Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!apple.com!parent
From: parent@apple.com (Sean Parent)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Using Epson FX-80 with Mac
Message-ID: <3331@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 3 Aug 89 21:45:29 GMT
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 34
References:<7201@microsoft.UUCP> <166000008@S66.Prime.COM>

In article <166000008@S66.Prime.COM> BARRY@S66.Prime.COM writes:
> I STRONGLY advise against the Grappler C/Mac/GS!  I tried it with my
> Epson FX 80 and found it to be much too slow.  Draft output was
> unusable and was even slower than Best output.  There are better
> options that let you use draft output, namely:

You had an old version of the Grappler C/Mac/GS. Draft mode printing was 
redone almost a year ago and is very fast now.

>     o  Hanzon Universal Card is a serial i/f board that installs
>        INSIDE the Epson and provides an ImageWriter I emulation
>        mode.  This is what I use.  List price is about $129, but
>        you might find it for much less in a computer store (I
>        paid $25 for mine on a close out!)
> 
>     o  Epson 8143 serial i/f board (list about $59) plus GDT
>        Printworks driver (about $62 by mail order)
> 
> Either of these will give much better results than the Grappler.

I have never tried the Hanzon card so I can't comment on it. I have used 
Printworks when it was marketed by SoftStyle (is it the same one) and had 
all kinds of problems. Their "Spooler" (really just a buffer) kept 
crashing and there was no way to remove it short of reinstalling my 
system. I couldn't print from about 50% of the applications I tried (I 
don't remember now which ones they where but I do remember I couldn't 
print from the Finder). GDT may have vastly improved it since I used it 
(about a year and a half ago) so you should look into it. I believe the
C/Mac/GS lists at $79 so it is less expensive then either of the above
options. Egghead Discount Software usualy carries the C/Mac/GS and I have
seen Printworks there. They let you try before you buy so it might be a
good place to look.

Sean Parent