root@dosadi.UUCP (Maintenance Account) (10/12/86)
I'm currently shopping around for a relatively cheap (under $600 discounted
price) medium speed daisy wheel printer for a couple offices where I work.
They need a print speed somewhere in the 30-40 CPS range and a good
printwheel selection. I've been looking at the Citizen daisywheel (forgot
the model, it's the only one they make as far as I know) and the Qume
Letterpro+. I know Qume's general reputation, but haven't heard anything
in particular on the Letterpro+. This is a 40 CPS version of their
original Letterpro. The Citizen grabbed my eye because it has a
reasonably priced multi-bin sheetfeeder (something I anticipate they'll
want soon) and used Diablo printwheels. I also looked at the Juki 6200,
but it didn't offer anything special and was higher priced than the other
two.
Has anyone out there used either of these printers (especially with
sheetfeeders)? If so, what is your opinion on it? Does anyone have
any recommendations of printers that I should add to my shopping list?
--
/Dave Edick/
{hplabs,ihnp4}!qantel!dosadi!root
"I come in peace, take me to your lizard"mknox@ngp.UTEXAS.EDU (mknox) (10/20/86)
For my money the VERY BEST buy in daisy wheel printers is the C.ITOH F-10. Also sold under the TEC name, the two models run at 45 and 55 cps. Originally around $1200 ($1500 for the 55 cps model), the mail order discounters are now selling stock at $395 to $495. Try Priority- One, and the backs of various magazines. The unit I have (55 cps) has worked flawlessly since it was introduced several years ago. Even the shipping box was an impressive piece of quality, workmanship, and esthetics. The unit is diablo compatible, and with a lot of other features. Serial or parallel interfaces are available (mine is serial). I have printed over 10,000 pages of output, used more carbon ribbons than I can remember, and never had the printer mess up a single character (on its on; I have a serious complaint about off-brand ribbons -- don't bother with them). Tractor feed for this unit is going for about $125. currently, cheap for a tractor feed. I have also seen sheet feeders for about $250., but have never needed one. The tractor feed and friction feed work perfectly, as expected.
boreas@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (The Mad Tickle Monster) (10/22/86)
[] I missed the original posting; if you were only looking for info on daisy wheel printers, never mind this. The talk about how well-made the printer was caught my eye, though. My printer is an Epson FX-80, purchased right after Epson put it on the market. Nice dot-matrix; the elite mode print was just fine for my English professors back when I still was allowed to minor in English. Speed is (if memory serves) 160cps in draft mode, halves to 80cps for its elite mode. The well-made part. . . . Three years ago, I lived in a high-rise dorm, 18 stories of cinderblock. Over Christmas breaks, the computer equip- ment went to a relative's place, as the janitors (or whatever you call them) were NOT trustworthy (one was caught furnishing his own place with students' property once, I think). Anyway. Taking the printer down the escalator, the handle on the box broke, and the printer, in box, went down the escalator, spinning wildly for three full stories. (This is NOT an exaggeration. . . . If you're around Boston ever, look at 700 Commonwealth Avenue; the LONG escalators in front. . .). Chaos, right? Time to buy a new printer, maybe? Uh-uh. One small cover plate in back popped off; I just snapped it back in. Worked fine; still hasn't given me ANY trouble, in FIVE YEARS of medium use (three since the accident). Epson has my vote, for life. . . . Last I heard, they had come out with a newer model (FX-81??) which had an excellent near-letter-quality mode. And, of course, they do make daisy- wheels, if that's what you wanted info on :-). -- Michael Justice -- +--------------------------------------------------------+ | Michael Justice | | BITNet: cscj0ac@bostonu CSNET: boreas@bucsb.UUCP | | UUCP: ....!harvard!bu-cs!bucsb!boreas | | "Perhaps it was a result of anxiety." -- _Mad_Max_ | | "Space: The Final Front" -- Ronald Reagan | | (well, he COULD have said it. . . .) | +--------------------------------------------------------+