Postscript Printer

[Michael Gaitan B364 x2070]

I had posted the following message a few weeks ago:

> I am interested in buying a postscript printer for a network of SUN 4's
> and sparcstations and need advice about what would be the best choice.
> $4-6k which we can spend.  If anyone has any strong opinions on what to
> get, or what to avoid, I would be interested in hearing them.

Thanks all for your comments.

The major concensus was to get Sun's NeWSprint and SparcPrinter; for
example:

You might consider Sun's new NeWSprint software along with the
SparcPrinter.  The printer is a 12 copy per minute dumb laser printer.
You run NeWSprint on your workstation and it drives the laser printer as
if it were a postscript printer.  My understanding is that NeWSprint can
drive other devices as PostScript printers as well, in particular the
higher quality dot matrix printers like the Epson LQ series.  The
advantage of all this is 1) the cost isn't bad, 2) the speed is great, and
3) you don't have to add memory or anything else special to the printer.
All the PostScript stuff is done using the computer.  The down side is a
slight performance degradation while things are printing.  We have one of
these on order, but haven't received it yet.  However, it looks good on
paper.  The package cost us $1600 as Catalyst members which was a 40%
discount I believe.  

Some other suggestions:

1. I have never had any trouble with NEC LC-890's. There are now two new
   ones - the LC-890XL and the LC2-290. 

2. here's response #1001.  We have the HP LaserJet III with HP PS
   cartridge.  Cost for the printer is ~$1500 mail-order these days.  The PS
   cartridge (not an emulation, true Adobe) is ~$600.  I can get you all the
   numbers if you are interested.  You will also need a memory upgrade.  I am
   working with the minimum 1Mb extra (the III comes with 1Mb installed).  It
   is ~$150.  Total cost = $2250, let's call it $2300.  Buy two!!

3. You can get the Dataproducts LZR-1260 for less than $6K. This is a 12
   ppm 300x300 dpi printer with Adobe PostScript and a 68020 cpu with 4MB.
   It comes with serial, parallel and appletalk interfaces and all 35
   LaserWriter+ fonts. It's very fast and the PS interpreter can usually keep
   up with the print engine and you can get more than 10 ppm on a regular
   basis.

4. QMS - they just work . Not DEC or Apple - they both have their
   'extensions'!

5. I am very happy with the IBM 4019.  To get the full speed out of the
   postscript option, you need to buy a lot of memory, which is expensive,
   but I suspect that GSA you could pick a fully configured (10ppm) printer
   for around $2800.

6. Check out the November 13 (1990) edition of PC Magazine (volume 9,
   number 19). It's got a wealth of information of the kind you are looking
   for, I think.

Thanks to:
john at ghostwheel.unm.edu
stanley at phoenix.com
cgwst at unix.cis.pitt.edu
ruba at biophys.zir.ethz.ch
ajayshah%alhena.usc.edu at usc.edu
ekrell at ulysses.att.com
halvard at solan.unit.no
probert%cs at hub.ucsb.edu
war at vuse.vanderbilt.edu
hopi!glenn at uunet.UU.NET
houvener at rocket.sanders.com
jkoval at biostats.uwo.ca
todd at cub64.com
cdr at brahms.AMD.COM