[comp.periphs.printers] Advices wanted! HP DeskJet or Okidata page printer?

128a-1ha@e260-1e.berkeley.edu (02/24/91)

	I am think of buying a laser print qulity printer and I am
indifferrence between the above two printers. Any suggestions?
	I have seen the printouts of the DeskJet and I notice that the 
letters are a kind of fuzzy (not crisp?). Will the sacrifice of $1??
(buy the Okidata 400) change much? Is it worth? How about in term of 
cartidges and toners prices?
	Please help! Especially those who have had experiences in
using both printers! Thanks in advance!!

Eric

PZ2@psuvm.psu.edu (David L. Phillips) (02/25/91)

In article <1991Feb24.005730.6213@agate.berkeley.edu>,
128a-1ha@e260-1e.berkeley.edu () says:
[stuff deleted...]
>        I have seen the printouts of the DeskJet and I notice that the
>letters are a kind of fuzzy (not crisp?).
>
I use the DeskJet extensively (now the DeskJet 500).  It is not the least bit
fuzzy.  In normal usage, folks can't tell it from laser output.

gallo@dtrc.dt.navy.mil (Gallo) (02/26/91)

<Previous_post refers to fuzziness of DeskJet output>

The type of paper can make a big difference. Just as there are
specialized papers for laser output, I think you can find paper which
takes the DeskJet ink in an optimum fashion. Other more porous paper
will "vein" or spread the ink, causing a fuzzy appearance.

Chip Gallo

benderly@cs.columbia.edu (Dan Benderly) (02/26/91)

I have just bought an Okidata LED printer (OL-400) a couple of days ago.
In my dad'd office, we have a HP DeskJet PLus, bought about a year ago.
I decided on the Okidata because of the greater flexibility & speed it 
offers.  The Okidata take HP LJ II down-loadable fonts, which the DeskJet does
not.  The Okidata runs at 4 pages/minute, while the DeskJet runs at 2.

I can't really tell you all that much about the Okidata yet, except that 
it did, indeed, work with some (true) HP fonts, and seems to have an accurate
HP LJ II emulation.  I haven't yet torture tested it.  The start-up time for 
the first page seems to be less than that for the IIP (which my folks have
at home -- we like good quality printers).

As for the price difference, that will depend on you.  Around here (NYC) the
difference is about $150.  For me, the added font flexibility was worth it.

Good Luck!

Dan

benderly@cs.columbia.edu

preston@lll-crg.llnl.gov (David R Preston) (03/13/91)

In article <6100@oasys.dt.navy.mil> gallo@dtrc.dt.navy.mil (Chip Gallo) writes:
><Previous_post refers to fuzziness of DeskJet output>
>
>The type of paper can make a big difference. Just as there are
>specialized papers for laser output, I think you can find paper which
>takes the DeskJet ink in an optimum fashion. Other more porous paper
>will "vein" or spread the ink, causing a fuzzy appearance.

Yea, verily.  Fortunately, it's not a matter of expense; some cheap
papers work well while others don't, and most expensive papers don't
work well at all.  Avoid high cotton content paper (the good stuff).
I've found that Benchmark High Speed Xerographic (99-120) works well,
whereas Cascade X-9000 high speed etc. is awful.  For a few dollars
more, James River Corp. Pro-Tech Laser Bond-Short Grain (94162) is
wonderful.  Also, the heavier the paper, the less of a problem
satuaration is.  James River makes a 24lb. laser paper, but I
haven't had a chance to try it.
-david

        preston@lll-crg.llnl.gov
	[the United States has] "no opinion on your border
	dispute with Kuwait"  - U.S. Ambassador April Glaspie, July, 1990
        D. R. Preston  584 Castro St. #614 SF CA 94114 USA