# Printer Prints Jibberish

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-prints-jibberish/111670>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 31, 2002, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-prints-jibberish/111670 "2002-05-31T02:59:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-prints-jibberish/111670/1 "2002-05-31T02:59:43Z")

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I have an old time printer for a phone switch that gives data. It uses old computer paper that feeds. Not an ink jet or laser jet.

It is an OKIDA.

Anyway it was fine but the ribbon was going so I put on a new ribbon cartridge. Then all of a sudden it would only print out @@@@@@.

It took two days to find a tech to look at it. He said the port is bad. Now it seems odd that the second I replace the ribbon the port goes.

Has any one had anything else like this happen. I mean it only prints the @ sign. All the figures appear to be there, just the @@ signs print no numbers.

The switch keeps track of a que line for reservation calls.

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**Author:** ![Bramblerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bramblerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bramblerose)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-prints-jibberish/111670/2 "2002-05-31T03:12:10Z")

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I’m no expert by any means, but maybe the jarring of putting in a new ribbon jiggled something loose in the port?