[comp.laser-printers] advice needed on large network printers

lm03_cif@UHURA.CC.ROCHESTER.EDU (Larry Moss) (04/18/91)

I tried this yesterday and the message seemed to get lost out there.
Being a real fool of course I don't have another copy of the message I
sent out, so I'll have to try to write this again.  I also hate to be
just another person asking for info.  If I had more time to come up with
data I would be more than willing to just read this group for a while and
see what comes along.

I'm looking for information and recommendations on printers to be used in
a large Macintosh network (approx 60 computers).  Right now we have five
Apple Laserwriters that each print roughly 1000 pages a day.  Needless to
say the printers don't particularly like that kind of load.  What we're
trying to decide now is whether to get more laserwriters, other printers
like them, or some high volume printer.  If we go the direction of
Laserwriters we would go with the NTX so if you like some other printer
in the same price range I'd like to here anything you know about how it
compares to an NTX.  There have been many articles recently mentioning
GCC technologies and QMS but I don't have a lot of details on any of
their printers.  I know that QMS has a high volume printer, the PS-2000,
that claims to do everything the PS-410 does, but faster adn for larger
quantities (and of course lots more money).  Of course since I don't know
much about the cheaper printer that doesn't help a lot.

what we need:
	a printer that can support the same fonts (or at least the basic
	ones) as a Laserwriter.

	It must be easy to put on an appletalk network.

	It can handle the load that we get (which is expected to increase
	a lot next year).

	good support from the company.

	a few other points that I'm sure I have around somewhere, but
	where lost with my last posting.

I received several recommendations for the HP Laserjet III.  The only
mahcines I have prices on are the NTX (~$3200), TI-micro XL-35 (also
about the same price), and the QMS PS-2000 (~$16,000).  I woul dlike to
know more about font support on the TI and opinions.  I've heard good and
bad things about it.  The info I have makes it sound really nice, but I
haven't seen it and like i said, I have heard some negative stuff about
it.

I suppose what I need most is more information on high volume printers.
The repair bill on the laserwriters keeps growing.  Does anyone know if
the newer laserwriters can withstnad a greater load than the old ones?

Thanks,
Larry

PS.  As long as I'm asking abotu expensive high volume printers, how much
more would it cost to go for a higher quality (600 dpi or better)
printer?  That's more of a curiousity of my own.  I don't expect to get
one.

--
lm03_cif@uhura.cc.rochester.edu / "I'm so tired... I was up all night
lmo3_ss@db1.cc.rochester.edu   / trying to round off infinity."
lmo3_ss@uordbv.bitnet         / - Stephen Wright