cobra@hpcilzb.HP.COM (Roland Dudley) (10/04/89)
The other day I stopped by one of the local discount computer stores to pick up a ribbon for my son's ALPS Alegro 24 printer. Much to my schock, they cost $18.00 apiece. He was in dire need so I went ahead and got one anyway. Maybe I'm just a cheapskate, but this seems grossly overpriced to me. Is this the going price for 24 pin printer ribbons these days? Ribbons for my ancient 9 pin HP (Epson) dot matrix run between $5-$6. They appear to be about the same size and are similar in construction. Is there something special about 24 pin ribbons or am I just being gouged because not many ALPS printers are being sold. Seems like a strange way to develop market share if that's the case. Does anyone know of a cheaper ribbon for another printer that will fit? Perhaps there is a generic version that will work. Failing that, does anyone know where to purchase re-inking kits for printer ribbons? I was told that Radio Shack sold them at one time but when I asked about them at one of the local stores, all I got was blank stares. Failing that, does anyone know of a company, store, or mail order place that re-ink ribbons. Failing that, does anyone know what kind of ink is used on printer ribbons. Is it the same as typewriter ink? Stamp pad ink? Where do you get it? I'm willing to give it a try myself if I can't come up with something better. $18.00 is alot of money to a highschooler. Hell, it's alot to me! Respond by e-mail or post, whichever is preferable. I'll post a summary if there is enough interest. Thanks to anyone who can help, Roland cobra@hpcilzb.HP.COM
jeh@simpact.com (10/07/89)
In article <640015@hpcilzb.HP.COM>, cobra@hpcilzb.HP.COM (Roland Dudley) writes: > Is there something special about 24 pin ribbons or am I > just being gouged because not many ALPS printers are being sold. It could be argued that there *ought* to be something special about 24-pin ribbons... but on the other hand I have a few catalogs that specify the same ribbon for both 9- and 24-pin printers. My guess is that you're being gouged. *** MINOR FLAME ON *** A glance at a catalog from INMAC, Global, or any of a number of other suppliers will show page after page of ribbon listings, with photographs of literally dozens of different models. For any given basic design (two-spool, "harmonica", "pork chop", etc.) there seem to be at least five or six variants. This is ludicrous. Is it really necessary for most every printer manufacturer to invent their own alike-but-different-somehow ribbon??? I have seen a few counterexamples. A Citizen printer I used to have used Epson ribbons. And the Juki 6100 (?) daisywheel printer used... IBM Selectric II ribbons!!! (Complete with the speed-shift feature, for proper use with both one-strike and multistrike ribbons.) Talk about ready availability! Now, *that's* good engineering -- never reinvent anything that you can buy down the street. --- Jamie Hanrahan, Simpact Associates, San Diego CA Chair, VMSnet [DECUS uucp] and Internals Working Groups, DECUS VAX Systems SIG Internet: jeh@simpact.com, or if that fails, jeh@crash.cts.com Uucp: ...{crash,scubed,decwrl}!simpact!jeh
weekley@oldcolo.UUCP (Bob Weekley) (10/11/89)
Author: Roland Dudley of cobra @ hpcilzb.HP.COM writes: >The other day I stopped by one of the local discount computer stores to >pick up a ribbon for my son's ALPS Alegro 24 printer. Much to my >schock, they cost $18.00 apiece. ............ > ...(comments about wanting cheap alternatives;.... > ...generic ribbons, reinking systems, etc).... I have heard that putting the old (cloth) ribbon inside a sealed (zip-loc) plastic bag that has been sprayed with WD-40 will rejuvinate it after a couple or three days. The theory is that the volitle solvents in the 'WD' partially dissolve the remaining ink and cause it to run to the used part. Let us know your solution. ---------------------- Robert R. Weekley @ oldcolo.UUCP THE OLD COLORADO CITY ELECTRONIC COTTAGE | Standard | 2502 W. Colorado Ave. #203; C.S., CO 80904 |Disclaimer| (719) 632-3391 [8-N-1]; 632-4848 [voice] "Freedom is the opportunity for self dicipline" -Dwight D. Eisenhower ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -