Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!apple!netcom!gatesl From: gatesl@netcom.UUCP (Lee Gates) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: HP Deskjets VS. Deskjet Plus (SUMMARY long) Message-ID: <1765@netcom.UUCP> Date: 13 Jul 89 06:51:15 GMT Reply-To: gatesl@netcom.UUCP (Lee Gates) Distribution: usa Organization: NetCom Services - Public Access Unix System (408) 997-9175 guest Lines: 210 I posted an article about a week and a half ago about a deal from a computer dealer in Menlo Park (CA) that will have HP Deskjets for $350. I asked for information from people who have them, and what were the disadvantages by not getting the deskjet+, and as promised, here is a summary of what I received. I have decided that at that price, it is well worth it, since I only need it for text output, as I will be returning to school in the fall. The deskjet is slow at graphics, and doesn't support landscape, while the + is faster 2x text, and 5x graphics, and does have built in landscape. Aside from that, there weren't many differences people cited. If you have any other comments, please let me know. thanks lee -- gatesl@netcom.uucp -----------------------------summary------------------------------------- I own a DeskJet (not a +) that I've had for over a year now. I would recommend it for most uses, although it has a few problems. One is that it is slow in graphics mode and it uses water-soluble ink. The first problem is fixed by buying the +, the second is being worked on at HP. I also recall that the + uses a slightly different format for downloading fonts so that fonts designed for the + sometimes look better. I saw a sample of Times Roman italics from a DeskJet and a +, and the + was MUCH better looking. (In fact, Times italics are kinda ugly on the old DeskJet.) I have (honestly) never had a piece of paper jam in the printer. I have NOT had good luck with the envelope feed, though--but with water-soluble ink, who wants to address their envelopes with this printer? You do need **************************************************************************** I have been getting allot of mail about the DeskJet+ so I wanted to post this information to answer common questions. Here is a summary of the technical differences between a DeskJet and a DeskJet+. 1. The DeskJet+ has an 8MHZ Z180 processor with 64K of RAM and 256K of ROM. The DeskJet has a 4MHZ Z80 processor with 32K of RAM and 128K of ROM. 2. The DeskJet+ has a new paper motor that runs twice as fast. 3. The DeskJet+ has a different "sled" which allows a better priming algorithm. Note: These three facts imply that the basic parts needed to upgrade a DeskJet are 1) a new logic board, 2) a new paper motor, 3) a new sled. This also implies an upgrade is not simple and it would be easy to blow up a power supply, smoke the new logic board, and break a part of the sled assembly. On the other hand, I, a mere CS type have upgraded 2 DeskJets to DeskJet+s and haven't broken or blown up anything yet. 4. The DeskJet+ has twice as large an addressing space allowing for twice as large ROM and RAM cartridges. Hence there are new DeskJet+ only font cartridges and there is a 256K DeskJet+ RAM cartridge for soft fonts. (By the way, the DeskJet+ will download soft fonts about 4 times faster than the DeskJet). 5. Due to the increased processor speed, increased RAM, and some other hardware/software tweeks the DeskJet+ will print graphics from the Centronics port 5 times faster than a DeskJet. When the serial port is used the DeskJet+ graphics speed is limitted by the baud rate, not the printer. WARNING: Your application probably cannot generate graphics data as fast as the DeskJet+ can accept it unless you are using a very fast PC or some very smart software. Hence the actual "speed up" relative to a DeskJet is host and application dependant. The maximum rate a DeskJet+ can do a page of 300DPI graphics is just about 1 page per minute. The DeskJet could do 1/5 a page per minute (a page in 5 minutes). 6. Simple text is printed at 120CPS on both the DeskJet and the DeskJet+. However the DeskJet+ can keep up with this maximum rate in more complex cases (multiple fonts in a pass and so forth) as well as pick up and move paper faster. Both the DeskJet and DeskJet+ are rated at 2 pages per minute for text, but the DeskJet could only really do the most simple text at this rate whereas the DeskJet+ can do more complicated text at the same 2PPM rate. 7. The DeskJet+ has landscape mode built in, this is optional on the DeskJet. WARNING: The landscape support on DeskJet was intended for printing simple spreadsheets. There is no support for mixed text and graphics in landscape mode nor is there support for proportionally spaced landscape fonts via font cartridges. Hence if you primarily want a printer to do fancy spreadsheets with nice proportionally spaced text in landscape mode you would be better off with a laser printer. The technical reason proportional spaced landscape fonts are not possible is due to a hardware limitation of the chip that actually reads the font cartridges and renders the image on the page so there is not a software tweak I can make to workaround the problem. Hence if you get a DeskJet or DeskJet+ you should "write off" ever expecting to do anything real fancy in landscape mode unless its graphics only. Now the DeskJet+ does do nice fancy spreadsheets (i.e. via Excel) in portrait mode, but not landscape. This warning only applies to applications and hosts that render text with the built in fonts. Hosts such as an Atari which only send out graphics and render the text images internally do not suffer from this same problem since in this case the printer only sees graphics and the PC does all the work of rotating, scaling, and so forth. 8. Due to changes in the internal hardware, the DeskJet Epson FX80 emulation cartridge will not work in a DeskJet+. There is a DeskJet+ version of this cartridge. This Epson emulation cartridge will print graphics 3 times faster than the original DeskJet emulation cartridge (which was comparable in speed to the actual Epson FX80). 9. The DeskJet+ supports internal fonts of up to 30 point, whereas the DeskJet supported fonts up to 15 points (technically 36 point for the Plus and 18 point for the DeskJet are possible but these fonts must have no descenders). 10. There is no difference in print quality or waterfastness between the DeskJet and DeskJet+ since this is an ink cartridge, rather than a printer issue. The waterfastness issue is getting allot of attention and eventually there should be a new waterfast ink cartridge that can be plugged into the DeskJet family printers but I cannot make promisses or give any time frames. 11. The DeskJet+ will retail for $995 and the DeskJet will now retail for $795. This is not a technical difference but it is significant. Personally, if you factor in the cost of a landscape cartridge for a DeskJet and an "A" (courier italics) cartridge which are both built in to the DeskJet+ the price difference is negligible. On a related note, we have price reduced our font cartridges by about 30%. Presently there is no plan to offer an official upgrade to convert DeskJets into DeskJet Plusses. A supported upgrade would be expensive relative to the cost of the printer (could easily be close to $400). Although an unsupportted unofficial "roll your own" upgrade would be possible it would have no warranttee, and if you hook up a cable wrong and smoke a board you would have to pay again for any part you smoked. Servicing such an unofficial upgrade might be difficult, however it would be hard to tell the difference between a properly upgraded DeskJet and an actual DeskJet+. Also if you use the DeskJet Epson cartridge you would need to buy a new DeskJet+ Epson cartridge. ************************************************************************ The old DeskJets plug their ink cartridges more often, too. One unplugs them by standing over a garbage can and blowing into the hole in the ink cartridge until a drop of ink comes out. Both DeskJets are very sensitivde 'to the brand of paper used. I was really upset that HP didn't offer an upgrade; I really need landscape for my spreadsheets. . . An HP employee told me that the upgrade is available within HP; you replace the circuit board and the print head mechanism. ************************************************************************ I have an HP DeskJet. I have not used the DeskJet + so I cannot give you any comparison information, but I'll tell you what I can about the older DeskJet. First, it can handle either one or two 128k memory cartridges if you plan on using downloadable fonts. They plug into the slot that font cartridges plug into so if you need both, you can only have one plug-in cartridge and one memory module. Second, graphics printing on the DeskJet is infuriatingly SLOW!!!. The instant I can afford a LaserJet, I will be dumping the DeskJet. For LQP, however, you cannot beat the quality for the price. The quality if fantastic and $350 is a fantastic price. Just be aware that the supply of fonts is quite limited, and fonts over 14pt are limited to Presentation 18pt. No 24pt or 30pt downloadables are available that I know of. To give you an idea of how slow the graphics mode is, it takes about 45 minutes to one hour to draw a moderately complex GEM drawing. If you have three or four to print, you do it at night. It is extremely quiet, however, compared to impact printers. If you aren't going to do much graphics, I'd probably go for the cheapie. It really is a good value, despite it's shortcommings. It's just that I'm used to a LaserJet at work... ************************************************************************** I just bought the HP Deskjet Plus (should be on my desk minutes from now), HP's literature has been vague at times about the differences between the DJ and the DJ+. Here are the differences (confirmed by several sources): 1. Deskjet Plus HAS landscape (courier) fonts built in. DJ required an optional font cart. to get the landscape (courier). 2. DJ+ is faster due to better/faster paper handling. 3. (Most important) The Proportional font spacing tables used in the DJ has some minor errors. Therefore, right justified text may/may not line up. (even though your software says it is lined up). The DJ+ has corrected this problem. This causes an incompatibility between the printers, as some newer font carts. will work ONLY with the DJ+. All DJ carts will work with the DJ+, but the prop. spacing ones have been reworked for the DJ+. As far as price goes, $350 is a steal! I've seen the DJ for as low as $550, but that is a bargain! If anything, HP does offer some "upgrade" price for the DJ+. I think it was $100 credit for the DJ, or something insignificant like that.. Call them to find out.. You may be able to get a DJ+ real cheap by upgrading your cheap DJ! Give me a few weeks, and I'll give you my reactions to the printer. Everyone I've talked to says "Get one!"...... **************************************************************************** that's it, sorry so long, but I felt the info was very good. lee -- gatesl@netcom.uucp