GRASS Printers

[W. Fredrick Limp]

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> > SUBJECT:	GRASS - Preferred Printers & Relative Costs
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> > 	Community; could a number of you suggest what
> > 	printer devices you may be using with GRASS in
> > 	an IPX platform environment, if there were...
> 
> |       We are using a Tek 4697 (97 not 96) and are quite pleased
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> 
> What is a Tek 4697? I assume it's a color printer of some sort (I  
> can't imagine printing from a system like  GRASS without one). And  
> was that price $1200? Are we talking ink jet technology? If so, we  
> weren't happy with ink jet output from either Cannon or HP.  How does  
> the Tek 4697 compare with them?

The Tek4697 is an ink jet and yep its the low 1,000 price range.  Actually it
is called the Tek Colorquick and it is sold for Macs and PCs but works
fine on a Sparc... we use the parallel port on the Newsprint card.
We had a Diablo 150 in the very old days and a Tek4696 later.  This is
much better.  Tek has apparently addressed many of the problems that
the ink jet systems present... it does a cleaning cycle on its own
has not clogged once (only in use ca 1 -2 months to date) but other folks
have had one longer with similar results.  Freedom of the Press is supposed
to have a driver to allow Postscript output to be printer on it but haven't 
seen that myself. Because it cleans itself (cat like) it does use ink and
while I can't personally say I'm told costs are higher than you would think
per image.  It does "wall size" images in GRASS fairly easily since it
is roll fed and you need only splice two (or more) together.  If you do it
well it's hard to see the splice... look ma E-size plots with a $1,200
printer a razor and scotch magic tape..... 

However.... I knew a Tek Phaser and the 4697 is no Phaser..
political joke.... but is is worth considering.  The thermal wax
makes great images but they do flake off.  There is a new Tek
that uses dye sublimation (sp) and the samples I've seen are
incredible.  Expendables for both are ca $0.50-0.75 depending on who
you talk to.  We are seriously looking at both.  They are Postscript
(level 2) and the only way I know to get GRASS output to them is
via p.ppm.  There are regular rumors of a PS GRASS driver but ????
 
> 
> The apparent poor quality of ink jet has caused us to consider  
> thermal wax instead.We are planning the purchase of a Tek Phaser II  
> color printer. It is a termal wax printer. It will cost between  
> $8,000 and $10,000 depending on options (including network  
> interface). It is a Postscript Level II printer. It is designed to  
> take spooled output from lpr in any Unix environment (we have Suns  
> and Nexts). What is the GRASS path to this printer?
> 
> Any comments?
> 


-- 
W. Fredrick Limp,   Director                     FAX: (501) 575-3846
CAST, Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies   TEL: (501) 575-6159     
12 Ozark Hall, University of Arkansas         
Fayetteville AR 72701                             fred at kirk.uark.edu