This is realated to an earlier post I made but I think the earlier post may have been misunderstood. So here goes again. I intend to hook up a USB to DB25 cable to my parallel printer. The DB25 end will be connected to the existing male parallel cable(NOT the Centronics end but the end that would normally connect to a parallel port) and the USB end will be plugged into the PCs USB port. I don't intend to install any software but use Vista's generic printer driver as I read about on HP's web site. Under this set up do you think Vista will see the printer?

No. Signals are not compatible. They are USB to parallel printer adapters. The have various levels of compatibility. HP printers being he most common.

As I recall you have not provided any information on the Hardware you are trying to connect, or the Computer you're trying to connect to. Here's another guess from google. http://www.printerhacks.com/how-to-... There is nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.

There are reasonably priced ($20 US) PCI cards with parallel ports.

The hardware I am connecting is an HP Deskjet 712C. HP says there are no Vista drivers for it but you can use Vista's generic printer driver instead. I have heard of the adapters mentioned above but I've also heard that they don't work. In fact, a user mentions that he had better luck with a cable instead of the adapter. See link in the responses to this post: www.computing.net/answers/hardware/usb-to-db25-adapter/53915.html

Dumbob: I followed your link to Printer Hacks. Interesting article but I say the Centronics to parallel adapter is not needed. If you connect your existing parallel cable to the DB25 end of the other cable and connect to USB port on your computer you should be OK. This way you only need the cable; you don't need the adapter AND the cable and it's less money.

Since I still can't concieve of what you are trying to do based on your description, I just threw out a guess that sounded like it might work. I kinda get the impression you're trying to re-invent the wheel here when the problem already seems to have been solved. "If you connect your existing parallel cable to the DB25 end of the other cable and connect to USB port" (2 cables, NO?) I fail to see any difference between using two cables that don't seem to work and using an adapter and a Cable that (supposedly) work. I'm left to assume your goal is to do away with the adapter, rather than get the thing to print. Maybe I'm missing something. No offense intended but the "Twilight Zone" theme just clicked on in my brain. ????? There is nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.