zipidydoda

Anybody get the SiPix Pocket Printer A6 to work with WM2003?

pkenyon

Yes

zipidydoda

Would you tell me how you got it to work? Are there some new drivers?

Any help is appreciated.:nw:

pkenyon

Here is link to latest DRIVERS.
Just load the Pocket CE drivers.
REMEMBER to Put Axim's IR port
(just a 1/8" left of center of the Axim) within 1" of the A6 printer's IR port to print.
VERY CLOSE distance is KEY to printing, Axim's IR port is VERY weak!!!
Run A6 printer's software to Print.

Just post a reply so I know you got it to work.

Paul

zipidydoda

Those were the same drivers I already had. I downloaded and reinstalled them anyway, but no luck. The Ax can't find the Pocket Printer A6.

I had it working under PPC2002. I have not been able to get it working since I upgraded to WM2003.

I am probably doing some simple, stupid thing, but I can't figure it out.

Anymore suggestions?

pkenyon

Also do you have "eMbedded Visual Basic Runtime for Pocket PC 2003" installed.
I installed it in main Memory of the Axim because it helps with compatiable of
Alot of PPC2002 software to run in MW2003.


Otherwise, I don't know what to say I got it to work.

Send a last Post so I know how it goes.
I'll keep my fingers crossed.
GOODLUCK!

Paul

zipidydoda

Thanks for your advise, but it just doesn't seem to be working on my Ax. Sure wish I had another computer with IR so I could make sure that I am dealing with a software (OS) problem and not a hardware problem.

I may end up having to buy something like printboy (I think that is the name).

Thanks again.

zipidydoda

Found the answer for IR keyboards.

The key appears to be, not to have any expansion cards, CF or SD, installed while loading the print driver, and to make sure that the IR port is off of AUTO Transmit.

Prints great now. :)

pkenyon

Great news!

Sorry, I wasn't much help.
I knew it worked.
Just didn't know how I got it to work.
Must have been when I reloaded software after I upgraded to MW2003.
Great news for everyone who has the A6 printer!

Paul

hotchpau

Can anyone in this thread confirm that you have got a Dell AXIM PocketPC 2003 printing to a Sipix A6 Printer. If so How. I followed all above instructions to no avail. Help much appreciated - we've been tearing our hair out for weeks. Regards, Paul

Nightwing

Which revision of there drivers are you running? Have a A6Print using 0.67 and driver 0.70.

bookie

I am running WM2003 and printing to the Sipix A6 printer. All I did to get it to run was soft reset, install the drivers from the website (sorry, don't have access to the address here on my Ax), another soft reset, and it worked. I read that it wouldn't work with 2003 but others here on Aximsite get theirs to work so I just messed with it until mine did too. Good luck.

hotchpau

Thanks very much for the replies.

I downloaded a file called a6ce.exe ( 370,176 bytes ) from http://www.sipixdigital.com/support/.../drivers.shtml

I ran it to extract setup.exe, a6print.ini, and 3 CAB files ( A6Print.ARM.CAB would be the one for PPC 203 )

After installing the following files were deposited on the Dell X5.

File File Version Product Version
a6print.exe 1.0.0.7 0,6,7,0
a6capture.exe 1.0.0.1 0,6,6,0
a6ctl.dll 1.0.0.1 1,0,0,0
a6mfc.dll 1.0.0.3 1,0,0,1
a6sdk.dll 1.0.0.11 0,7,0,0

I got the following reply from the support guys at fieldsoftware ( PIEprint ):

"Unfortunately, the SiPix A6 has a poor Infrared port that is incompatible with PPC2003 devices (and many PPC2002 devices). There is no known work-around for this design problem."

Maybe the reason that some can get a PPC2003 working is just some luck with hardware. I suspect some low level change in the way the WCE420 OS under PPC 2003 communicates with the IR port compared to the WCE3.x OS under PPC 2002.

bookie said they "messed around" ???. Any specific tricks or do you really just mean soft reset install and it all works. Certainly my PPC 2002 Dell X5 works as you describe straight out of the box.

By the way, I believe that Spix aren't manufacturing / supporting the A6 printer any more.

On another note - presumably when people say WM2003, this is the same as PocketPC 2003. Or is there some subtle difference? i.e. the .NET framework or something.

Regards
Paul

Nightwing

Hum...

Yep the printer is deffently in the ware-is as-is bin! But what a deal! :D

I have a X3i. Maybe that is the difference since. Heard it has a consumer grade IR port compared to the X5. IE more beam power.

What I did was this. No real reset etc. I had the demo of the Fieldsoftware already running trying to make up my mind on it. Nice package. It does various printer including the A6. And after the A6 arives it work without problems printing to it. Also turn off the Receive any beam check.

Was getting near the 30 days on the FS software. Desided to try the A6 drivers from that page listed above. It installed with no problems! So pulled up my print test page and zing! It started printing! No resets no hits and no errors. Even tried the screen capture utility. It worked! I think I get over 12" distance and about 15 or so degree off of center.

I cant say that having the FS software on first or even if that is the key but it works for me.

The only problem is the A6 driver test output is tiny. Looks like text reduced by about the magic 200% so to speak.

PS: How do the rest of you make your paper? Do you spin and cut off of Fax rolls? Or make your own cut sheets from A4 paper?

bookie

I have an X5 so it will work with other than an X3, but nightwing reminded me that I too ran the fieldsoftware PrintPocketCE prior to running the sipix drivers. I don't know if that primed the pump or what but it worked for me and I hope you can get it going too. Regarding the paper, I just bought one of the six rolls/100 sheet packages off ebay.