Centronics parallel port

E200314

computer hardware interface parallel port printer interface standard

The Centronics parallel port is a standardized interface originally developed for connecting printers and other peripherals to computers, widely used on early personal computers before the advent of USB.

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All labels observed (7)

Label	Occurrences
Centronics interface	2
Centronics parallel interface	2
Centronics parallel port canonical	1
Centronics printer port	1
IEEE 1284	1
IEEE 1284 parallel port modes	1
IEEE 1284 standard	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T1774687 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: Centronics parallel port
Context triple: [Commodore Amiga 1000, expansionPorts, Centronics parallel port]

A. Parallel ATA
Parallel ATA is an older computer interface standard used to connect storage devices like hard drives and optical drives to a motherboard using parallel data transmission.
B. NuBus
NuBus is a 32-bit, processor-independent expansion bus standard widely used in late-1980s and early-1990s workstations and personal computers, including many Apple Macintosh systems.
C. IEEE 488 GPIB standard
The IEEE 488 GPIB standard is a widely used digital interface specification that enables communication and control among electronic test and measurement instruments and computers.
D. IBM PC XT
The IBM PC XT is an early 1980s personal computer from IBM that expanded on the original IBM PC with a built-in hard drive and more expansion capabilities, becoming a widely used business desktop system.
E. IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter
The IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter (CGA) is an early IBM PC graphics standard and expansion card that provided low-resolution color and text display capabilities for personal computers in the 1980s.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: Centronics parallel port
Target entity description: The Centronics parallel port is a standardized interface originally developed for connecting printers and other peripherals to computers, widely used on early personal computers before the advent of USB.

A. Parallel ATA
Parallel ATA is an older computer interface standard used to connect storage devices like hard drives and optical drives to a motherboard using parallel data transmission.
B. NuBus
NuBus is a 32-bit, processor-independent expansion bus standard widely used in late-1980s and early-1990s workstations and personal computers, including many Apple Macintosh systems.
C. IEEE 488 GPIB standard
The IEEE 488 GPIB standard is a widely used digital interface specification that enables communication and control among electronic test and measurement instruments and computers.
D. IBM PC XT
The IBM PC XT is an early 1980s personal computer from IBM that expanded on the original IBM PC with a built-in hard drive and more expansion capabilities, becoming a widely used business desktop system.
E. IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter
The IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter (CGA) is an early IBM PC graphics standard and expansion card that provided low-resolution color and text display capabilities for personal computers in the 1980s.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (50)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	computer hardware interface ⓘ parallel port ⓘ printer interface standard ⓘ
alsoKnownAs	Centronics interface ⓘ linked to: Centronics parallel port Centronics printer port ⓘ linked to: Centronics parallel port standard parallel port ⓘ
category	computer bus ⓘ printer technology ⓘ
commonlyUsedInDecade	1980s ⓘ 1990s ⓘ
communicationDirection	host-to-printer data transfer ⓘ
compatibility	basis for many PC parallel port implementations ⓘ
connectionTopology	point-to-point ⓘ
dataBusWidth	8 bits ⓘ
dataEncoding	parallel byte-wise transfer ⓘ
dataTransferMode	parallel ⓘ
developedBy	Centronics Data Computer Corporation ⓘ
direction	primarily unidirectional ⓘ
handshakingSignals	ACK ⓘ AUTOFEED ⓘ BUSY ⓘ ERROR ⓘ INIT ⓘ PE ⓘ SELECT ⓘ STROBE ⓘ
hostSideConnectorType	DB-25 female connector ⓘ
influenced	design of IEEE 1284 parallel port modes ⓘ
introducedInDecade	1970s ⓘ
maximumCableLength	approximately 3 meters recommended ⓘ
physicalConnectorType	36-pin micro ribbon connector ⓘ
predecessorOf	IEEE 1284 parallel port modes ⓘ linked to: Centronics parallel port
requires	device-specific printer driver on host ⓘ
roleInHistory	de facto standard for printer connections before USB ⓘ
signalGroundPins	multiple dedicated ground lines ⓘ
signalType	TTL-level digital signals ⓘ
standardizedAs	IEEE 1284 ⓘ linked to: Centronics parallel port
status	largely obsolete in modern consumer computers ⓘ
supersededBy	USB ⓘ network printing interfaces ⓘ
supportsStatusFeedback	yes ⓘ
typicalUseCase	dongles and hardware keys ⓘ dot-matrix printers ⓘ early external storage devices ⓘ laser printers ⓘ
usedFor	connecting external peripherals to computers ⓘ connecting printers to computers ⓘ
usedOnPlatform	IBM PC compatible computers ⓘ early Apple computers via adapters ⓘ
voltageLevel	approximately 5V logic ⓘ

How these facts were elicited