stevedc@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Stephen Carter) (02/16/91)
We are currently looking at buying about 7 printers to add on to some PC's. Users' expectations are (rightly) rising, so instead of the 'normal' cheapo 9 pin dot matrix I have been costing in buying 24-pin printers. However, these printers will be in an office environment, some of them in shared offices, so noise is potentially a problem. The jump in price is manageable, especially when in practice money will be spent on soundproofing at least some of the 24 pin printers. So, I turn to Inkjets. Hitherto our experience of Inkjets has been imperfect - we tried one a few years ago (Siemens) and it has not been a success. (BTW the printers must be able to print on 'ordinary' office paper, and on ordinary continuous paper) Are Inkjets any good? Are any makes better/worse than others? Are consumables realistically priced? Are the Epson ones any good? (I have no special brief for Epson, its just that we know the command set!) Stephen Carter, Systems Manager, The Administration, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RH, UK Tel: +44 273 678203 Fax: +44 273 678335 JANET: stevedc@uk.ac.sussex.syma EARN/BITNET : stevedc@syma.sussex.ac.uk UUCP: stevedc@syma.uucp ARPA/INTERNET: stevedc%syma.sussex@UKACRL
gwni@troi.cc.rochester.edu (G. Wayne Nichols) (02/22/91)
The HP Deskjet 500 is a fine inkjet; costs $500 discounted; and will print on regular office paper (high-grade copier paper is best). It will NOT do continuous forms, though. It will do #10 envelopes. Nice and quiet, with 300 dpi resolution. New non-smearing ink. You can get an Epson emulation cartridge for it ($55 at CompuAdd). Courier 10, 16, and 20; Letter Gothic 12; and Times Roman 12 are built in. Two-year warranty. Ink cartridges cost less than $15 each (CompuAdd). If you use UltraScript PC; Publisher's PowerPak; or other scaleable font software package, the results can be impressive. P.S. - I have one.
hardy@golem.ps.uci.edu (Meinhard E. Mayer (Hardy)) (02/22/91)
It will also do a superb job on dvi-files, using either the commercial PTIJET driver from PTI, or one of the many public domain ones (I use both: PTIJET on my HP-Vectras, dvidjp (for the deskjet+) on my HP9000/370 workstation. Slower than a laserjet, but considering the price ... Hardy Mayer ----****---- Professor Meinhard E. Mayer Department of Physics University of California Irvine, CA, 92717 USA
alien@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Tom von Alten) (02/22/91)
I'm not an unbiased source, obviously, but I have bought one of these
with my own money:
Check out the HP DeskJet.
Exceptional quality, good price and nice and quiet.
_____________
Tom von Alten email: alien@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com
Hewlett-Packard Disk Mechanisms Division
208 323-2711____________________________
/* My opinion... which a large number of people share */rrd@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ray Depew) (02/22/91)
In comp.periphs.printers, stevedc@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Stephen Carter) asks: >We are currently looking at buying about 7 printers to add on to some >PC's. Users' expectations are (rightly) rising, so instead of the >'normal' cheapo 9 pin dot matrix I have been costing in buying 24-pin >printers. > >However, these printers will be in an office environment, some of them >in shared offices, so noise is potentially a problem. The jump in price >is manageable, especially when in practice money will be spent on >soundproofing at least some of the 24 pin printers. > >So, I turn to Inkjets. Hitherto our experience of Inkjets has been >imperfect - we tried one a few years ago (Siemens) and it has not been a >success. (BTW the printers must be able to print on 'ordinary' office >paper, and on ordinary continuous paper) > >Are Inkjets any good? Are any makes better/worse than others? Are >consumables realistically priced? > >Are the Epson ones any good? (I have no special brief for Epson, its >just that we know the command set!) You need to treat yourself to a demo of the HP DeskJet 500 printer. This is a whisper-quiet inkjet printer that gives you laser-quality, 300 dpi text and graphics. Inkjet printers have come a long way since the first (embarrassing) days. The DeskJet printers have a disposable ink cartridge/printhead combination. Replacing the cartridge is as easy as popping out the old one, popping in the new one and pressing the "prime" button if you're nervous. There's no way for the ink to get on your fingers, clothes or anywhere, and it's good to -- what is it? -- 25,000 pages, I think, on average? DeskJets use the same PCL protocol as the HP LaserJet series, but you can buy an Epson emulation cartridge that lets your DJ understand the Epson protocol as well. You asked if any make was better or worse than another; obviously, I'm heavily prejudiced towards the DeskJet :-) . But it really is a good printer, and I doubt if you can beat its price. It probably wouldn't do any good to quote U.S. prices here, since you're posting from the U.K. You can contact any computer dealer or HP sales office for more information. Regards Ray Depew HP ICBD -- IC's by Bill and Dave Fort Collins, Colorado, USA rrd@hpfitst1.hp.com
graff@mlpvm2.iinus1.ibm.com (Michael Graff) (02/23/91)
rrd@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ray Depew) writes: (regarding the Deskjet ink cartridge) > and it's good to -- what is it? -- 25,000 pages, I think, on average? Well, not quite. Most ratings put it between 500 and 1000 pages. With cartridges selling for around $15, that's 1.5 to 3 cents per page, comparable to a laser printer. Many Deskjet owners save money by refilling their cartridges. The HP forum on CompuServe has all the details on how to do it right. Some companies are selling prepackaged refill kits. As for me, I'm about to buy a Deskjet 500 any day now, as soon as I can convince my fiance ("financial advisor" in English) that I should be allowed to spend my money. 8-) ...Michael
hardy@golem.ps.uci.edu (Meinhard E. Mayer (Hardy)) (02/23/91)
> what is it? -- 25,000 pages, I think, on average?
I am a happy Deskjet user -- but 25,000? Maybe empty pages!!!
My first cartridge lasted 7 months, but I'm not that prolific.
I guesstimate the ink-cost to be < than (but not <<) toner-cartridge
replacements on Laserjets.
Hardy
-------****-------
Prof Meinhard E. Mayer
Department of Physics
University of California
Irvine, CA, 92717
hardy@golem.ps.uci.edu or MMAYER@UCI.BITNETmark@hpcpbla.HP.COM (Mark Simms) (03/05/91)
>> It probably wouldn't do any good to quote U.S. prices here, since >> you're posting from the U.K. You can contact any computer dealer or >> HP sales office for more information. I have seen DeskJets advertised for 400 pounds plus VAT in the UK. There is not much difference between that and Epson's low end 24 pin printers. If you are concerned about noise, then it is worth the extra expense. Mark Simms ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Opinions expressed are my own and are not intended to be an official statement by Hewlett-Packard Company ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: Mark Simms Profession: Software Engineer Occupation: Research and Development Organization: Hewlett-Packard Computer Peripherals Division Unix-mail: mark%hpcpbla@hplb.hpl.hp.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------
stevedc@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Stephen Carter) (03/06/91)
From article <9930001@hpcpbla.HP.COM>, by mark@hpcpbla.HP.COM (Mark Simms): > > I have seen DeskJets advertised for 400 pounds plus VAT in the UK. > There is not much difference between that and Epson's low end 24 pin > printers. If you are concerned about noise, then it is worth the extra > expense. > > Mark Simms > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Opinions expressed are my own and are not intended to be an official > statement by Hewlett-Packard Company > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Name: Mark Simms > Profession: Software Engineer > Occupation: Research and Development > Organization: Hewlett-Packard Computer Peripherals Division > Unix-mail: mark%hpcpbla@hplb.hpl.hp.com > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I started this thread, so can I THANK everyone who has responded bot on the net and by E-MAil. (These things re-inforce one's belief in people's good nature). I've stopped with this one because it sums up the point. The real cost difference between 24 pin and injket is nil. This, if you possibly can, go for inkjet - which is what I have done. We went for Epson (sorry Mark!) for two main reasons. Firstly we are mainly an epson shop, and just don't want to get to learn another manufactuers products, and secondly, the Epson printers take continuous stationery (tractor feed and all that) Again THANKS! Stephen Carter, Systems Manager, The Administration, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RH, UK Tel: +44 273 678203 Fax: +44 273 678335 JANET: stevedc@uk.ac.sussex.syma EARN/BITNET : stevedc@syma.sussex.ac.uk UUCP: stevedc@syma.uucp ARPA/INTERNET: stevedc%syma.sussex.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk