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From: rfg@ics.uci.edu (Ron Guilmette)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Can the Pacific Page HPLJII PS cartridge print TeX dvi2ps?
Message-ID: <258FF596.1429@paris.ics.uci.edu>
Date: 20 Dec 89 21:11:49 GMT
References: <15071@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Reply-To: Ron Guilmette <rfg@ics.uci.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: University of California, Irvine - Dept of ICS
Lines: 46

In article <15071@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> regan@cs.Buffalo.EDU (Kenneth Regan) writes:
>The "Pacific Page" is a fairly new ROM cartridge for the HP LJII which
>interprets PostScript files at about the speed of the Apple LaserWriter Plus
>(slower than the NT or NTX).  It lists for $695 ($200 off is typical),
>comes with the standard 35 LW+ typefaces, and can accept up to 4 soft fonts
>/in Bitstream's format/.  Therein lies the possible rub(s):

I was asking about the combination of TeX+dvi2ps+PacificPage+HP/LJ2p here
awhile ago also.

I was informed by several people that I *could* spend that extra $695,
but that it is probably unnecessary.  Rather, several people suggested
that I should just get the dvi2lj that is available somewhere/somehow
(probably via anonymous FTP from science.utah.edu).

Since TeX comes with its own fonts, why buy more in a cartridge?

I was also informed that the 1 or 2 megabyte memory upgrade that the
Pacific Page flyer recommends is also (most probably) unnecessary.
Some people told me that the standard 1/2 MB in the HP/LJ2p will
generally be sufficient for most work where you only use a couple of
fonts per page.

Note however that while I have taken the advice of *not* buying the
PacificPage or the extra memory, I also have yet to purchase the HP/LJ2p!
I just haven't gotten 'round to it yet.  Thus, I cannot say with complete
certainty that TeX+dvi2lj+HP/LJ2p works.  I have also not yet had the
time to port TeX and dvi2lj to my current system (a recently introduced
RISC workstation).

I have taken note however of the fact that there have been occasional
reports here of various glitches when using dvi2lj.  I believe that
some of these have been attributed to minor differences between the various
models of the HP LaserJets.  (Note: the IIp is the newest and most inexpensive
one, and I don't believe that I've seen anybody say here whether or not
they have gotten TeX+dvi2lj+HP/LJ2p working reliably.)

Can anyone reading this posting comment on (a) the availability of
(various versions of?) dvi2lj, and (b) the reliability of that particular
driver and its current state (i.e. are there patches available that might
be needed or useful), and (c) the operation (successful or otherwise) of
the combination of TeX+dvi2lj+HP/LJ2p.

I, for one, am particularly interested in the IIp specifically.

// rfg