CP-100 drivers?

[Littlejohn]

I recently bought a CP-100 printer and made myself a USB cable from bits I had around.
It was relatively easy to do, the CP-100 comes with 2 cables one of which I wasn't gonna use anyway. The printer plug is easy to unscrew/desolder/resolder and with a bit of skill you too can make yourself a very convincing cable (I mean, one that works).

As an alternative (a bit of research is needed) you probably could find a USB adapter (miniUSB female to type-1 USB male) then plug the miniUSB cable provided with the CP-100 into it and into your computer. Yes, Canon uses standard miniUSB plugs on their cameras (such as the A40).

Anyway, I was happy enough that my cable would work and headed off to the canon website to look for the CP-100 drivers.

Oops! You CANNOT download any drivers for the CP-100. They are graciously provided to you, though, if you buy any recent camera such as the Powershot G3 / S45, but no luck if you have one of the older cameras (I have an A40 and the only printer drivers provided on the CDROM are CP-10 drivers... which do not work with the CP-100)

I wrote a nice email to Canon asking for the drivers and all they replied was along the lines "buy the PC connection kit and you'll get drivers".

Yes but... why do I have to spend another 35 quid just to get the drivers? Especially when my cable didn't cost me anything and a USB adapter would only be a couple of quid?

So... Has anyone been able to trace the drivers on the web?

Cheers,
Littlejohn

[JohnnyE]

You do realize that the A40 can print directly to the CP-100, right? Just buy the PC connection kit - that way, you won't void your warranty either.

[Littlejohn]

News:

I found the drivers on the internet (check the Hong Kong Canon page). However, my cable did not work. Why? Either I made a mistake in the cable or more likely (educated guess) because of the way USB works:

For USB to work you need a "host" and a "peripheral". Looking at the number of pins on both the camera (4 or 5 can't remember) and the printer(8-10 don't remember either), this is what must be happening:

The camera is always a "peripheral" and can be connected either to the PC (host) or the CP-100 printer. In this configuration then, the CP-100 must be a host. On the other hand, when the printer is connected to the PC, it is a peripheral, like all the other printers.

That means the printer can be both a host or a peripheral depending on which pins are used on the printer connector (explaining the size of it). The "printer to camera" cable must therefore be different from the "printer to PC" cable.

Interestingly enough, the new printers from canon (CP-200) use normal cables (USB plug on the printer, normal cables). See http://www.dpreview.com/news/0305/03050201canonprinters.asp for a preliminary review.
How is that possible? my guess is that the USB controller on the printer (the chip responsible for USB communication) was upgraded to a "USB on the go" chip which can recognise on its own whether is it talking to a host or a peripheral.

Have a look at http://www.usb.org/developers/onthego/ and the executive overview http://www.usb.org/developers/onthego/london/OTG_marketing.pdf which does mention the CP-10 (and therefore CP-100) printer as an example of incompatible cables.


So. What does it mean for us CP-100 owners?

1. YOU CANNOT BUY AN ADAPTER for your camera cable. Eventhough you can now find the drivers on the internet, they are pretty much useless. I was talking off my ass and from that point of view, deeply regret my previous post.

2. As somebody else replied, 35 ($ or £ depending on where you live) is not that much of an investment considering what you already paid for your equipement.

3. Unless somebody opens the printer connector on a CP-10/CP-100 cable to PC and releases the pinout on the internet, we're screwed. The CP-100 is still an expensive bit of equipement which I am not prepared to smoke to find out the pinout (shame...)

I should mention that "opening the connector" can be done non-destructively, the shell of the case is only tightened by two screws and is easily opened/put back together.

Best Regards,
Littlejohn

[filipek]

Hello Littlejohn,

I think I have VERY GOOD NEWS for you and all interested guys there. I'm from Poland & have just bought CP-100 printer - beautifull printouts aren't they ?
Same as you tried not to spend money on PC connection kit. Further - my thougths were exactly the same as yours - use female extension cable for mini "B" USB computer cable or to use spare camera cable (spare CP-100 plug). I failed with first attempt with connecting 4 colour wires but finally I"VE GOT IT.
Here it comes:
Open spare CP-100 plug and looking from cable soldering side placing plug just as it comes into CP-100 connector solder cables as follows:

1) uper row from left to right:
RED, WHITE, NC, NC, NC
2) bottom row left to right:
NC, GREEN, BLACK, NC, NC

where NC is not connected AND YOU"VE GOT IT.
Inastall your internet CP-100 drivers (Win XP will do it for you) and you're ready to print from PC with all enhancements (Exif), cropping, frames etc

Enyoj, greetings from Poland !!!
Darek (registered as filipek)






Littlejohn wrote:
News:

I found the drivers on the internet (check the Hong Kong Canon page). However, my cable did not work. Why? Either I made a mistake in the cable or more likely (educated guess) because of the way USB works:

For USB to work you need a "host" and a "peripheral". Looking at the number of pins on both the camera (4 or 5 can't remember) and the printer(8-10 don't remember either), this is what must be happening:

The camera is always a "peripheral" and can be connected either to the PC (host) or the CP-100 printer. In this configuration then, the CP-100 must be a host. On the other hand, when the printer is connected to the PC, it is a peripheral, like all the other printers.

That means the printer can be both a host or a peripheral depending on which pins are used on the printer connector (explaining the size of it). The "printer to camera" cable must therefore be different from the "printer to PC" cable.

Interestingly enough, the new printers from canon (CP-200) use normal cables (USB plug on the printer, normal cables). See http://www.dpreview.com/news/0305/03050201canonprinters.asp for a preliminary review.
How is that possible? my guess is that the USB controller on the printer (the chip responsible for USB communication) was upgraded to a "USB on the go" chip which can recognise on its own whether is it talking to a host or a peripheral.

Have a look at http://www.usb.org/developers/onthego/ and the executive overview http://www.usb.org/developers/onthego/london/OTG_marketing.pdf which does mention the CP-10 (and therefore CP-100) printer as an example of incompatible cables.


So. What does it mean for us CP-100 owners?

1. YOU CANNOT BUY AN ADAPTER for your camera cable. Eventhough you can now find the drivers on the internet, they are pretty much useless. I was talking off my ass and from that point of view, deeply regret my previous post.

2. As somebody else replied, 35 ($ or £ depending on where you live) is not that much of an investment considering what you already paid for your equipement.

3. Unless somebody opens the printer connector on a CP-10/CP-100 cable to PC and releases the pinout on the internet, we're screwed. The CP-100 is still an expensive bit of equipement which I am not prepared to smoke to find out the pinout (shame...)

I should mention that "opening the connector" can be done non-destructively, the shell of the case is only tightened by two screws and is easily opened/put back together.

Best Regards,
Littlejohn

[Littlejohn]

Thank you so much Darek!

I just finished soldering the cable and it works!!! It got the printer instantly recognised by windows and I just checked, the Hong Kong website still has the drivers.

One thing I got wrong: In the original connector configuration (taken from the unused CP-100 cable) the bottom row pin 3 (black) was strapped to the top row pin 3 (numbering according to your convention). If you live it strapped, the cable will not work.

So that's the pinout confirmed! (until the printer goes in smoke... but I'll post something in if that happens ;))

PS: The same pinout should work for the CP-10 too! (to be confirmed but the same canon cable is sold for both CP-10 and CP-100 printers)

Best regards,
Littlejohn