pete@tsc.dec.com (Pete Schmitt) (11/05/87)
The following are the results of my request which follows
directly:
*I am in the market for a dot matrix printer for my 6300+, but
*would like to get some recommendations on them. Particularly
*the 24 pin models because I need high resolution graphics,
*but I can't afford the laser or ink jet technology. I don't
*want to spend more then $500. Any help out there?
My Choice: I've decided on the Toshiba P321SL and got it from Advanced
Computer Products in Santa Ana, CA for $449. They had an ad in this
month's Byte magazine. Thanks to all that responded. Your names have
been removed to protect the innocent.
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I have a toshiba p351-2 and love it. I paid ~1200 for it including
forms tractor a year ago. No problems whatsoever. It, along with the
Epson LQ-2500 (I think that's the model #) are probably the most widely
supported 24-pin printers, since they have been around a while. No problem
supporting it through Word Perfect, Lotus (graphics), TeX (good resolution
though a bit slow) or anything else I've thrown at it.
Only problem is that one of the add-on software downloadable fonts I bought
to do the display of the box-graphic characters in letter-quality mode is
brain-damaged -- it maps the characters at the top of the 256-character
set to some nutball equivalents in the bottom 128 characters, thus my software
has to use some nasty font-changing to print letter-quality box graphics.
If I had it to do over again, I'd eat the extra $500 and get a laserjet II,
which is faster. You can always add memory incrementally with the LJ2,
so if you need more for full page graphics (or TeX) you can add it.
Hope the foregoing has been of some help.
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I've got an NEC P6 on my 6300+, and it works great. Its quiet, and has,
to my mind, better quality print than the Epsons. Get the bi-directional
tractor feed with it though -- it will work better. Hope this helps.
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Just saw an ad in the Oct 1 Datamation from NEC for an under $500.
24-pin printer. I think it was 180cps in draft. Their big push
was on the low cost/high quality. I don't have the model number,
but it should be easy to find. I'm in the market for a printer
myself and am going thru what you are now. If you get any info
I'd like to hear about it.
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To the best of my knowledge, you have only one choice if you want a
24-pin printer for less than $500. The NEC 2200 just started shipping
with a list price of under $500 and all the features you probably will
ever want.
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The leader in the 24-pin market is Toshiba. Their low-end printer,
the 80-column 321SL lists for $749, but can be had for under $500 through
many mail-order firms. They have the most software support
on pclones as well. The 321SL handles single-sheet AND tractor
AT THE SAME TIME, can download fonts, takes font cards, is both
parallel and serial, and has NICE output.
One mail-order firm that gives a good price: Harmony Video of
New York. They advertise regularly in "BYTE".
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PC Magazine reviewed the Toshiba 351, NEC P6 and Epson LQ800. They
liked the LQ800 NLQ text appearance best but the P6 won overall.
We have P6s and LQ800s around here. The P6 is quieter and easier to
control. Both are "Epson LQ1500" compatible which is the standard
for 24 pin printers. Both require optional tractor feeders. If you
buy the P6 get the bi-directional tractor, the uni-directional tractor
is a pain and jams a lot. When driven by GEM Draw Plus, the LQ800
prints graphics faster, it may have a larger buffer, I don't know.
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I highly recommend that you talk a look-see at the new Toshiba 321SL.
Let me tell you that I've been waiting for a printer like this for a long
time. The paper handling capabilities are some of the best I've seen and
having all of the dip switches replaced for the the LCD front panel eliminates
that gory mess of DIP switches. It is also alot less noisy than the original
321. Also, reading an Infoworld today, Toshiba is releasing a wide carriage
called the 341SL that will list for $999.
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I saw a response to your article where the guy recommended a
NEC 2200 printer. I just got my 24 pin printer yesterday for $379
mail order - Its an Epson LQ800. If you get this an need nroff tables
let me know.
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Well, I've been doing a similar search and have pretty much settled
on the P6 (tho', the Toshiba 351 looks good too)
Note that the PC Magazine reviewed the P9, not the P6.
Why didn't the PC Magazine review list the Most Important Spec ??
(resolution in dots-per-inch). I only know the resolutions for
the printers in the Elek-Tek catalog. Of those, the NEC P6 is
the best coming in at 360x360 dpi!
Toshiba's are a measly 180x180 or 180x360 ...
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Since the Toshiba 351 got mentioned, I thought I'd add something about
the AT&T 477. The AT&T 477 is a 24-pin printer that competes (in my
opinion) with the 351. They have almost identical specs (CPS, emulations,
ability to print color, ability to configure from a 'smart' console--no
more dip switches folks). The nice thing about the AT&T is it comes
with color printing capability built in. On the Toshiba 351 and the
Epson LQ2500 it's an addition. If you aren't real keen on AT&T
products, there's a Citoh that's close to what the AT&T 477 is, but
I don't remember exactly what the model number was.
I've seen the AT&T and the Epson LQ2500; I prefer the AT&T because it has
the color capability built in.
If you are looking cheaper, you might want to look at the IBM Proprinter
X24. It's a proprinter with a 24 pin printhead. I don't like the
Epson LQ800 because it lacks the features of the proprinter; the IBM
should be about $120 more.
--
\\\!/// From: Pete Schmitt
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