Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!wasatch!utah-gr!uplherc!esunix!blgardne
From: blgardne@esunix.UUCP (Blaine Gardner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Cheap colour printer
Message-ID: <988@esunix.UUCP>
Date: 2 Oct 88 20:47:13 GMT
References: <7291@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Lines: 46

From article <7291@gryphon.CTS.COM>, by richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton):
> [Tandy colour printer info deleted]
> 
> Didn't sound like a commercial to me. I've never heard of the thing. Is it
> a Tandy engine, or a Canon clone, like the Quadram.
 
It's the Canon PJ-1080A with a different sticker on the front. There may
be some difference in the ROM (as with the Quadram), but its the same
basic printer, and the ink packs are interchangable.

The same printer was also OEMed by IBM. The IBM version was the subject
of a big closeout promotion in Computer Shopper last year for $200. This
was at the same time that Radio Shack was closing out their version for
$200 also. (Me? I bought a used Canon for about $50.)

It seems that Canon dropped the PJ-1080A at just the wrong time, since
the Amiga stirred up a market for cheap color printers. I've heard a
rumor that they were putting it back into production, any truth there?

I've also heard that someone was selling an improved ROM for the Canon
that changed the horrible font it comes with into something usable. If anyone
knows where to find this upgrade, please let me know.

> Care to comment on the ink colour quality ? Is red RED like the Tektronix,
> orange like the HP and the Canon, or a tad on the cyan side like the Xerox ?

The colors aren't anything to get too excited over. Since it is the
Canon under the skin, it shares the same purplish blue, and the orange
reds.

> How about blue ? Is it greenish, purpleish, or BLUE ?
> 
> Can you still buy these things in Radio Shacks ?

I don't think so, and the ink packs seem to be a special order item now.
I've been told that only the Radio Shack Computer Centers can even order
the ink packs. However, Radio Shack still seems to be the best source
for them.

My only interest here is improving the performance of a useful
peripherial my Amiga owns.
-- 
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland    580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108
UUCP Addresses:  {ucbvax,allegra,decvax}!decwrl!esunix!blgardne
        	 utah-cs!esunix!blgardne        usna!esunix!blgardne
"Nobody will ever need more than 64K."    "Nobody needs multitasking on a PC."