neff@hpvcfs1.HP.COM (Dave Neff) (07/07/89)
I have gotten mail asking for details on the new HP DeskWriter so here goes: What is a DeskWriter and how does it relate to a DeskJet+? The DeskWriter is a 57K baud serial 300DPI graphics only printer designed specifically for the Apple Macintosh computers. Mechanically, the DeskWriter is the same as a DeskJet+. Electrically, the DeskWriter has the same processor running at the same speed as a DeskJet+ but has electronics and firmware optimized for high speed serial graphics and is in the standard Mac color scheme (not the HP color scheme). From a user interface the DeskWriter looks much like a DeskJet+ but has a simpler keypannel and no font cartridge slots. A new 2D data compression mode was added to the printer and driver (patent pending :-) ) that achieves remarkable compression rates eliminating the IO from being a bottleneck in virtually all cases (scanned images are sometimes an exception). The DeskWriter comes with a Chooser compatable QuickDraw driver that uses scaleable outline fonts. All font scaling and filling is done in the Mac, not in the printer. The DeskWriter driver will work with all Quickdraw compatable applications, but not, of course, PostScript only applications. The DeskWriter driver requires at least 1 Meg of RAM (2 recommended) and a hard disk. Several outline fonts come with the driver, Courier, Times, Symbols, and Triumvirate (like Helvetica). More optional fonts are available. On a MAC II the printer performs at a page per minute rate. When doing text only the DeskWriter is about 1/2 to 1/3 as fast as a LaserWriter. When doing heavy graphics oriented printing the DeskWriter performance is comparable (and sometimes faster) than a LaserWriter. Performance when printing from a Mac Plus or Mac SE is about 1/2 to 3/4 as fast as printing from a Mac 2. Besides outline font scaling and filling the driver also supports raster fonts (4X fonts recommended for best quality) and polygon smoothing. The DeskWriter retails for $1195 compared to the $995 price of the DeskJet+. The price difference is mainly due to the cost of developing and supporting the Mac driver that comes with the printer and royalties that go to the company that supplies the outline fonts (and some of the font scaling technology). Once you get the original copy of the DeskWriter driver all updates will be free from your local dealer (the new driver will be copied onto your original disk). I suspect the street price of a DeskWriter might get close to $800 but I don't know for sure. Before making any decisions on buying a new personal use Mac printer go to your dealer and see a demo of the DeskWriter. I think you will be pleased. There is really no comparison between the DeskWriter and its driver with any of the DeskJet drivers available for the MAC both in performance and quality of output. Hope this information helps. By the way, I was involved in the DeskJet+ development not the DeskWriter development. I just seem to be braver at posting to the net than some of the other people around here. People who were on the DeskWriter team do read notes regularly so ask any hard technical questions you might have. I'm sure someone will answer (if its not proprietary of course). Dave Neff hpvcfs1!neff
phantast@drachen.Sun.COM (Greg Dykema) (07/07/89)
A Macintosh version of the Deskjet sounds good, but does it work with the Mac only? I need something I can use with both a Mac and an AT compatible. Why is the output so much better than a DJ+ and existing Mac drivers? greg dykema
rickk@hpvcfs1.HP.COM (Rick Klaus) (07/07/89)
Well Dave, maybe you just like to have more notes in your mailbox than the rest of us!! I thought you would have learned after your DeskJet+ postings swamped you for a couple of weeks, but... :-). Anyway, I do read notes, and I even beat Dave to a posting about the DeskWriter. As I mentioned in that post, I did design the DeskWriter hardware and I am willing to answer any questions as long as they don't hit the old "company confidential" wall! Rick Klaus rickk@hpvcfs1
stevem@hpvcfs1.HP.COM (Steve Miller) (07/08/89)
Well, just to get in on the fun, I'll fill in some of the DeskWriter details for those interested. The Courier, Times, and Triumirate (Helvetica) fonts come in regular, bold, italic, and bold-italic which makes them look better than bit-map fonts that are slanted to look italic, or shifted to look bold. The Symbol set comes in regular only. The outline fonts can be printed up to 250 pts in size and support all of the quickdraw enhancements (outline, shadow etc..) The characters can be rotated in 90 degree increments. Other quickdraw printing features supported are landscape orientation, exact size bitmaps, arbitrary document enlargement/reduction from 25% to 400%, font substitution, page range selection, and printing back to front (from most applications). Hairlines, pattern scaling, and polygon smoothing are also implemented in the driver. Application compatibility is very high. FullPaint, MS Basic, and a couple of terminal packages are the only major packages that won't work with DeskWriter. The Postscript only applications will print, but usually don't support high quality printing. They are often limited to 72 DPI output on non Postscript printers. But, like Dave Neff said, you should take a look at one to get a good feel for the product. My opinions are also biased since I too worked on the product (printer firmware and driver). But, being a Mac user since late '84, I've been wanting a printer like this for a long time and was tickled to be able to work on it. Steven Miller stevem@hpvcfs1 Vancouver Division Hewlett Packard
stevem@hpvcfs1.HP.COM (Steve Miller) (07/08/89)
>A Macintosh version of the Deskjet sounds good, but does it work >with the Mac only? I need something I can use with both a Mac >and an AT compatible. Why is the output so much better than a >DJ+ and existing Mac drivers? > >greg dykema Yes, the DeskWriter works only with the Mac. It has been designed and optimized to give optimum performance, compatibility, and ease of use for the Mac user. If you need to use a single printer for the Mac and an AT, then a DeskJet+ with one of the third party drivers may be the best solution for you. The reason the output is better from a DeskWriter has nothing to do with the printer hardware (other than how fast you get the output). Both products can print 300 DPI graphics. However, the driver shipped with the DeskWriter is the result of a significant effort by HP to produce the highest quality possible with the DeskWriter mechanism. Features like the scalable outline fonts supplied by CompuGraphic, sophisticated linelayout, polygon smoothing, landscape printing, arbitrary document scaling, and hairlines allow the user to achieve very high quality output. Anyway, that's just my heavily biased opinion. Steven Miller stevem@hpvcfs1 Vancouver Division Hewlett Packard
stevem@hpvcfs1.HP.COM (Steve Miller) (07/11/89)
Many people have written me inquiring about additional fonts that are available for DeskWriter in outline format. This is what is currently available: Zapf Chancery and Zapf Zap Dingbats: $95 CS Palacio (Palatino): $95 CS Triumvirate Condensed (Helvetica Narrow): $95 ITC Avant Garde: $95 ITC Bookman: $95 New Century Schoolbook: $95 All six packages listed above: $395 As far as Apple's outline fonts in System 7.0, we will certainly be supporting any new releases of the operating system, including 7.0. Since DeskWriter is a QuickDraw based printer, it will support Apple's built in outline fonts, although all printer drivers, including Apple's, will have to be modified to work with 7.0. Steven Miller stevem@hpvcfs1 Vancouver Division Hewlett Packard
news@sun.Eng.Sun.COM (news) (07/11/89)
From: garths%glass@Sun.COM (Garth Snyder)
Path: glass!garths
stevem@hpvcfs1.HP.COM (Steve Miller) writes:
Many people have written me inquiring about additional fonts that are
available for DeskWriter in outline format. This is what is currently
available:
[ Lists font packages at about $100 each ]
As far as Apple's outline fonts in System 7.0, we will certainly be
supporting any new releases of the operating system, including 7.0.
Since DeskWriter is a QuickDraw based printer, it will support Apple's
built in outline fonts.
My understanding is that apple will provide all the fonts you list
above in the System 7.0 format, since they are all LaserWriter fonts.
What is there to gain by buying expensive fonts in this nonstandard HP
format when these fonts will soon be available free? And in the
future, why buy other fonts in HP format when you'll be able to buy
them in a format that is transportable across all printers?
Was the HP software designed without knowledge of Apple's plans?
--------------------
Garth Snyder
Sun Microsystems, mail drop 14-40 ARPA: garths@sun.com
2550 Garcia Avenue ALSO: garth@boulder.colorado.edu
Mountain View, CA 94043
--------------------stevem@hpvcfs1.HP.COM (Steve Miller) (07/12/89)
Garth Snyder writes: >My understanding is that apple will provide all the fonts you list >above in the System 7.0 format, since they are all LaserWriter fonts. > >What is there to gain by buying expensive fonts in this nonstandard HP >format when these fonts will soon be available free? And in the >future, why buy other fonts in HP format when you'll be able to buy >them in a format that is transportable across all printers? > >Was the HP software designed without knowledge of Apple's plans? No. Since Apple's System 7.0 will not be available for about a year (maybe more given the amount of new features in it) we decided that users need high quality fonts now and we must provide them. When Apple's System 7.0 comes out AND most users have switched over to it (they all have the 2+ Megs of RAM and the CPU power to utilize it) it will probably make sense to use Apple's outline fonts. Steven Miller