New pc does not have parallel support for my smartie

[stoooey]

Hi,
just bought a new PC and didn't realise that it does not have a printer port. I have seen USB to parallel adaptor and wondered if these would work?

My smartie is a HD44780 20x4 LCD which was working on XP, will it still work on Windows 7?

On the actual board, there is the parallel connector which I have previously used and there is also what looks to be a mini-A usb connector. Can this be connected via USB instead of the Parallel connector?

Thanks in advance

[limbo]

The possible solutions are:

Use a PCI based Parallel port card... (not cable converter).
Use FTDI or any other backplate to convert your LCD to USB...

[stoooey]

Hi limbo

Sorry that I have not replied sooner but had probs here so not read your post reply till now.

Heres where I am now.

I bought a USB to parallel converter lead. The lead powers the display (it lights up). I have downloaded LCD Smartie v5.4.1 Beta and set the display plugin to HD44780.dll (4x20) and nothing appears. was there anything else that I should have downloaded? (sorry, bad memory)

Regarding the FTDI. I have just bought a similar on for my old ATA to SATA off ebay, will this be similar in theory?
Can you point me to a seller who deals with these please?

Many Thanks for your help

[stoooey]

Also forgot to say, I'm running Windows 7 Home Prem 32 bit and don't have a spare PCI port.