh become non-zero (not sure which ones; the driver software simply checks "IF Port[FBEFh]<>FFh THEN PLOT pixel").
Observe that the manual includes some patches for usaging the scanning software with different printers.
Cover
Tape
Pictures
The scanner attached to a CPC6128 and a DMP2000
Manual
Dart Scanner Manual (pdf)
Download
Links
http://cpcrulez.fr/hardware_scannerDART.htm ( You can download the software here )