Apple 670-4201-A ImageWriter II AppleTalk Option Card Sharp LH8530P LocalTalk

Apple 670-4201-A ImageWriter II AppleTalk Option Card Sharp LH8530P LocalTalk

The Apple 670-4201-A is the factory AppleTalk Option Card for the Apple ImageWriter II dot-matrix printer, designed to add LocalTalk network connectivity so the printer could be shared among multiple Macintosh computers on an AppleTalk network. Without this card installed, the ImageWriter II supported only direct serial connection to a single host; with it, the printer became a shared network resource accessible to all Macs on the same LocalTalk segment.

Specifications & What's Included

• Apple Part Number: 670-4201-A
• Compatible with: Apple ImageWriter II printer
• Network protocol: AppleTalk / LocalTalk
• Main controller chip: Sharp LH8530P (Z8530 Serial Communications Controller)
• Multiple supporting ICs and logic chips populated on green PCB
• Edge connector for installation into ImageWriter II option card slot
• Country of manufacture: Japan
• Card only — no cables or documentation included

Applications

The ImageWriter II was Apple's primary low-cost dot-matrix printer throughout the mid-to-late 1980s, bundled with the Apple IIe, Apple IIc, and early Macintosh systems. The AppleTalk Option Card allowed the printer to be connected directly to a LocalTalk network — the twisted-pair, RS-422-based local area network built into every Mac of that era — making shared printing possible in schools, small offices, and Apple II labs without requiring a dedicated print server. LocalTalk networking was a defining feature of the classic Mac OS environment from the Mac 128K through the mid-1990s, and shared ImageWriter II printers were a common sight in Apple-equipped classrooms of that period. Today these cards are sought by collectors and by those maintaining period-correct vintage Apple setups, including working LocalTalk networks and classic Mac lab restorations.