[Qgis-user] Large Format Printing (A0)

[Alex Mandel]

Mailing Lists wrote:
> Hi
> 
> On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 9:16 PM, Alex Mandel <tech_dev at wildintellect.com> wrote:
>> Tim Sutton wrote:
>>> Hi All
>>>
>>> Does anyone have any experience using large format (A0) printers with
>>> FOSSGIS software (QGIS, GRASS, etc.). Do you have any stories to tell
>>> about what works and what doesn't? And do you have any suggestions about
>>> suitable makes and models of printers to use?
>>>
>>> Thanks for your input!
>>>
>>> Regards
>>>
>> Even with proprietary apps, I always create a ps of pdf file before
>> sending to the plotter. I have yet to meet a graphic intensive program
>> that doesn't require this, in order to have sane printing times free of
>> errors.
>>
> 
> Yup good advice thanks.
> 
>> That said HP Designjet 5500, 8000, 10000 models are quite common amongst
>> GIS shops I know. Although my suspicion is that the Epson plotters could
>> be quite good I never managed to convince a government shop to buy one
>> because they had a contract in place with HP already (Even if the HP sucked)
> 
> I'm wasnt very clear in my first email in that I want the printer to
> work under a linux-only environment. I guess this is the case with
> DesignJet devices?
> 
> Regards
> 
> 
I'll admit I haven't tried to print to the HP 8000 at my current work
where my Linux box is accepted. I'll check with my officemate who
probably has from his Ubuntu box.

Cups has long had good support for HP models, in fact they sponsor
http://www.openprinting.org/printer_list.cgi
Which is where you could check if a printer has drivers already for linux.

Brother historically supports linux - plotters? no idea.
And Epson is a big Mac fan which also uses Cups.

I would match the list from openprinting against models you like and see
what you find.

Alex