Very Computer

We're looking for a color, PostScript-capable printer (probably an
inkjet or bubble-jet) for less than $1000, to run under Linux, DOS,
and Windows.  Does such a beast exist?  I'm posting here because I'm
wary of getting a printer not supported by Linux ghostscript (though,
I suppose if one spends $1000 for a printer, one should be able to get
a Linux driver for it somehow).

The HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS looks nice, but it seems to list for $1500 or
so . . .

Please mail me if you have any leads.  I'll post a summary of any
responses I get after a week.  Thanks.

Kenji
--
Tell all the friends who think they're so together
That these are ghosts and mirages, these thoughts of fairer weather

Quote:> If you want a postscript printer why are you concerned about whether
> there are drivers for it available in ghostscript? After all the
> purpose of ghostscript is translating postscript for non-postscript
> printers!

<Homer Simpson voice> D'oh!!

I knew that, really I did.  Uh huh.  Anyway, I got mail from Daniel

Quote:> My HP DeskJet 540 is a color inkjet printer (if you use a color
> cartidge).  It doesn't support PostScript, but works with Ghostscript
> so you effectively have a color postscript printer.  It comes with
> drivers for DOS and Windows, too.  It was ~$250.00 at an office supply
> store.

Which raises the question: how does ghostscript emulation on a
non-postscript printer compare with 'the real thing' on a printer of
similar quality?  Suppose you compared the b/w ghostscript emulation
with a low-end HP b/w postscript printer.

I'm using an HP DeskJet portable right now.  For PostScript, I use
ghostscript with the djet500 device emulator.  PostScript output
actually looks decent, which is not bad considering how cheap the
printer is.

Kenji

--
Tell all the friends who think they're so together
That these are ghosts and mirages, these thoughts of fairer weather

If you want a postscript printer why are you concerned about whether there are
drivers for it available in ghostscript? After all the purpose of ghostscript
is translating postscript for non-postscript printers!
---
        This be ME! (Steve, That's who!)

"You can bring any calculator you like to the midterm, as long as it
doesn't dim the lights when you turn it on."
                -- Hepler, Systems Design 182

What is the output speed like?

Dave Cook

I am using the epson stylus color (<$500) and ghost{script/view} (free).

This is, effectively, a color postscript printing solution for under $500.

seems to work pretty ok ;-)

--
.bl

web: <a href="ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/blevin/index.html"> Bryan Levin </a>

        "nuthin' left to do but compile, compile, compile" ;-)

It was my experience (with a DJ550C) that any color printing on one of these
was kinda (like REAL) slow. A collegue used it to print out a tiled sign from
Corel-Draw and a 2.5' x 3.5' sign took almost a whole afternoon. This was in
MS-Windows not Linux and used the regular DJ drivers for Windows.
---
        This be ME! (Steve, That's who!)

"You can bring any calculator you like to the midterm, as long as it
doesn't dim the lights when you turn it on."
                -- Hepler, Systems Design 182

It was my experience (with a DJ550C) that any color printing on one of these
was kinda (like REAL) slow. A collegue used it to print out a tiled sign from
Corel-Draw and a 2.5' x 3.5' sign took almost a whole afternoon. This was in
MS-Windows not Linux and used the regular DJ drivers for Windows.
---
        This be ME! (Steve, That's who!)

"You can bring any calculator you like to the midterm, as long as it
doesn't dim the lights when you turn it on."
                -- Hepler, Systems Design 182

It was my experience (with a DJ550C) that any color printing on one of these
was kinda (like REAL) slow. A collegue used it to print out a tiled sign from
Corel-Draw and a 2.5' x 3.5' sign took almost a whole afternoon. This was in
MS-Windows not Linux and used the regular DJ drivers for Windows.
---
        This be ME! (Steve, That's who!)

"You can bring any calculator you like to the midterm, as long as it
doesn't dim the lights when you turn it on."
                -- Hepler, Systems Design 182

I just printed out the fin-de-siecle golfer drawing (golfer.ps) from the
ghostscript examples collection.  It took about 1.3 minutes, all told,
including ghostscript processing.

So, it's slow.  Also, you can see little darkened bands between print
rows, and the ink wets plain paper in solid black areas, making the
paper warp.  

I've pretty much narrowed down my choices to either the new HP 660C or
the Canon BJ400E.  A vendor at the computer show yesterday told me
that the Canon is a bit better -- 720 dpi instead of 600, and somewhat
faster.  He also said that Canon actually makes all the HP printers.

Can anyone else compare the Canon BJ400E with the HP 660C (or 550C,
which I believe is its predecessor)?  I suppose there's probably a
back issue of Byte with some comparisons.  Or Computer Shopper, but
their reviews always read like adverti*ts to me.

Kenji

--

Tell all the friends who think they're so together
That these are ghosts and mirages, these thoughts of fairer weather