Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!CSNET-RELAY.ARPA!egisin%watmath.waterloo.edu From: egisin%watmath.waterloo.edu@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA (Eric Gisin) Newsgroups: mod.computers.laser-printers Subject: Re: (none) Message-ID: <8608090349.AA18099@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> Date: Fri, 8-Aug-86 15:31:10 EDT Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8608090349.AA18099 Posted: Fri Aug 8 15:31:10 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Aug-86 10:19:53 EDT References: <8608080210.AA25485@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 32 Approved: laser-lovers@washington.arpa > Bob Knight writes: > > I love postscript, and wish this weren't true, but: > > Adobe hasn't done that, that I've seen. The fastest PostScript printer > available now that know of is the DataProducts 26ppm unit, and it can't > get close to that speed except in multiple-copy-per-image operation. > Likewise, I've never seen my Apple LaserWriter come close to the 8ppm > that the engine is rated except likewise in multiple copy mode. The > Linotron phototypesetters can take many, many minutes per page. > > The DEC PS-40 isn't here yet, and even that, with a dedicated microvax, > won't come near the super fast top-of-the-line xerox and IBM laser > printers. Anyone know how fast this baby really prints? > > Do you know of a high speed PS printer, Bob? I've heard many complaints that PostScript printers are slow, but in practice I've noticed the speed depends on the program that generated the PostScript and the complexity of the page. My text-to-PS and Epson-to-PS program's output prints at very close to 8 pg/min on an Apple Laser Writer, my ditroff driver prints fairly fast if the document is mostly in one font with few font or size changes. I have also set the printer's idlefonts to include the common fonts and sizes generated by default in most applications. The 8-12 MHz 68000 in most PS printers is not suitiable for output at more that 8 pg/min; but there are faster processors and special processors to do fast low-level bit-map graphics. I think we will start to see several high-performance PostScript printers on the market soon using this type of hardware at competitive prices.