This cable is for connecting a printer with centronics interface to the usb port of the pc or notebook you can keep your parallel port free for a second printer scanner or digital camera the cable has a type a usb connector and a 36 pin centronics plug with a transfer rate of 1 2 mbs the cable is bus powered compatible with usb specification revision 11 usb a male to cent 36 pin male connector supports epp ecp and bidirectional printing data transfer rate up to 1 216 mbps ecp mode