JMS@ARIZMIS.BITNET (I think I'll dye my hair blue.) (08/30/86)
The following appeared in the Digital Sales Update this week:
Announcing the PrintServer 40
o 40 page per minute Ethernet laser printer
o Incorporates postscript Page Desc Lang
o FCS scheduled for Q2/FY87
The PrintServer 40 is a monochromatic, laser printer with integrated controller
designed to provide printing services to local area networks, local area
systems, and single hosts via Ethernet. It offers 300 x 300 dot per inch
resolution for high quality output of text, graphics and scanned images.
Major elements of the PrintServer 40 include the print engine, data
controller, VT220 video console, and print system software.
The PrintServer 40 contains a dedicated MicroVAX II-based data controller
which interprets application programs that output in postscript, a powerful
page description language. Existing software utilizing ANSI text/sixels,
ReGIS or Textronix 4010/4014 format will also be supported on the PrintServer
40 through the use of host-based translators.
The PrintServer 40 offers extremely versatile paper handling. A large
capacity input tray holds 2,000 sheets of cut sheet paper and two auxiliary
paper trays hold 250 sheets each. Paper sizes supported range from 7.5 x 10.5
inch executive size to 11 x 17 ledger size (or B size), along with most
popular domestic and international sizes in-between. Paper output is collated
face down in two output trays of up to 500 sheets each.
Twenty-nine resident typefaces are provided with the PrintServer 40 in outline
form. These typefaces may be scaled to any point size, rotated to any degree
and positioned anywhere on a page through the use of postscript commands.
This powerful network printer is designed to support printing needs ranging
from 30,000 to 100,000 pages per month.
TARGET APPLICATIONS
(deleted)
SELLING/MARKETING STRATEGY
(Deleted)
PRODUCT POSITIONING
(deleted)
FEATURES/BENEFITS
(deleted)
COMPATIBILITY
(I paraphrase this paragraph which says something like, it looks like an
LN03, except for fonts, mostly)
PERFORMANCE DATA
(std disclaimer)
Using a standard 3,000 character text page with required fonts in Cache, the
PrintServer 40 will print:
o up to 40 pages per minute with 8.5 x 11 inch
o up to 24 pages per minute with 8.5 x 14 inch
o up to 20 pages per minute with 11 x 17 inch
Print image is 300 x 300 dots per inch for all text, graphics, and images.
Although there are no complexity limitations associated with the printer,
complex graphics output will reduce effective print speed.
(editors note: I saw this thing at DECUS take 5 minutes for an 11 x 17 page
with moderately complex line-drawings of an aircraft)
SPECS
(deleted)
PREREQUISITES
o Hardware -- VAX or MicroVAX II with Ethernet
o Software -- VMS V4.2 or greater and DECnet Phase IV
PRICING ORDERING INFO
Hardware:
LPS40-AA $47,900
Software:
Each PrintServer 40 is a node on the Ethernet. Users on VMS or MicroVMS
hosts connected by DECnet/Ethernet can use the PrintServer 40 as a remote
printing facility. These hosts are referred to as CLIENTS and must be running
the CLIENT component of the PrintServer 40 software.
(Editors note: This is the Digital RSM [ remote system management ]
software. I've been playing with this. An interesting feature of this
is that the thing does NOT, in fact, require hosts to be on the same
Ethernet, but only on the same DECnet.)
This software consists of 3 parts:
o a print symbiont that processes print requests
o software translators which convert ANSI text/sixels files, ReGIS files,
and tektronix 4010/4014 files into the postscript language before sending
them to the PrintServer 40
o a series of Postscript tools for creator software support
(more stuff deleted; the software is less than $1000 for the
binaries and the license is free for each CLIENT VAX that wants to print to
the printserver.)
Consumables:
LPS4X-AA 6 10K pages toner cartridges $199
LPS4X-AB Developer and replaceable prts $199 (100K pages)
LPS4X-AC Silicon Oil (60K Pages) $39
AVAILABILITY
Shipments of the Printserver 40 will begin in Q2/FY87
SUPPORT OPTIONS
(deleted)
DOCUMENTATION
(all internal docs; your rep can order EA-28561-56 and ED-28560-56 if
you want)
NOTE: Postscript is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc. Tektronix is a trademark
of Tektronix, Inc. Digital, VAX, and probably PrintServer, VMS and other
major terms used in this are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corp. Ethernet
is a trademark of Xerox. Naturally, UNIX, although not mentioned in this
article, is a trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.
+-------------------------------+
| Joel M Snyder | BITNET: jms@arizmis.BITNET
| Univ of Arizona Dep't of MIS | ArizoNET: MRSVAX::JMS
| Tucson, Arizona 85721 | Pseudo-PhoneNET: (602) 621-2748
+-------------------------------+
(std. disclaimer in re: nobody taking anything I say seriously)
--*> "Wherever you go ... there you are." -- Buckaroo Bonzai <*--