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Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ingr!proctor
From: proctor@ingr.com (John Proctor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: HP DeskWriter v.s. DeskJet questions
Keywords: DeskWriter DeskJet
Message-ID: <7122@ingr.com>
Date: 31 Oct 89 18:44:45 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, Al
Lines: 53



I appologise for taking up bandwidth for a topic which may already 
have been covered, but as the volume of articles in COMP.SYS.MAC is 
extremely high and it does slide by here very quickly!

I would like to purchase a printer for my home MAC. I am obviously 
interested in cost (this is my money we are talking about here!). I am
also sick of hearing a printer! My wife uses the MAC for newsletters and
other publishing type activities and would like to have good quality
output as well as low noise! I am therefore contemplating the purchase 
of an HP DeskWriter for my MAC+. Locally, there seems to be very little 
info regarding the device wrt the MAC version. There are several 
questions which arise:

	(1) How is the DeskWriter different than the DeskJet+ that HP
	    sells as a generic device? With the DeskJet+ and an
	    appropriate cable plus some driver software (e.g. GDT
	    Softworks and their JetLink Express) it would seem to be the
	    equivalent functionally but less expensive, although 
	    detailed pricing may make them even. 

	(2) How does the HP inkjet engine react to low duty cycles (i.e.
	    ink drying up etc)? 

	(3) How is the operational cost of the inkjet mechanism? I see
	    the list for replacement cartridges at aprox $18, how low
	    can you get them and what is their lifetime in text mostly
	    usage. Are there any third-party suppliers yet?

	(4) How well does it work on envelopes?

	(5) How good is the output quality vis a vis typefaces when
	    using only bitmapped fonts? I am talking here of sizes up to
	    about 24 points. Most of the work would be done at 10-12 
	    point. Also, how is it at low point sizes (i.e. Helvetica 
	    narrow at 9 point as an example)? Are there builtin fonts
	    which give better performance and quality?

I would like to use it with pure bitmapped fonts at the moment. ATM does
not appear to be a real product for the MAC+ due to horespower and as I
am still using it with 1 Meg memory I have a concern about sizes. 

How is the MTBF on the unit any experiences out there with them failing?
And last but not least what is the cost-of-repair like?

Please E-mail responses to me as the net is probably not too interested.
I will summarize an mail directly to anyone who is interested.

John D. Proctor		|  Usenet: uunet!proctor@INGR.COM
Intergraph Corp.	| ARPAnet: uu.net.uunet@ingr!jdp!proctor
			| US Post: 1 Madison Industrial Park
Usual Disclaimers Apply	|	   Huntsville, AL 35807-4201