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From: harkins@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Don Harkins)
Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers
Subject: Re: opinions on QMS 100/Model 10 Color Laserprinter?
Summary: Tektronix Phaser PX better quality & price
Message-ID: <1660@casbah.acns.nwu.edu>
Date: 6 Dec 90 07:35:53 GMT
References: <14685@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Followup-To: elman@crl.ucsd.edu
Organization: Northwestern University
Lines: 30

The QMS Model 10 is a 300 dpi color thermal transfer printer which is
not color laser (color laser costs upwards of $30K still!).  The printer
is based on the Mitsubishi print engine, with a QMS controller.  As far
as color printers go, the QMS is okay but when we looked at the range, we
decided to go with the Tektronix Phaser PX.

The Phaser PX costs less ($7995 vs. $9995 retail).  The Phaser PX can
accept data from AppleTalk, parallel, serial and ethernet at the same time,
something QMS claims but really can't do.  Finally, if you compare the
prints from the Tektronics and QMS, the quality of color from the Tektronix
is much better than the QMS (more highly saturated).  We use the Tektronix
Phaser for printing directly on mylar, for creating overhead viewgraphs.
We haven't experienced any melting with dark colors, although I think that
has to do with the old overhead projectors.

We started looking at the Phaser after someone read a PC Week write-up.
I dug it up to get you this quote:

   "The combination of the proven, robust machanism [it is built like a
    tank] versatile electronics, top-quality output and aggressive pricing
    make the Phaser PX the color thermal-wax engine to which all others
    will be compared."  PC Week, October 1, 1990 - page 18

A pretty high recomendation I thought.

We haven't had any problems with the Phaser, and Tektronix has a name
for quality stuff.

Don Harkins
harkins@casbah.acns.nwu.edu