Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!uunet!convex!swarren From: swarren@convex.com (Steve Warren) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: An interesting idea... Keywords: laser printer PostScript NeXT Message-ID: <1991Apr26.134120.18412@convex.com> Date: 26 Apr 91 13:41:20 GMT References: <3867@dali> Sender: newsadm@convex.com (news access account) Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx. Lines: 69 Nntp-Posting-Host: neptune.convex.com In article <3867@dali> icsu8053@attila.cs.montana.edu (Craig Pratt) writes: >In article judge@alchemy.tcnet.ithaca.ny.us (rory toma) writes: [...] >>Would it be possible to produce a cheap laserprinter (Postscript) that >>used both the memory and processor of it's host machine? On a 3000, it >>could use the'030 on an '030/'040 equipped machine. Or am I just >>dreaming? >> >>rory > >This is exactly what the NeXT does. The 400 DPI Next laser printer is a [...] >I also understand that there are now drivers for other raster printers >such as desk jets and dot matrix printers, as well. They would have to >be quite a bit slower due to the above and the fact that they would >probably have to be connected to the serial port. Chalk another up for >NeXT. This is an opportunity for a great product from Commodore, and A3000 users would love it. Commodore should come out with a combination laser/fileserver with very little memory on board. It would have space for two 1/2-height 5-1/4" devices (ie a large, cheap harddrive and a tape drive). One partition on the harddrive would be the laser device partition. When your postscript job prints out it would send its output to this partition via SCSI (although it would think it was talking to the printer itself). The printer engine would read the raster image directly from the disk as it was printing. Advantages: o A really big, fast harddrive at 5-1/4" prices (cheaper than what you can stick into your A3000 3-1/2" slot), and a place to stick a tape drive, in an attractive case that does not just take up space as a drive-box (that is, you need a printer anyway, so having your big tape and drive compartments inside your printer would make sense ergonomically). o The cost of the laser printer is really just the engine and paper transport mechanism, plus the SCSI port that drives the engine. The case and power supply costs are shared by the harddrive (you would have to buy a case & power supply for an external drive anyway). o The large bitmaps would seem to transfer quickly, because of the high speed of the A3000 SCSI port. An integrated compression scheme might improve this factor even more. o Commodore supported postscript->raster-image conversion in the A3000. o File-server approach would make it desireable for sites with several machines. The number of machines would be limited, though. Disadvantages: o Careful design would be required to ensure that the engine could not be 'disconnected' from the drive by the host during a printing operation. o The drive space would need a fan to keep cool outside air flowing through it (laser printers can get warm inside). o The total cost would be more than a harddrive alone, and more than a laser alone, so it not be cheaper than, say a laserjet. But the performance/cost ratio would be quite high. And it should be cheaper than a typical postscript printer (which costs ~$3000). _. --Steve ._||__ DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own. Warren v\ *| ---------------------------------------------- V {uunet,sun}!convex!swarren; swarren@convex.com --