Printer drum machine

vvvv beta question
1

hi!
i have idea for my new project that is related to music, but not in a common sense. concept is not finished yet, but i have some guidelines. i wish to create a software (vvvv patch) to control four printers. they should act like speakers witch will generate patterns writen in a txt (or gif) file, like loops… each printer should represent one channel like in a drum machine

here are some things that it should do:

  1. control printers in real time, like typewriter
  2. give them a pattern to print it in a loop
  3. abbility to smoothly change the patterns
  4. control them separately

and some questions:

  1. witch node should i use for sending data to printers, rs232?
  2. is it possible to control them in real time?
  3. what would be the best way to create patterns, text, picture or something else?

this is a project that has no deadline, i’ll try to manage it in my free time. any hint is wellcome :)

vedran

2

hEY:
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The User- Symphony for Dot Matrix Printers

3

also, there exists a piece called “printmusic” by the late hugh davies. One generation older that The User’s. Never heard it, though.
Oh, and our Expson Photo 2100 does play the first bar of beethovens fifth on power-up. I swear.