Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!linac!midway!chsun1!kusumoto From: kusumoto@chsun1.uchicago.edu (Bob Kusumoto) Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript Subject: Re: What is a SparcPrinter Message-ID: Date: 30 Jan 91 18:13:51 GMT References: <1991Jan25.084804.26979@ccu.umanitoba.ca> <12317@sundc.East.Sun.COM> <1991Jan30.163356.18006@rodan.acs.syr.edu> Sender: news@midway.uchicago.edu (News Administrator) Distribution: usa Organization: University of Chicago Lines: 50 just to make a point before proceeding, I don't own a sparcprinter (yet) although the information below is information I gathered when it came out and it's pretty much from memory so it might be a bit off. If you really want an answer, call Sun (1-800-USA-4SUN) and talk to a sales or tech rep to give you the lowdown. Anyway... amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen) writes: > First: When did SUN stop contracting apple to make the printers for them. got me. call Sun :-) > Second: Is postscript built into the printer or not (several people said >different things. No. Its basically a bitmap printer. If I understand the way it works correctly, the sparc sends a bitmap to the printer to print out. Given that the sparc can process a lot of information to send to the printer, it can come close to it's 12ppm rating. > Thirdly: If SUN makes it themselves (and it isn't really a apple IINT(x) >with (possibly) more software in rom and possible more standard memory... >a. What interfaces does it have (serial, parallel, ether, localtalk) and how > well can we select between them/use all of them... (for sharing with other > systems...) I assume serial, although it could be a specialized S-bus card (or an S-bus card that has a parallel or some other interface). It must be attached to a sparcstation though (unless you want to build your own driver :-). >b. How much memory DOES it have. dunno, call Sun :-) >c. What additional real world features does it have over the 'standard' apple > laserwriter IInt or so (in reality). Has 51 scalable fonts (I believe Sun literature said something to the effect Folio fonts, not exactly sure on this point). It's supposedly faster. It works only off a sparcstation. >d. If the claim of 12+ ppm is to be believed by many of us, what CPU does it > use, running at what clock, and using what interface (and at what rate if > applicable) and postscript code are you using for this spec. How about > posting source to a 3 page demo graphics (say 3 defined shapes each with > a associated grey scale and a plot type banner of prop text, 8x11) that will > print at over 12 PPM. why it's using the SPARC chip that's in the sparcstation that its attached to (depending on which sparc you get, 1, 1+, 2). -- Bob Kusumoto | I just come from the land of Internet: kusumoto@chsun1.uchicago.edu | the sun/ from a war that must Bitnet: kusumoto%chsun1@uchicago[.bitnet] | be won in the name of truth. UUCP: ...!{oddjob,gargoyle}!chsun1!kusumoto | - New Order, "Love Vigilantes"