[comp.periphs] Portable printers

phco@ecsvax.UUCP (John Miller) (10/26/87)

What recommendations do you have for a lightweight portable printer to
be used with a Zenith Z-181 laptop?  The prime requirements are that
the printer be readily portable (i.e., light weight) and reliable.  The
print quality is not an overriding consideration, but, of course, the
print must be reasonably legible.  What about inkjet vs. thermal printers?
Does anyone have any experience with the Diconyx inkjet?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

-- 
                        John Miller  (ecsvax!phco)
                        Dept. of Pharmacology, Univ. of N.C.-Chapel Hill
                        Chapel Hill, NC 27514       (919) 966-4343

stanwyck@drutx.ATT.COM (Don Stanwyck) (10/27/87)

in article <4079@ecsvax.UUCP>, phco@ecsvax.UUCP (John Miller) says:
> 
> What recommendations do you have for a lightweight portable printer to
> be used with a Zenith Z-181 laptop?  
> Does anyone have any experience with the Diconyx inkjet?
>                         John Miller  (ecsvax!phco)

The Diconix (by Kodak) is the one we and several others use with both the
Zenith 181 and the Toshiba 1100/etc.  It is a great little light machine,
but it does have it's quirks.

One example:  If you use a word processor that tries to write using
graphics rather than the rom-based character generator, you get 88 lines
per page.  The Diconix has a 12-dot high line rather than a 9-dot high,
giving it better resolution, but not staying compatible with the 9-dot high
printers.

The Diconix is also the only one we are aware of that will run on batteries
for 150 pages per charge.
-- 
AT&T 				o  o			303-538-5004
Don Stanwyck		         ||   			ihnp4!drutx!stanwyck
Denver, CO USA			\__/			Telecom Standards

hburford@enprt.UUCP (10/28/87)

In article <4079@ecsvax.UUCP> phco@ecsvax.UUCP (John Miller) writes:
>What recommendations do you have for a lightweight portable printer to
>Does anyone have any experience with the Diconyx inkjet?
>
>Thanks for any help you can provide.
>                        John Miller  (ecsvax!phco)

I'm using the Diconix inkjet on a Zenith 181 and am very pleased with it.
I think there was a technology exchange with HP on this product where 
Diconix gave HP the ink formula and HP let Diconix use their ThinkJet
head design.  I have let the Diconix sit for long periods of time and it
usually doesn't take much to get the ink flowing again.  The printer is
good for quick offs that are very short.   Don't expect to be doing a book
on it.

Harry.Burford@Wichita.NCR.COMM