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dot matrix photo print?

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
Bronze
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Would anyone have an image of a picture actually printed on a dot matrix (or line printer)?

Back in the day, I remember you could download a file (usually from a listserv or discussion group) that was only alphanumeric.

But when printed out, you saw a picture - like all the elements of the picture were just letters and numbers.

Anyone remember that? Got a sample of a print out?

Thanks.
Tom
 
google dot matrix art (or dot matrix nude if you want the most frequent image)
 
Tom,
I do remember that.... sold a lot of business forms back in the day for those old printers......but do not have any pictures. You need to task DNK with finding a picture!

Happy Thanksgiving to all,
Irene
 
Gentlemen - thanks for the quick replies!

Here's another challenge. Back in the Dark Ages (1960s), I remember coding (BASIC) a job so the line printer would "play" music as it churned through the print job. Specific groups of characters produced specific sounds - I actually coded the football team's fight song into a statistical job once. (and only once ...)

Any examples?

Thanks.
Tom
 
Back in the day, when I was a maintenance man on the NORAD SAGE Computer system (IBM Q7), we would print stuff out from giant line printers. You would program the print out using punch cards (remember those?). I remember one that someone made called "Miss October" :angel2:
 
NutmegCT said:
I remember coding (BASIC) a job so the line printer would "play" music as it churned through the print job.
Click to expand...

Was that in mono? Or did you hook up a second printer?
 
GregW said:
Was that in mono? Or did you hook up a second printer?
Click to expand...

Had to do it in mono; stereo required COBOL. :jester:

By the way, here's a 1932 Ellington recording. The session had been recorded on two different machines in the studio, so when the two recordings were played simultaneously, it was a "stereophonic" recording. England and Germany were actually doing true (experimental) stereo recordings back in the 1930s.


I recorded this when it was first broadcast on NPR back in the 1980s. Astounding stereo sound. Mood Indigo, Hot and Bothered, Creole Love Call. You can buy the CD: "Stereo Reflections in Ellington".

https://articles.chicagotribune.com...173_1_maddening-difference-brad-kay-listening
 
NutmegCT said:
....Any examples?

Thanks.
Tom
Click to expand...

For the artwork, google "ASCII art" - you should find lots. We had several that we used for demonstrations, including one with an option to 'remove' certain clothing depending on the audience.

We also had programs that played music via radio interference from the computer itself.

For the printer music, I have some files on our company site that were made (not by me) on an IBM 1403 printer. These used print "trains" driven by a motor about the size of a small starter motor. Each train had either a 48 or 60 character set that was repeated several times. The printers ran at either 600 or 1100 lines per minute, depending on model. Here's some info..

Sound of the printer 'idling' (not doing anything)

Raindrops

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

The printer
 
Had several back in my college days in the 70s. Some were so big you had to tape the sections together to see the full picture. Had one of a 727 flying over the Golden Gate Bridge that worked out about 8x10, feet...
 
My parents have an alphanumeric picture of my sister and me "printed" at the London Science museum in about 1977. I think it is still on the wall at their place.
 
I never really thought about 'photos' on a dot matrix printer and now that I have never recall seeing one. And yes I do remember keypunch cards and the 'clean room.' Thom McAn in Worcester MA. Anybody remember Thom McAn? Just asking.
 
Hi Judy. I don't remember the Thom McAn building, but I sure remember Thom McAn shoes. When I was a kid, we'd have our feet x-rayed at the local (Fort Worth TX) Thom McAn store. I think it was a sales gimmick, but it was very impressive to the customers. Remember this?

shoe.ray_.jpg


There wasn't much known about long-term radiation damage to certain "body parts" back then ...
 
Worked for a national time sharing company years ago. We had a file that would print a very respectable copy of Mon Lisa on our 1000 line per minute line printer. Was always fun to show that to a prospective customer.
 
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