khj@ecsvax.UUCP (Kenneth H. Jacker) (04/15/88)
Our Department is considering upgrading a LN03 laser printer to a
LN03R (PostScript compatible). Some questions:
o Has anyone already installed the upgrade? Would you
recommend it? Is it *really* PostScript compatible?
o What 2.{9,10}BSD software will drive it? Is there a 2BSD
version of SSC's TranScript filter available?
o Is it "easy" to print Macintosh-generated output on the
LN03R under 2BSD?
--
Kenneth H. Jacker
Dept of Math Sciences UUCP: ...!{decvax,akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!khj
Appalachian State Univ BITNET: khj@ecsvax
Boone, NC 28608ted@MITRE-BEDFORD.ARPA (04/18/88)
>Our Department is considering upgrading a LN03 laser printer to a >LN03R (PostScript compatible). Some questions: > ?????????? The LN03R is a PostScript printer made by DEC, not a PostScript *compatible*. > o Has anyone already installed the upgrade? Would you > recommend it? Is it *really* PostScript compatible? As far as I know, DEC doesn't sell an upgrade. They sell you a new printer. However, AST (the maker of the Turbolaser) is going to sell a upgrade kit that will allow your LN03 to understand PostScript, HPGL, and work in native LN03 mode. Because AST buys PostScript from Adobe, there should be no compatibility issues. > o What 2.{9,10}BSD software will drive it? Is there a 2BSD > version of SSC's TranScript filter available? Who is SCC, I tought Adobe made TranScript? > o Is it "easy" to print Macintosh-generated output on the > LN03R under 2BSD? You have to do a bit of trimming of the Apple PS header, but it can be done. (BTW, the LN03R has no Appletalk port, the AST upgrade will though.) >Kenneth H. Jacker *** FLAME ON *** My personal opinion, write-white ricoh engines don't do very well on text (read: they stink). They leave toner shadows on a lot of the letters (look inside an 'e'). They perform even worse when printing on textured paper (like rag bond) because the toner doesn't adhere in the cracks. The OPC belts don't last as long as they should, and supplies are too expensive. *** FLAME OFF *** Take the money and buy a new printer based on the Cannon SX engine. The print quality is excellent, they are quiter, cheaper to run, and the black regions are much better that the old CX engines. The QMS 810 and the Laserwriter II's printers are based on this engine. You can get an 810 for about $4200. If I remember correctly, the AST upgrade will cost almost $2000. It doesn't make sense to me to spend that much on an upgrade (which is still vapor-ware) when you can have a new printer. Ted Ede -- ted@mitre-bedford.arpa -- The MITRE Corporation -- Burlington Road | -- Bedford MA, 01730 -- Mail Stop B015 -- (617) 271-2524 -- | | - this line intentionally left blank - | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
shull@SCROLLS.WHARTON.UPENN.EDU (Christopher E. Shull) (04/22/88)
On Fri, 15 Apr 88 20:30 EST, ecsvax!khj@uncecs.edu (Kenneth H. Jacker) asks about the DEC LNO3 PostScript upgrade. We didn't install the upgrade itself, but got the LN03R as "factory upgraded". As to PostScript compatibility, it is very compatible, with only one real exception, namely the type of the password is integer, whereas the Apple LW's password is string (or vice versa). We have it connected to an Apollo using the Apple LW print server configuration, so I can't answer the other questions. I can offer some general observations however. Our biggest problem is with software fonts. The LN03 has a write-white engine, while the Apple LW has a write-black engine. Fonts are tuned for the LW by making them skinnier, but the LN03 needs them to be tuned fatter. As a result, if LW fonts are used on the LN03, they look doubly weak and spindly, and to be honest, not much better than 24-pin dot matrix printer output. Another observation is that the LN03R is slow and has only a few resident fonts. It cannot be expanded nearly as well as, for example, the new Apple LaserWriter II NT or NTX. It also has no provision for an AppleTalk port, which may be a cost effective way to print faster than RS-232C communications can handle, especially if images are involved. Good Luck! -Chris Christopher E. Shull Decision Sciences Department The Wharton School shull@wharton.upenn.edu University of Pennsylvania shull@scrolls.wharton.upenn.edu Philadelphia, PA 19104-6366 215/898-5930 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" Admiral Farragut, USN, 1801-1870 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------