jmpiazza@sunybcs.uucp (Joseph M. Piazza) (08/06/87)
In article <917@hp-sdd.HP.COM> nick@hp-sdd.UUCP (Nick Flor) writes: >In article <10411@linus.UUCP> sdl@linus.UUCP (Steven D. Litvintchouk) writes: >>I am looking for a high-resolution, 24-wire (24-pin) dot-matrix >>printer for some desktop publishing and graphics applications. >>However, I also need color. > >Don't waste your time with a dot matrix color printer. >In my opinion the output from color dot matrix printers suck badly. I won't argue this point. >HP has just introduced a color ink-jet printer that blows >away everything in it's price range and even more expensive >($5k) printers. It's called PaintJet and $1300 will buy you one >of these babies. Even the Xerox 4020? (~ $1,500) >>Does anyone have any advice on which printers produce the best output, >>and which are affordable (i.e. under $1000)? For example, does the >>Epson LQ-800 support color? Also, are there Amiga printer drivers >>available? > >As far as I know, the only color ink jet printers for around 1K are >from Xerox and HP. Well, there's the Canon PJ 1080A that also appears as the IBM Color Jetprinter, the Radio Shack printer (discontinued), and the QuadRam for about $600. Last I heard Canon didn't discontinue it, just "de-emphasized" it. Right. The only one I found available NEW at any computer shops was the IBM. JS&A is selling the Quadram version bundled with a bunch of PC stuff (yuch). Canon's mainline ink jet printer is now the PB 1080 -- the bubble jet which doesn't do color :-( You can find used ones, as I did -- I got the IBM for $335. I'm pleased with it. One reason you should be able to buy a used one is because it's slow. It takes 4-8 passes of the head, depending on whether it's in "bold" mode of or not, to print one line of text. BUT it is really VERY quiet which is one reason I wanted an ink jet printer. I use mine in the living room (a l o n g living room) and it can barely be heard over the TV. You'll NEVER get this with a dot-matrix. The "draft" quality is still very good and is very readable. The IBM may have the edge here since I've read that it has different character ROMs than the other versions. Hope this helps. Flip side, joe piazza --- Cogito ergo equus sum. CS Dept. SUNY at Buffalo 14260 UU: ...{rocksvax|decvax}!sunybcs!jmpiazza CS: jmpiazza@cs.buffalo.edu BI: jmpiazza@sunybcs