tfabian@falcon.lerc.nasa.gov (Teddy Fabian) (02/09/91)
note: I've tried to post this several times.. if you see duplicates, I'm sorry.. I don't think it's leaving my site properly... Hello, the following is quite long.. if you've got specific experience with an Okidata 840 printer, I would please ask that you continue reading, and provide comments as appropriate... I'm trying to put together a proposal to my management for purchases of a number of laser printers.. a brief thumbnail sketch of my environment includes a number of different host platforms ranging from AT class, through 386 class machines, and up into the workstation world (Apollo DN3000s, and VAXStations), as well as a VAX host (6000-340).. we are looking to connect postscript capable printers to the AT and 386 class machines.. we've already got a nice mix of postscript printers, (eg. OMS 1500, TI Omni, LPS40, LPS20, HPLJII, etc..) but do not currently have enough to go around to cover all users.. we've also got a fair number of non- postscript laser printers and dot matrix printers... most of the printers can be reached via our network, although in most cases, the path is very awkward.. anyway, given that background.. I've been trying to put together a series of specifications for printers.. I've got a specific model in mind on which the characteristics were based upon, but alas, as in any big business, the "Mercedes" of postscript laser printers is too darn expensive for our budget... I'm told that the machine I can probably afford is in the price range of the Okidata 840.. thus the problem.. I have no working experience with an Okidata 840... and I'd like to ask to hear about yours... attached you'll find the basic specifications I've put together.. granted there is nothing holding me to these specs yet.. it's just a draft version.. I'd like your comments on whether you believe that the Okidata 840 would meet these specs, and if not, why not.. please, let me hear your "war stories".. and your candid opinions... if you don't feel confortable posting to the newsgroups, then reply via email... one more caveat.. the software environment we're working in dictates that the printers can handle either POSTSCRIPT or ASCII without the user having to reconfigure the printer physically.. thanks... Ted Fabian tfabian@falcon.lerc.nasa.gov <----- general purpose address /PN=THEODORE.FABIAN/ADMD=TELEMAIL/PRMD=LERC/C=US/@SPRINT.COM <---- preferred if you can reach it with your mailer.. - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - specs follow: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1) The printer engine life shall be at least 600000 pages. 2) Printing speed shall be an average of 16 seconds after receipt of data (first page). Subsequent pages shall print at a rate of 8 pages per minute or better. 3) Warm up time shall be a maximum of 2 minutes from a cold start. 4) Printing capabilties shall be 300 x 300 dpi. 5) The printer shall emualte an Hewlett Packard LaserJet Plus (supporting HP PCL) and an Hewlett Packard 7475A plotter (supporting HPGL) as a minimum. 6) The printer shall contain an Adobe Postscript interpreter in hardware or firmware. The printer shall be capable of printing Adobe Postscript. 7) Other than a standard serial or parallel board, no external boards (eg. those that might be contained in a PC) shall be required to drive/control the printer. 8) Contain additional two cartridge slots not used by the postscript language for further expandability of fonts or contain additional random access memory above the required minimum of 2 meg for software downloadable fonts. 9) Shall contain at a minimum, the following Adobe Postscript fonts: Courier, Helvetica, and Times in standard and bold typefaces. 10) Interface shall allow Centronics-type parallel, RS232 serial, as well as direct network connection. The RS232 portion shall meet the EIA RS-232-C standand. Direct network shall support DECnet and TCP/IP via Ethernet. 11) Memory shall be at least 2mb RAM with the capabiltiy of modular memory upgrades of at least 4mb. 12) Toner shall last at least 3500 pages before needing replacement when printing at normal 5% coverage. 13) The printer shall have a duty cycle of at least 10000 pages. 14) Mean time between required preventative maintenance or failures shall not be less than six months. 15) Input Paper handling - 250 sheet input drawer (or multiple drawers that will handle at least a total of 250 sheets between the drawers). Also, the printer shall handle manual sheet input. 16) Output Paper Handling - printer output shall be at least 100 sheets sorted order and at least 20 sheets reverse sorted order. 17) Paper Sizes - the printer shall handle letter, legal, envelopes, labels, and transparencies; Paper weight, 16-21 lb. from the automatic input drawer, and 16-24 lb. from the manual paper feed source in both portrait and landscape orientations. Label sheet weight, 28-33 lb. Transparency weight 28-33 lb. 18) The printer shall be a tabletop model with dimentions that do not exceed 20 inches wide, 22 inches deep, and 25 inches high. The printer shall weigh less than 100 pounds. 19) Acoustic Noise shall not exceed an average of 55 decibels. (A-weighted). 20) The printer shall operate in a range of 50 degrees to 90 degrees Farenheit and a humidity range of 20% to 80% non- condensing. 21) The power requirements shall not exceed 120 VAC plus/minus 20%, 60 Hz, 4.8 A ---------------------------------------------------- Thanks, Ted Fabian NASA Lewis Research Center tfabian@falcon.lerc.nasa.gov *my opinions tfabian@mars.lerc.nasa.gov *are my own.. or even /PN=THEODORE.FABIAN/ADMD=TELEMAIL/PRMD=LERC/C=US/@SPRINT.COM if you can get to it... -- ---------------------------------------------------- Thanks, Ted Fabian NASA Lewis Research Center tfabian@falcon.lerc.nasa.gov *my opinions tfabian@mars.lerc.nasa.gov *are my own..