[comp.text.desktop] Questions about Epson GQ-3500

chuq%plaid@Sun.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) (07/15/87)

Date: Wed, 15 Jul 87 09:43:01 PDT
From: slif@oliveb.ATC.OLIVETTI.COM (Mike Slifcak)

   If you have used the Epson GQ-3500 laser printer, please contact me
soon.  I think its about the best page mode laser printer around today,
and I am interested in what features are best and worst, in your opinion.
I've seen it priced around $ 1700, which is nothing to write home about.
But it can print on most paper products, including envelopes, and work
on transparency film.  Very handy.

   Also, do you know what toner is used ?  The cartridge looks like it can
be easily refilled.

   Do you know if the J-RAM Laser 3 board can be used with the '3500 ?

   Have you tried the LaserJet Plus identity card ?
   Does it do a good emulation ?  Can it download fonts with this ?

   If you don't know these things, please don't ask.  I will post a summary
of responses.   Thank you.
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korn%cory.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Peter "Arrgh" Korn) (07/17/87)

>   If you have used the Epson GQ-3500 laser printer, please contact me
>soon.  I think its about the best page mode laser printer around today,
>and I am interested in what features are best and worst, in your opinion.

I strongly disagree.  The store that I work for (when I'm not doing things
like writing letters on the Usenet) sells both the Epson GQ-3500 and the
Okidata Laserline 6 (as well as quite a few other laser printers).  

While Epson is indeed a great company, and supports their products well(*),
the Okidata is less expensive, just as solidly built, more compatible,
has more RAM, and is in general the better buy.

>But it can print on most paper products, including envelopes, and work
>on transparency film.  Very handy.

I've yet to find a 'consumer' laser printer (the desktop models costing
under $5,000) that didn't do all of the above.  The only special feature
of the Epson is it's ability to center paper coming in from it's input
tray that's of a non-standard size.  But feeding off size paper in along one
margin isn't that much of a hassle.

>   Also, do you know what toner is used ?  The cartridge looks like it can
>be easily refilled.

Both the Epson and the Okidata use the Ricoh engine, which has three parts:
the Drum Kit #1, Drum Kit #2, and the toner.  Kit #1 needs to be replaced
every other toner replacement, and Kit #2 >>shouldn't<< need replacement
normally, 'cept after a very long time.

>   Do you know if the J-RAM Laser 3 board can be used with the '3500 ?

I don't believe so...

>   Have you tried the LaserJet Plus identity card ?

No, just the LaserJet.  If you get the Plus card, you will also need to
purchase more RAM (doesn't come with the card).  Sorry... you will WANT
to purchase more RAM; it's not required unless you want to take advantage
of the added capabilities of the Plus card though.

>   Does it do a good emulation ?  Can it download fonts with this ?

Well, with the card, yes, the emulation is good.  However, Epson wasn't
shipping the card for quite some time, and many dealers had GQ-3500s that
they couldn't do much with aside from stack in back rooms (rather annoying
that).

Overall, I'd go with the Okidata for price; LJ series // for semi-capabilities,
and PostScript if you're serious.

(*)  One point I do want to mention re: Epson vs. Okidata:  The first
     batch of Ricoh engines were very bad (Drum Kit #2), and had to be
     replaced.  Epson issued a recall; Okidata has the replacements available
     free, but they're 2 months back ordered...  (and Okidata didn't call
     us; we had to call them after our customers called us with complaints).

Peter
--
Peter "Arrgh" Korn	 			Oh when, oh when will my MacII
korn@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU				 arrive?  Oh where, oh
{decvax,dual,hplabs,sdcsvax,ulysses}!ucbvax!korn	      where can it be?
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