enhanced parallel port (1284) (EPP)

The Enhanced Parallel Port(EPP) is a bidirectional extension of the parallel interface standardized under IEEE 1284. The second extension is the Extended Capability Port( ECP).

The EPP port supports bidirectional communication between computer and peripheral device and offers significantly higher data rates compared to conventional parallel signaling. It supports data rates of 2 MB/s and allows up to 64 devices to be connected to one interface. The Enhanced Parallel Port features additional registers and generates its handshaking signals in hardware.

Unlike a Standard Parallel Port( SPP), where each byte transferred must be written and read, an EPP port, when operating in EPP mode, writes a byte only once. Special EPP software is required for operation, otherwise such a port works like a standard parallel port or like a bidirectional printer port( BPP).