[comp.newprod] Tek Introduces Two Color Thermal Printers

davidh8@pogo.wv.tek.com (David Haight) (08/04/90)

        Tektronix Introduces Two Color Thermal Printers
        To Support Networked Workstations, Terminals

San Francisco, July 10, 1990 -- Tektronix Inc. today intro-
duced two networked color 300 dot-per-inch (dpi) printers to
address the growing market for high-quality color output in
the unix-based workstation and terminal environments. The
4693PXN networked color PostScript-language compatible
printer and the 4693DXN networked color image printer are
Tektronix' first products specifically designed to work with
the growing number of applications demanding high-quality
color output.

Both printers are based on Tektronix' proven thermal wax
transfer technology which has made it a leader in the IBM PC
and Apple Macintosh color printer markets. Both the 4693PXN
and the 4693DXN are available now through Tektronix' direct
sales force in the United States and through Tektronix dis-
tributors worldwide.

"These products represent a major commitment by Tektronix to
provide shareable high quality color solutions to the grow-
ing number of workstation and X terminal users," said A.J.
Rogers, strategic marketing manager of Tektronix' Graphics
Printing and Imaging Division. "Not only do these users
want the best quality in their color output, but they want
the convenience of having the printer located near their
work areas."

The 4693PXN supports both color PostScript and HP-GL on net-
works running BSD unix or extensions to System V unix. Its
TCP/IP ethernet-compatible interface allows the 4693PXN to
be connected to either thick or thin-wire ethernet cabling
anywhere on the network. In its basic configuration with 6
MB of memory, the 4693PXN has a suggested retail price of
$10,995.

With color PostScript supported by many leading software
vendors including Frame Technology, Precision Visuals, SAS
Institute, Template Graphics and Computer Associates, the
4693PXN provides high-quality paper and transparency output
that can be shared across the network. The 4693PXN's stan-
dard parallel, serial and AppleTalk ports, also give it
direct connect capabilities to workstations or Apple Macin-
tosh personal computers. Resident fonts include the same 35
trademarked typefaces that are standard with the Apple
LaserWriter. Download support is provided for Adobe Type 1
and Type 3 formats.

The 4693DXN also connects anywhere on a TCP/IP ethernet net-
work and allows the capture and printing of window, region
or full screen images from a variety of popular workstations
and graphics terminals. This direct network connect elim-
inates the need for VME Bus or S-Bus cards and device
drivers. The 4693DXN has a suggested retail price of
$11,995.

The 4693DXN is compatible with all graphics applications
that support X Windows 11R4. With optional X-Print inter-
face software, the 4693DXN allows users to print full
screens, windows or regions of the screen to a raster image
file from popular workstations platforms, including Sun
Microsystems, Tektronix, DEC and Silicon Graphics.

For Sun workstation users, Tek provides S-Print, a software
interface that allows users of SunViews, OpenLook or X Win-
dows 11R4 to print full screen, window or region images
across the network. Both X-Print and S-Print will be avail-
able from Tektronix in September. (See accompanying news
release.)

Existing users of Tektronix 4693DX color thermal wax printer
can upgrade it to full network capabilities by purchasing a
network interface. The network interface has a suggested
price of $3,495.

Tektronix has long been a leader in providing high-quality
color output solutions for engineers and scientific users
beginning with its ink-jet products in the early 1980s. Tek
also markets the RGBII, a color thermal wax transfer video-
interfaced screen printer.

Both the 4693PXN and the 4693DXN offer easy network instal-
lation, requiring only changes to printcap and host files.
The printers' addresses are set through a serial interface
or by editing a PC-formatted floppy disk. The printers'
network interface is compatible with standard spooling sys-
tem printer interface. It is platform-independent and does
not require special interface hardware, device drivers or
kernel builds.

For further customer or dealer information, write to Tek-
tronix Inc., P.O. Box 1000, M-S 63-630, Wilsonville, Ore.
97070, or call (800) 835-6100.

Tektronix is a leading manufacturer of electronic products
and systems in the areas of computer graphics, test and
measurement and communications. Sales in fiscal 1989
totaled $1.4 billion. Tek has approximately 13,000 employ-
ees worldwide.

Tek's Graphics Printing and Imaging Division is part of the
Visual Systems Group, which markets a complete line of
graphics products including color graphics terminals, nets-
tations, X stations, workstations, superworkstations,
printers and software.

Tektronix and Tek are registered trademarks of Tektronix
Inc.

Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Com-
puter Inc. Other marks used in this document are trademarks
or registered trademarks of the manufacturers or marketers
of the products with which the marks are associated.

        FROM:   Hastings, Humble, Giardini & Freeman Inc.
                1200 N.W. Front Avenue
                Portland, Ore. 97209
                Contact: Charles Humble (503) 221-1063

        FOR:    Tektronix Graphics Printing and Imaging Division
                Customer Contact: (800) 835-6100