Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!timbuk!cs.umn.edu!kksys!wd0gol!newave!john
From: john@newave.UUCP (John A. Weeks III)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: HP Laserjet <-> Mac
Message-ID: <618@newave.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jan 91 22:17:10 GMT
References: <4040@eastapps.East.Sun.COM>
Reply-To: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)
Organization: NeWave Communications Ltd, Eden Prairie, MN
Lines: 50

In article <4040@eastapps.East.Sun.COM> hhersh@boxboro.East.Sun.Com (Harry Hersh - Sun BOS Software) writes:
> Can someone help me understand the hardware and software issues in
> connecting an HP printer to a MAC (Plus or SE)? In particular:

Yes, it does work.  It is slow, but acceptable for low volume personal
printing.  Not recomended for commercial usage because of the slowness.

> 1. My understanding is that the HP provides a parallel interface. Can I 
> connect it via AppleTalk? Through the serial (printer) line? What interfacing
> hardware is required?

It depends on which HP printer.  Most of the LaserJets have serial ports
in addition to the parallel.  HP also has AppleTalk connections available
for the HPIIP and the Deskwriter.  Anything with a serial plug is the best
choice because it will plug directly into a serial port on the Mac.  A
parallel port means that you will have to get a parallel port adapter for
your mac, which is quite expensive and a major hassle. 

> 2. Since the HP does not contain a Postscript engine, what software packages
> are recommended? ATM will handle basic font rendering, but not much else?
> I've seen reference to MacPrint and Freedom of the Press as providing
> Postscript interpretation within the Mac for non-Mac printers, but am not
> sure what the differences are (besides a factor of 3 in price). Are there
> other packages to be recommended that do the job of making the HP look and
> act like a LaserWriter NT?

Nothing will work like a LaserWriter NT unless it has postscript.

MacPrint allows you to print from the Mac using a chooser level driver.
It converts all text and graphics into the LaserJet language (or the
native language of many other printers) and sends it out the serial
port to your printer.

Freedom of the Press intercepts the Postscript that the Mac sends towards
the printer port, runs it through a clone postscript intrepreter, then
sends a raster image bitmap out to your printer in the printers native
language.  A cheaper version called FOP Light is available for less than
$100.

ATM will dramatically help font quality when using MacPrint.  Since FOP uses
postscript fonts, ATM will not improve the output.  MacPrint is slow, FOP
is much slower.  FOP also disables AppleTalk.

-john-

-- 
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John A. Weeks III               (612) 942-6969               john@newave.mn.org
NeWave Communications                 ...uunet!rosevax!tcnet!wd0gol!newave!john
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