Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!ames!ncar!boulder!ccncsu!longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu!steved
From: steved@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Steve Dempsey)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Can the Pacific Page HPLJII PS cartridge print TeX dvi2ps?
Message-ID: <3533@ccncsu.ColoState.EDU>
Date: 22 Dec 89 19:39:46 GMT
References: <258FF596.1429@paris.ics.uci.edu> <15071@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Sender: news@ccncsu.ColoState.EDU
Reply-To: steved@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Steve Dempsey)
Followup-To: comp.text
Organization: Colorado State University, College of Engineering
Lines: 72

In answer to the question posed in the subject line, yes PacificPage
prints TeX/dvi files using dvi2ps.  I did not test it extensively so
the 4 font limit may still be suspect.  But dvi2lj produces equally
good output, is faster, and works with the standard 512K memory.

In article <258FF596.1429@paris.ics.uci.edu>, rfg@ics.uci.edu (Ron
Guilmette) writes:
> 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.
>
 [stuff deleted]
>
> 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.

I have used the following hardware:

    LaserJet+
    DeskJet+     w/256K memory upgrade
    LaserJetII   w/ & w/o 2M memory upgrade
    LaserJetIIp  w/ & w/o 2M memory upgrade
    LaserJetII   w/PacificPage

All of these have been connected to large hosts (VAX780) or workstations
(VS2000).  TeX+dvi2lj/dvidsk (Beebe & HP) works fine with all of them,
even w/o memory upgrades (except DJ+).  Even 8-10 fonts/page usually works
OK because only the needed characters are downloaded rather than the entire
font.  More memory gives you more room for fonts and full-page raster
graphics.  We have not fully explored the multiple source capabilities
of any of the dvi2lj filters (\special) and use only TeX, LaTeX, and
[di]troff/pic/tbl/eqn.  Some desperate users feed pages two or three
times to overlay images, but most of the folks wanting fancy diagrams
and WYSIWYG use Mac's.

We don't yet have a very high demand for PS so I don't have much to
compare with.  PacificPage is OK for the occasional PS document and the
output looks just like it came from a LaserWriter(no +).  Seems to be
about 80% as fast as the LW.  I have yet to find a way to make it toggle
between PS and PCL mode from an lpd output filter [anyone been successful
with this?].  The thing takes 30-40 seconds to reset after each mode switch.
This makes for utter chaos in the spooled environment.  It would probably
be OK on a single-user machine.  BTW, the latest issue of _Byte_ has a
fair review of PacificPage.

The LJIIp seems to be 100% compatible with the LJII at 1/2 the speed.
Transfer rates are identical; just the paper feed mechanism runs slower.
Until we know how well it stands up to heavy [ab]use (avg. 400 pages/day),
we'll continue to use LJII's in the labs.  For the guys who want their
own printer on a workstation and don't need PS, the IIp is a bargain.

My recommendation would be a IIp for light duty printing of plain text
and TeX/dvi output.  But if you're going to do lots of PostScript, probably
better to go for a real PS printer instead of LJII+memory+PacificPage.


        Steve Dempsey,  Center for Computer Assisted Engineering
  Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO  80523    +1 303 491 0630
INET: steved@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu, dempsey@handel.CS.ColoState.Edu
UUCP: boulder!ccncsu!longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu!steved, ...!ncar!handel!dempsey