[comp.sys.next] Can I use other maker's printer for NeXT ?

skahng@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Soonam Kahng) (03/08/91)

Hello ..

My question may be asked and discussed many time. If it so execuse me.

1) Can I use HP IIP or HP III with NeXT station?
   If I can what should  I do ?

2) How about other Postscript printer like NEC silentwriter2 ?

As I know NeXT processes postscript at host (machine) and sends the bit
strames to the printer. SO, actually the printer does not need to be a
postscript printer .(right?)  I suppose I can connect any printer that
can handle this bit strames. I am not sure if HP's can handle this.

If I can do like 2) then NeXT system itself doesn't process Postscript
conversion to bit stream because the printer handles it. It speeds up
(right?).

Any special reason that I have to use the printer from NeXT except
400dpi. 

<Soonam>

thinking over buying NeXT so many days and days......

skahng@gmuvax2.gmu.edu

hardy@golem.ps.uci.edu (Meinhard E. Mayer (Hardy)) (03/15/91)

In article <3724@gmuvax2.gmu.edu> skahng@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Soonam Kahng) writes:

>>   My question may be asked and discussed many time. If it so execuse me.
>>
>>   1) Can I use HP IIP or HP III with NeXT station?
>>      If I can what should  I do ?
Here is my experience with the LaserjetIIP (should work for the other
Laserjets too, and with appropriate modifications for NEC, Apple,
etc).
1.  The PrintManager lets you choose your default printer, and the
various HP-s are listed; all you need to do is choose it, and the port
(A or B).
2.  Get a Macintosh printer cable (for the oler Imagewriters, not
appletalk), or build one according to the pinouts in the manual.
3. Get a Postscript cartidge (and some memory) for the LaserjetIIP and
plug it in.
4. In the configuration menu of the IIP  at the 
DEVICE CONF. set:
SERIAL *
9600 *
ROBUST XON OFF *
DTRPOLARITY LOW*

That's it for most applications; if you have lots of graphics, be
patient, it takes a while. 
 
If you are printing dvi-files you may want to put a 
D 300 
in your config.ps or cofig.LaserjetIIP file (read the dvips man-page
or the ntman). 
In addition (BIG THANKS to Tom Rokicki, the author of dvips/TeXview
 for advice which led me to this solution), 
if you want to print from TeXview (very convenient), you
MUST reset the default resolution to 300 from 1270 and
click on the appropriate button.  Otherwise TeXview issues 
dvips -D 0 -o!lpr -PLaserjetIIP, and refuses to print!
 


Hardy 
			  -------****-------
Meinhard E. Mayer (Prof.) Department of Physics, University of California
Irvine CA 92717;(714) 856 5543; hardy@golem.ps.uci.edu or MMAYER@UCI.BITNET