wdh@hrshcx.mkt.csd.harris.com (W. David Higgins) (01/28/91)
It is time to purchase a printer for the home PC. Two reasonably priced printers are the Epson LQ510 and the Panasonic 1124. Applications include Windows 3.0. I don't want to start a 'religious' war but I can't decide which to buy and I'm looking for some input. Comments?
rbp@investor.pgh.pa.us (Bob Peirce #305) (02/02/91)
I tried mail, but it got bounced. In article <957@hrshcx.csd.harris.com> you write: >It is time to purchase a printer for the home PC. Two reasonably >priced printers are the Epson LQ510 and the Panasonic 1124. Applications >include Windows 3.0. I don't want to start a 'religious' war but >I can't decide which to buy and I'm looking for some input. Comments? How timely of you to ask! My daughter has a Panasonic & Windows; I have the Epson. In using both over the holidays, my other daughter and I both agreed that the paper handling capabilities of the Panasonic stink. The Epson does really neat things with handling and switching between continuous and single sheet mode. For example, on the Epson, you can unload continuous forms to feed single sheets. The single sheets feed in from the top through an adjustable guide slot. When finished, the continuous forms reload and remember the previous alignment. All this with the touch of a button. The Panasonic does not remember the continuous paper alignment. You must line it up and reset the printer. Single sheets feed in from the bottom front and the only guide is a raised edge on the left. It is very easy to get the paper slightly skewed. The Panasonic has a slightly wider platten, so it is easier to do landscape mode. On the Epson, you have to remove a clear plastic cover and be very careful on the feed. Continuous form landscape will not fit the Epson. I don't know if it will fit the Panasonic. The Panasonic has a lot more metal parts. This is probably not a factor for home use. The Panasonic does very nice graphics - printshop. I don't know about the Epson, but they have a claimed capability of 360x360 dpi. If your software can handle that you will be in the laser-printer range. Hope this helps. -- Bob Peirce, Pittsburgh, PA 412-471-5320 ...!uunet!pitt!investor!rbp rbp@investor.pgh.pa.us
rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Robert L. Haar CS50) (03/02/91)
In article <1991Feb1.175831.22617@investor.pgh.pa.us>, rbp@investor.pgh.pa.us (Bob Peirce #305) writes: |> |> In article <957@hrshcx.csd.harris.com> you write: |> >It is time to purchase a printer for the home PC. Two reasonably |> >priced printers are the Epson LQ510 and the Panasonic 1124. Applications |> >include Windows 3.0. I don't want to start a 'religious' war but |> >I can't decide which to buy and I'm looking for some input. Comments? |> |> How timely of you to ask! My daughter has a Panasonic & Windows; I have |> the Epson. In using both over the holidays, my other daughter and I |> both agreed that the paper handling capabilities of the Panasonic stink. |> The Epson does really neat things with handling and switching between |> continuous and single sheet mode. |> |> For example, on the Epson, you can unload continuous forms to feed |> single sheets. The single sheets feed in from the top through an |> adjustable guide slot. When finished, the continuous forms reload and |> remember the previous alignment. All this with the touch of a button. |> |> The Panasonic does not remember the continuous paper alignment. You |> must line it up and reset the printer. Either I am misunderstanding what you said, or our KXP-1124's work differently, or you are not following the manual instructions carefully. I have a Panasonic KXP-1124 that I use in single sheet mode for printing on letter head paper. I can 'park' the fanfold paper, switch to single sheet, and return to continuous feed without resetting the printer or adjust the Top-Of-Form position of the fanfold paper. To do this, I follow this sequence: (starting with fanfold paper at the top of an unused page, with previously printed pages torn off.) 1) press <function> then <memo load> soft keys. this rolls the fanfold paper back. 2) move the paper feed selector lever from T-PUSH to F. 3) insert single sheet paper through front feed slot, feed up to print postion, and adust position if necessary. Print it and repeat for additional pages. 4) When done with single sheet printing, switch feed selector lever to T-PUSH. 5) push <function> and <memo load> keys. This rolls the fanfold paper forward to the first print position. 6) push <OnLine> key. and your are all set. The key point in returning to the print position is #5. It is possible to use the <OnLine> and <FormFeed> keys to bring the fanfold paper back up, but it will come up in the middle of a page. You have to read the Pansonic manual to get this. Using the <FormFeed> does seem natural. |> Single sheets feed in from the |> bottom front and the only guide is a raised edge on the left. It is |> very easy to get the paper slightly skewed. Yes, the mechanism for inserting single sheet paper or envelopes with the Panasonic is less than perfect. Getting the paper straight requires some attention. The printer manual suggests loosening the tension and adjusting the paper position after you have rolled the sheet up to the print head. This is an extra bother, but is workable. I haven't used the 24 pin Epson printer in single sheet feed, but can believe that their feed mechanism is more convenient. Bob Haar InterNet : rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com Computer Science Dept., G.M. Research Laboratories DISCLAIMER: Unless indicated otherwise, everything in this note is personal opinion, not an official statement of General Motors Corp.
rbp@investor.pgh.pa.us (Bob Peirce #305) (03/12/91)
In article <46623@rphroy.UUCP> rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Robert L. Haar CS50) writes: >Either I am misunderstanding what you said, or our KXP-1124's work >differently, or you are not following the manual instructions carefully. >I have a Panasonic KXP-1124 that I use in single sheet mode for printing >on letter head paper. I can 'park' the fanfold paper, switch to single sheet, >and return to continuous feed without resetting the printer or adjust the >Top-Of-Form position of the fanfold paper. To do this, I follow this >sequence: > > (starting with fanfold paper at the top of an unused page, with > previously printed pages torn off.) > > 1) press <function> then <memo load> soft keys. this rolls the > fanfold paper back. > > 2) move the paper feed selector lever from T-PUSH to F. > > 3) insert single sheet paper through front feed slot, feed up to > print postion, and adust position if necessary. > Print it and repeat for additional pages. > > 4) When done with single sheet printing, switch feed selector lever > to T-PUSH. > > 5) push <function> and <memo load> keys. This rolls the fanfold > paper forward to the first print position. > > 6) push <OnLine> key. and your are all set. > >The key point in returning to the print position is #5. It is possible to use >the <OnLine> and <FormFeed> keys to bring the fanfold paper back up, but it >will come up in the middle of a page. You have to read the Pansonic manual >to get this. Using the <FormFeed> does seem natural. > > >|> Single sheets feed in from the >|> bottom front and the only guide is a raised edge on the left. It is >|> very easy to get the paper slightly skewed. > >Yes, the mechanism for inserting single sheet paper or envelopes with the >Panasonic is less than perfect. Getting the paper straight requires some >attention. The printer manual suggests loosening the tension and adjusting the >paper position after you have rolled the sheet up to the print head. This is >an extra bother, but is workable. I haven't used the 24 pin Epson printer >in single sheet feed, but can believe that their feed mechanism is more >convenient. I am afraid this confirms my previous findings. On the Espon, you just take it off line, press LOAD/EJECT, switch the lever to single sheet and go. When you insert the single sheet and put the printer on line the sheet is advanced to the top of page. When you are finished, you move the lever back to continuous form, put the printer on line and the paper advances to top of form. I didn't say (or didn't intend to say) this couldn't be done on the Panasonic, just that it wasn't very easy. -- Bob Peirce, Pittsburgh, PA 412-471-5320 ...!uunet!pitt!investor!rbp rbp@investor.pgh.pa.us
metzger@cup.portal.com (David G Metzger) (03/20/91)
In article <1991Mar11.182100.10052@investor.pgh.pa.us>, rbp@investor.pgh.pa.us (Bob Peirce #305) writes: >In article <46623@rphroy.UUCP> rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Robert L. Haar CS50) w r >ites: >>Either I am misunderstanding what you said, or our KXP-1124's work >>differently, or you are not following the manual instructions carefully. >>I have a Panasonic KXP-1124 that I use in single sheet mode for printing >>on letter head paper. I can 'park' the fanfold paper, switch to single sheet, >>and return to continuous feed without resetting the printer or adjust the >>Top-Of-Form position of the fanfold paper. To do this, I follow this >>sequence: >> >> (starting with fanfold paper at the top of an unused page, with >> previously printed pages torn off.) >> [ DELETED: A clear, step-by-step recitation of the actions necessary to switch from fanfold paper to single-sheets, and back again on the KX-P1124. ] >I am afraid this confirms my previous findings. On the Espon, you just ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ???? ???????? ?? ???????? ???????? >take it off line, press LOAD/EJECT, switch the lever to single sheet and >go. When you insert the single sheet and put the printer on line the >sheet is advanced to the top of page. When you are finished, you move >the lever back to continuous form, put the printer on line and the paper >advances to top of form. Hmmmm, perhaps we are seeing what we want to see? I have used both printers, and the differences in paper handling are trivial. Compare what Haar described to what Pierce claims to be much easier: Step #1 LQ: "you just take it off line, press LOAD/EJECT" KX-P: "press <function> then <memo load> soft keys" Step#2 LQ: "switch the lever to single sheet" KX-P: "move the paper feed selector lever from T-PUSH to F" Step#3 LQ: "When you insert the single sheet and put the printer on line the sheet is advanced to the top of page." KX-P: "insert single sheet paper through front feed slot, feed up to print position" [KX-P also automatically stops feed when paper is positioned at top of page] Step#4 LQ: "When you are finished, you move the lever back to continuous form" KX-P: "When done with single sheet printing, switch feed selector lever to T-PUSH." Step#5 LQ: "put the printer on line and the paper advances to top of form" KX-P: "push <function> and <memo load> keys. This rolls the fanfold paper forward to the first print position" >I didn't say (or didn't intend to say) this couldn't be done on the >Panasonic, just that it wasn't very easy. ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ !!!! !!!! !! !!!!!! !!!! !!!! >-- >Bob Peirce, Pittsburgh, PA 412-471-5320 >...!uunet!pitt!investor!rbp rbp@investor.pgh.pa.us The astute reader will notice the only difference between the two sequences is essentially a single, additional button press in the final step. Of course if your time is really scarce, buy the Epson and use that 1/4 second you save to sleep a little later in the morning.:-) I should also note that I have never had a problem with feeding single sheets through the front drawer of a KX-P; the paper always seems to cue up just fine for me. The obvious advice to someone contemplating a choice between these two printers is clearly to go to a showroom and try them out for yourself. I'll bet your choice is determined by which is cheaper! David Metzger metzger@cup.portal.com sun!portal!cup.portal.com!metzger