psc@lzaz.UUCP (Paul S. R. Chisholm) (12/10/85)
< Oxygen is for people who can't take New Jersey >
Yes, the Toshiba 1340 is a good value for output that's *very*
nearly letter quality. I reviewed a number of NLQ printers; of the
1340, I said:
"The Toshiba's letters are beautiful, fully formed, and
extremely typewriterlike. In fact, when I described this survey to
some friends, I showed them Toshiba's sample. Several of them said,
"OK, that's what a dasiy wheel printer does. Now let me see some
dot matrix output." The Toshiba tied for second place in the survey
[one point behind the Epson LQ1500; on a scale from zero to
twenty-seven, the 1340 scored 20 points], but I'll admit that it's
my personal favorite. The underlined descenders [a real test of a
NLQ printer] cost the 1340 its only "unacceptable" rating, given by
an editor [George Scithers] who was consistently unforgiving on that
point. (The editors gave the Toshiba's sans serif typeface sample
19 points.)"
The TI 855 was also a very good value for the money. Since then,
I've seen samples of the Epson FX-85, and like it a lot, for the
quality, the compatibility, and the price ($500). I don't know anything
about the new Toshiba P341 or Epson LQ800 or LQ1000 printers.
For more comments, print samples, and a double blind survey of SF
editors' opinions on what makes it and what doesn't, see "Are Near
Letter Quality Printers Near Enough?" in the November 12, 1985 (v4 #23)
issue of PC Magazine.
--
-Paul S. R. Chisholm The above opinions are my own,
{pegasus,vax135}!lzwi!psc not necessarily those of any
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NOMINATE MARK LEEPER (mtgzz!leeper): HUGO AWARD FOR BEST FAN WRITER IN 1986