IBM junk

[Tony Duell]

> 
> Lots of new IBM things today, but all basically PC related.
> 
> Does anyone here have a 5182 Color Printer? This was one of the
> goodies today, from an ex-IBM salesman that was finally clearing out
> the closet. He said it was a very unsuccessful product from the XT/AT
> era, and may have never been for sale to the public. He said they were
> probably internal use only.


I have never seen one, but there's a section in the Options and Adapters 
TechRef for the 'IBM Personal Comp[uter Color Printer'. Unfortunately the 
TechRaf doesn't give model numbers, so I can't eb sure it's the same 
unit, but I suspect it is. For reference, the TechRef shows the 
microcontroller as a 6803 at loaction U6 on the control board.

If it is the same device, the mention of it in said TechRef would seem to 
imply it as a released product.

> 
> The 5182 is a dot matrix printer with a four color ribbon. Kludge on a stick.

Thet idea was not uncommn at the time. DEC made one called the 'LA324' 
which could take a colour ribbon and mechanically shifted it up and down 
to change colour. I also rememebr using an Epson printer in the mid 1980s 
that could take a 'colour kit' which was a motor + mechanical bits to 
tilt the ribbon. 

How well it worked I don't know. I've never been able to find a colour 
ribbon for my LA324.

-tony