[ale] low end laser printer or high end ink jet?

[Sean Kilpatrick]

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On Saturday 02 August 2003 12:04 am, Geoffrey wrote:
> So, do I go with the high end inkjet or will I be happy with the low end 
> HP laser at 600x600???
> 

You have not given us the one critical piece of data:
What kinds of things to you want to print on this printer.

I have been running an HP 5mp (600x600 dpi) printer for more
than seven years now.  It has been problem-free. My only maintenance
chore is to replace the toner cartridge.  The print quality is good
enough for publishing.  I know that true typesetters print at 1200x
1200 dpi, but you need a good magnifying glass to tell the difference
when using 8 or 10 point type. (It's even harder to tell at larger sizes.)
But I only expect this printer to be good at printing text and the
occasional black and white halftone -- acceptable results at a 110-line
screen, rotated 45 degrees.
Even using HP toner (no after market refills) the price per page is a
lot less than an ink jet printer.

Another point to consider is Postscript printing.  Most Linux aps
want to send Postscript to the printer. The HP laser printers accept 
Postscript. I don't think any of the ink jets do -- they don't have 
enough internal memory. That means more time lost while a translation
is made into a printer language the ink jet can understand. Bottom line
is that for a page of text, the laser jet is going to be quicker to print
the first page.

Ink jets are cheap to purchase but the ink is terribly expensive. And
if you do not use an ink jet at least once every two or three days, the
ink dries out in the nozzles and the cleaning process chews up even more
of the expensive ink.

Ink jet printers make economic sense only when they are being used at 
least five days a week AND when you are able to purchase bulk tanks for
the ink. (The bulk tank kits will cost several hundred dollars depending
on the printer so the pay back period will be stretched out. <grin>)


You also asked about "solid ink."  I believe that is a wax based
product that comes in sticks, sorta like crayons. The reviews I have
read on these printers have been mixed at best.


Bottom line: the HP laser printers have been, for me, about as reliable
as the proverbial stone ax. When this one finally dies, I'll get another
one. The newer ones are faster and have more internal memory.


Sean

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