a551@mindlink.UUCP (Bruce Arabsky) (05/28/90)
All your points, Isaac, are well taken. I bought the 150 knowing what the shortfalls were, and am happy. The MAIN feature is the portability and quietness. I was also glad I ordered some extra cartridges because mine came packed with the "special paper" type as well. Bruce A. MindLink! Canada.
ergo@netcom.UUCP (Isaac Rabinovitch) (05/28/90)
a551@mindlink.UUCP (Bruce Arabsky) writes: >THE DICONIX 150 INKJET PRINTER from KODAK >(blah blah blah) You ought to mention that you were reviewing a discontinued product. The source you gave (DAK) sells only remaindered 150s, while most computer stores sell 150+s. DAK claims that the newer "any paper" ink cartridges work with the 150 as well as they do with the 150+ (which is true) and that otherwise there are only superficial differences between the two models (which I haven't had a chance to verify), but people are still entitled to know what they're getting. Incidentally, DAK claims that the printer comes with a any-paper cartidge pre-installed. Mine came with a "special ink jet paper" ink cartridge, and it wasn't installed. Fortunately I also ordered a couple of replacement cartridges at the same time, which were the later type. DAK also says that there's no need to use special paper with this printer. Well there's no *need*, but I discovered that if I printed on the special inkjet (meaning, clay coated) paper that came with the printer, I actually got print quality good enough to use in correspondence. This is actually a bonus, since I orderd the printer in the believe that it only did "near letter quality" (meaning, draft quality, but darker). The special paper is hard to find, though. It's also worth mentioning that the Diconix dots are slightly smaller than those of the printers it emulates, so both text and graphics come out slightly smaller. Also, because the tractor feed is built into the platen (only way to make such a small printer with a tractor, I guess), the right tractor isn't very adjustable. So there's no way to print very narrow forms except through friction feed. And friction feed only really works with single sheets. *And* it only feeds from behind, so single-sheet is something of a pain. Still in all, it's as portable as toothbrush and essentially noiseless, which were the factors that made me buy it. But musclebound rock music fans might want to consider spending the same amount (DAK 150 price) for a good 24 pin, high-resolution printer. Or a little more for a good HP 300 dpi printer with memory. Or a *lot* less for a 9-pin impact printer. > Changing the head is a breeze, with no >mess or troubles. I didn't find it so. The obscure and misleading instructions didn't help. Maybe now that I know what goes where, it'll be easier. >Interfacing is handled via a Centronics 8-Bit Parallel or a RS-232-C >Serial cabling. And it seems that what interface you choose partially determines the kind of printing you can do. Parallel printers can't do condensed type. Serial can't do script. The manual doesn't say why. >AVAILABILITY: DAK INDUSTRIES INC. Tech Info: 1-800-888-9818 > 8200 Remmet Avenue, Inquiries: 1-800-888-7808 > Canoga Park, California 24 Hrs/7 Days a Week > 91304 >INKJET CARTRIDGES $ 12.90 You might mention DAK's claim that these cartridges also work in HP printers. >5 NI CAD BATTERIES $ 19.80 (Available Everywhere) In 2-battery packages! >STANDARD PARALLEL CABLE $ 9.80 Which DAK seems permanently out of stock on. I finally canceled their back order and got one elsewhere. Not impressive for someone trying to branch out from remainered electronics to discount computers!
ergo@netcom.UUCP (Isaac Rabinovitch) (05/29/90)
a551@mindlink.UUCP (Bruce Arabsky) writes: > I was also glad I ordered some extra >cartridges because mine came packed with the "special paper" type >as well. For that matter, I hope I can find some reasonably priced "special paper" so I can use the Diconix for correspondence and junk my daisy-wheel printer. Yes, I know a lot of people use medium-quality dotmatrix for letters, but somehow I never could.
pwong@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Patrick Wong) (05/29/90)
In article <12600@netcom.UUCP> ergo@netcom.UUCP (Isaac Rabinovitch) writes: >a551@mindlink.UUCP (Bruce Arabsky) writes: > >> I was also glad I ordered some extra >>cartridges because mine came packed with the "special paper" type >>as well. > >For that matter, I hope I can find some reasonably priced "special >paper" so I can use the Diconix for correspondence and junk my >daisy-wheel printer. Yes, I know a lot of people use medium-quality >dotmatrix for letters, but somehow I never could. Well, I am trying to go to the direction that Isaac is going. I have "plain paper" cartridge installed and I have tried it on "good quality" printer paper, single sheet bond paper, etc., but I did not like what I saw. The quality is not acceptable as NLQ. Maybe I was not using the right kind of "plain paper" ! Any idea ? On the other hand, I have tried the same "plain paper" cartridge on special inkjet printer paper and I think it is great ! I can image that if I buy an "original" inkjet cartridge and use it on this special paper, the result should be very good !!! So, I think the lesson is: Do not expect miracle from the "plain paper cartridge" and plain paper combo. But, again, I may not be using the right kind of "plain paper" !!! Oh, well ! Patrick Wong pcw@squid.graphics.cornell.edu
ergo@netcom.UUCP (Isaac Rabinovitch) (05/30/90)
pwong@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Patrick Wong) writes: >Well, I am trying to go to the direction that Isaac is going. I have >"plain paper" cartridge installed and I have tried it on "good quality" >printer paper, single sheet bond paper, etc., but I did not like what I >saw. The quality is not acceptable as NLQ. Maybe I was not using the >right kind of "plain paper" ! Any idea ? One way to get better print quality is using paper with a clay coating. I'm pretty sure that's what "Ink Jet Paper" is. I gather Diconix stopped pushing special paper when they came out with a new ink that's absorbed more readily. I've had some trouble finding such paper, but I haven't checked the really professional stationers yet.
flinton@eagle.wesleyan.edu (05/31/90)
In article <12634@netcom.UUCP>, ergo@netcom.UUCP (Isaac Rabinovitch) writes: > One way to get better print quality is using paper with a clay coating. > I'm pretty sure that's what "Ink Jet Paper" is. I gather Diconix > stopped pushing special paper when they came out with a new ink that's > absorbed more readily. I've had some trouble finding such paper, but > I haven't checked the really professional stationers yet. I recently bought some Diconix ink cartridges at a good price at a Computerland distress sale, and -- guess what? -- once you unpack 'em they bear the HP logo. What's more, they work perfectly in my HP ThinkJet. My experience with HP ThinkJet, in a nutshell: used ones turn up for under $100.-; there are at least two battery-operated sorts, one with parallel interface, one with HP-IL (current loop) interface -- and three mains-powered sorts (one serial, one parallel, one HP-IB [yes, "eye-bee"]. A tad larger and a tad heavier than Diconix, they have very much the same functionality (fixed left sprocket, slightly adjustable right sprocket set for standard 9-1/2" perf paper, able to accept 8-1/2" paper while perf paper is in place, willing to print "nlq draft" and "emphasized", with or w/o underlining, at standard (80 char/line), narrow (142 char/line), expanded (40 char/line), and narrow expanded (71 char/line) print pitches, etc.). The plainpaper ink cartridge prints darker on any particular paper than does the original ink cartridge, but both work at least reasonably well on both Tandy and HP Inkjet paper, and not at all well on nonabsorbent paper (onion skin, "Corasable (tm) bond", my University's high-quality 100% rag letterhead :-( ). Basically, if the paper surface won't absorb the inklets sprayed on it, they'll easily let themselves get rubbed around and smudge (they dry quite slowly, it seems -- I'm told ethylene glycol is a major ingredient in the ink). ThinkJets list for circa $500; Educalc's catalog quotes them at circa $400, with selected used ones for under $300; ElekTek and 47th Street Photo quote perhaps slightly lower prices; but (see above) one can do better. I've been happy with mine (one serial mainspowered, one HP-IL battery-driven part of a used HP 110 I bought not too long ago). BTW: can anyone out there help me get the HP 110 to send escape sequences either direct to its HP-IL printer port or to a MemoMaker (tm) file? If so, thanks for your help. -- Fred <FLinton@eagle.Wesleyan.EDU> <attmail!fejlinton> <414-2427@mcimail.com>