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From: csuac@warwick.ac.uk (The Juggler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: A DESKJET SUMMARY.
Message-ID: <{`D&_`-@warwick.ac.uk>
Date: 7 Mar 91 16:17:09 GMT
References: <1991Mar07.080136.28020@ecst.csuchico.edu>
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A while ago I posted an article enquiring about the HP Deskjet printer. Thanks
to everyone who replied and for those who are interested, this is a summary of
the range of deskjet printers offered by HP.

The original deskjet is still available in the UK for as low as 270+VAT.
The price is what first attracted my attention because, for a printer with
a print quality rivalling that of a laser printer and an automatic sheet
feeder built in, it seemed a great deal. The problems with this printer
seem to be mainly speed especially with graphics which I am told take an
eternity. Also it doesn't do italics which like the canon BJ10E seems a bit
odd; and finally no landscape mode. The deskjet+ was then introduced which
solved these problems. Graphics are significantly faster and the printer seems
like a really good deal. A lot of people on the net have had experience
with the DJ+ and are pleased with the performance. Comparitively recently the
latest addition to the range was introduced called the deskjet 500. As far as
I can tell,(in the UK at any rate) it is replacing the DJ+. The lowest price I
have found in the UK is 370+VAT. The printer has only slight improvements over
the old model. It has a better waterproof ink cartridge which means less
smudging and allows printing on overhead transparencies.These new
cartridges will work on all 3 models however. The DJ 500 has an inbuilt times
and times italic font which the DJ+ didn't have. There are no alterations
to the case though to select this font. It is marginally faster on
graphics, about 6% I am told. But that is it, as far as I'm aware no other
changes.

        Personally after reading many articles I would be happy to get a
DJ+ if I could find one because in the UK there may be companies selling them
at a good price (Ie. not much more than the original). Assuming the DJ+ has
been phased out and I am too late then the DJ 500 still seems like a good deal
in spite of being 100 pounds more than the original.

As far as drivers are concerned there is no problem. Apparently the deskjet is
fully compatible with the HP Laserjet drivers which are available for most
pieces of software.
For Calamus use the Laserjet+ one the laserjet 2 one can be
used but it is slower as is the official deskjet one.
This gives 300 dpi resolution and prints in 3 mins or so.
As has been mentioned previously on the net, GDOS drivers are also available

A utility which can be found on atari.archive is DJ_RESET which enables
you to inform the computer that you have the deskjet installed since
ordinarily turning the printer on after the machine doesn't work.

There is an Epson catridge which as far as I can tell emulates the 9 pin
FX variety but oridinarily this is not worth purchasing since as I said before
drivers shouldn't be a problem and the output from the epson driver would
be very poor in comparison.

Right that's it. I hope this has been useful.

- Paul -