Editing Parallel port (section)

===Dataproducts===
[[Dataproducts]] introduced a very different implementation of the parallel interface for their printers.  It used a [[D-subminiature|DC-37]] connector on the host side and a 50 pin connector on the printer side—either a [[D-subminiature|DD-50]] (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a "DB50") or the block shaped M-50 connector; the M-50 was also referred to as Winchester.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hardwarebook.info/Dataproducts_D-Sub_50_Parallel |title=Dataproducts D-Sub 50 Parallel |access-date=2008-01-25 |work=Hardware Book |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214155050/http://www.hardwarebook.info/Dataproducts_D-Sub_50_Parallel |archive-date=2007-12-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hardwarebook.info/Dataproducts_M/50_Parallel |title=Dataproducts M/50 Parallel |access-date=2008-01-25 |work=Hardware Book |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214105905/http://www.hardwarebook.info/Dataproducts_M/50_Parallel |archive-date=2007-12-14 }}</ref>  Dataproducts parallel was available in a short-line for connections up to {{convert|50|ft|m}} and a long-line version using [[differential signaling]] for connections to {{convert|500|ft|m}}.  The Dataproducts interface was found on many mainframe systems up through the 1990s, and many printer manufacturers offered the Dataproducts interface as an option.

A wide variety of devices were eventually designed to operate on a parallel port. Most devices were uni-directional (one-way) devices, only meant to respond to information sent from the PC. However, some devices such as [[Zip drive]]s were able to operate in bi-directional mode. Printers also eventually took up the bi-directional system, allowing various status report information to be sent.