[net.micro] In search of cheap letter quality printer

dpw@rayssd.UUCP (04/29/85)

	I want to buy a Letter Quality printer with part of my tax return
and would like to get the net input on them.  The factors in order of 
importance are :

	1.  Price			less than $400.00
	2.  Reliable			if it breaks it will be six months 
				before I will get the cash to fix it.
	3.  Print wheels 	Have some selection of print wheels

Currently I am considering the following printer, but my search is not
limited to those printers.

	1.  Star Micronics -    I have a Gemini 10x that I love.
	2.  Juki 6100		
	3.  Silver Reed 400  	Know nothing about it
	4.  Cardco LQ3             "
	
Protecto Enterprizes has an ad for Juki deluxe computer printer on sale
for $249.00.  Is this the 6100 or some strip down model?  Any help that
those in the know about letter Quality printer I would like to hear from.
Thanks in advance.

-- 
	Darryl Wagoner
	Raytheon Co.; Portsmouth RI; (401)-847-8000 x4089
	...!decvax!brunix!rayssd!dpw
	...!allegra!rayssd!dpw
	...!linus!rayssd!dpw

jp@lanl.ARPA (05/01/85)

> 
> 	I want to buy a Letter Quality printer with part of my tax return
> and would like to get the net input on them.  The factors in order of 
> importance are :
> 
> 	1.  Price			less than $400.00
> 	2.  Reliable			if it breaks it will be six months 
> 				before I will get the cash to fix it.
> 	3.  Print wheels 	Have some selection of print wheels
> 
> Currently I am considering the following printer, but my search is not
> limited to those printers.
> 
> 	1.  Star Micronics -    I have a Gemini 10x that I love.
> 	2.  Juki 6100		
> 	3.  Silver Reed 400  	Know nothing about it
> 	4.  Cardco LQ3             "
> 	
> Protecto Enterprizes has an ad for Juki deluxe computer printer on sale
> for $249.00.  Is this the 6100 or some strip down model?  Any help that
> those in the know about letter Quality printer I would like to hear from.
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> -- 
> 	Darryl Wagoner
> 	Raytheon Co.; Portsmouth RI; (401)-847-8000 x4089
> 	...!decvax!brunix!rayssd!dpw
> 	...!allegra!rayssd!dpw
> 	...!linus!rayssd!dpw

Well, here we go again. The #%&$# machine crashed just as I was about to
finish my original reply.

My brother researched this subject pretty thoroughly a few months ago. 
(Does that mean the information is obsolete??)  He ended up buying a
COMREX II for $375.  After seeing it perform and knowing how careful
my brother is with a buck, I decided to buy a COMREX also.  I got the
COMREX IIE (slightly faster, otherwise the same) from JADE for $399.
It has been in use on my daughter's take-off-to-college word processing
system for two months now with no problems whatsoever.  In fact I am
very impressed with the ease with which the ribbon and print wheel can
be changed.  Both operations are essentially "drop-in".  The ribbon and
the print wheel do not interfere.  After struggling to change the print
wheels on a fancy QUME in order to get an occasional Greek letter or 
math symbol into an English text,  I was quite impressed with the 
design of the COMREX.  The print wheels are enclosed in a plastic
housing which makes for easy handling, but they cost about $15.  The
ribbon looks like one I7ve seen on another printer but I can't place it.
The same printer (or very nearly) is available as a Brother HR-15XL
(I think they are the actual manufacturer) and as a Dynax something-or-
other.

I must say I am impressed with the quality of printer that $400 buys these
days.  

Oh, yes.  The control codes for the COMREX printers are "standard" 
Diablo 630 codes which makes for easy installation with Wordstar, etc.

Jim Potter   jp@lanl.arpa

werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (05/02/85)

> 	I want to buy a Letter Quality printer with part of my tax return
> 	1.  Price			less than $400.00
> -- 
> 	Darryl Wagoner, Raytheon Co.; Portsmouth RI; (401)-847-8000 x4089

In the first issue of the Harvard Computer Review, which I was then editing,
we had a review of the Dynax DX-15 (alias Brother HR-15, alias Comrex CR-II)
compared to the Juki 6100, which was listed in Darryl Wagoner's list of 
choices.  They both were reviewed favorably.
	Although not directly related to the article, I later bought
a Dynax, and it has served me quite well ever since.

(Incidentally, I have an Epson FX-80 to the right of the computer and a
DX-15 to the left, and I would recommend just such arrangement to anyone
thinking of buying a Near-Letter-Quality printer. This gets the best of
both world's - even better - and is just as cheap if not cheaper. I used
to switch cables, but now I have a second printer port on a Multi-func card.)

	
-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		What do you expect?  Watermelons are out of season!

mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) (05/02/85)

I have a Juki (it came with my Kaypro Business Pack) and I have been quite
pleased, although I would recommend getting the tractor feed (I didn't, and
as an add-on it's kinda steep).

Charley Wingate