Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ucbvax!mlpvm2.iinus1.ibm.com!graff
From: graff@mlpvm2.iinus1.ibm.com ("Michael Graff")
Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers
Subject: Re: Information on Okidata 400?
Message-ID: <9101302204.AA29213@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 30 Jan 91 20:56:56 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: graff@mlpvm2.iinus1.ibm.com
Lines: 94

Jim Becker writes:

>  They took my name and address, but I never got anything in the
>  mail.

When I called 1-800-OKIDATA and left my address, I got a brochure
in the mail about a week later.

>  There was *only* ComputerLand that sold them!

Well, there are a few other stores locally that carry the Okidata 400
(including Soft Warehouse), but I agree they are a little difficult to
find.  Did you look through Computer Currents and MicroTimes?

>  There are a billion and one things that can be added to the HP.
>  Third party hardware makes the printer a lot more appealing.

Agreed, this is a big advantage for HP.

>  One minor problem though, there is some junk on both edges of the
>  toner cartridge, which causes repeated patterns on the edge of the
>  paper (1.25" spacing).  This is outside of where the cleaning paper
>  can get to, and trying to get into the cartridge doesn't work too
>  well.

Hold that thought, I'll get to it in a moment...

Steve Gothard writes:

>  If you want a "Laser Printer" then you have to pay more because
>  lasers and mirrors cost more than LED's.

>  I guess I am annoyed at Okidata referring to their printer as
>  Okilaser thus implying to the average consumer that it is a "Laser
>  Printer" when in fact it is not.

If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, and sounds like a duck...

If you want to split hairs, then your points are valid.  But the
common usage of the term "laser printer" includes LED and LCS (liquid
crystal shutter) printers.  LED, LCS, and "real" laser printers all
use basically the same technique to put print on paper, except for the
light source.  If the end result is the same, what difference does it
make?

But to appease the hair splitters, Okidata changed the name of their
printers from "Okilaser" to "Okidata LED Page Printer".  I think this
is silly, but it probably kept some lawyer happy somewhere.

>  One obvious advantage of using a laser is that the beam can be
>  modulated enabling the use of Resolution Enhancement Technology.
>  While this is not done on the LJIIP, using a diode array precludes
>  any future use of modulation techniques.

This is only an advantage for designers of future printers and for
people who have a Laserjet III.  It has no meaning when comparing
the Okidata 400 to the HP IIP.

>  An obvious disadvantage of the LED array is that the array must be
>  located in close proximity of the photosensitive drum and can
>  become contaminated with toner particles and block the light output
>  of the LED's causing holes in characters.

I hadn't heard of this one before.  Does it happen in real life or
only in theory?  Jim's IIP troubles above demonstrate that "real"
lasers are not immune to printing problems either.

>  Also if a single LED should die, a white streak would appear in the
>  output and the LED array would have to be replaced.

This is another one that seems to be a problem in theory but not in
real life.  Okidata has a five year warranty on the print head, so
they apparently think it's not likely to happen.

Meanwhile a "real" laser engine has a few disadvantages of its own,
such as less resistance to shock and possible alignment problems.

>  Also before someone invests in a product they should do some
>  research and answer some important questions.

I agree.  HP has a commanding presence in the "laser" printer market,
which leads to all sorts of advantages.  HP is the standard against
which others are judged.  I don't envy the position HP's competitors
are in.

>  a) Maybe the products are not really "comparable" due to
      different technologies.

This is silly.  Of course they're comparable.  If you want to compare
products, at least compare actual features and performance, rather
than nit-pick over whether an LED print engine is comparable to a
laser print engine.

...Michael