# Seiko Lable Printer Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seiko-lable-printer-question/434885>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 24, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seiko-lable-printer-question/434885 "2008-01-24T22:58:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seiko-lable-printer-question/434885/1 "2008-01-24T22:58:23Z")

</div>

I’ve gotta Seiko Lable Printer 220 with a serial/parallel connection to my computer. I also have a new computer without any serial or parallel connections. I bought a serial to USB cable but the printer still dosen’t work. I’m looking for a new driver at Seiko but so far no good.  
Question one: Will the 220 work with an adapter cable and Windows Vista?  
Am I shit outta luck? (Those little printers cost around a hundred bucks!)  
Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seiko-lable-printer-question/434885/2 "2008-01-24T23:25:06Z")

</div>

I have a feeling that Vista doesn’t like legacy (serial & parallel) printers but you should be able to purchase a [PCI card with a parallel port](http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Controller+Cards/I%2FO+(Serial%2FParallel)/Parallel+Port+(DUAL)+PCI+card?productId=8330) for a few bob and try that.

Otherwise, I wonder if you’re expecting Vista to recognise the printer as a USB device? You might be hopeful there: Vista should see the serial port, but you’ll need to manually set the parameters and install the driver. I’m sure **Drachillix** has more experience with Vista than I do and will be along shortly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seiko-lable-printer-question/434885/3 "2008-01-25T01:13:35Z")

</div>

See

[Vista compatibility mode](http://http://lifehacker.com/software/vista/how-to-run-pre+vista-programs-in-compatibility-mode-251492.php)  
Having just gotten a Vista notebook and seeing how hermetically sealed the OS is, using an old DOS/Win printer where the drivers want to address hardware directly might be quite difficult