Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.PCS 1/10/84; site mtgzz.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ihnp4!drutx!mtuxo!mtgzz!dmt From: dmt@mtgzz.UUCP (d.m.tutelman) Newsgroups: net.micro,net.micro.trs-80,net.micro.pc Subject: Re: Printer advice needed Message-ID: <1068@mtgzz.UUCP> Date: Thu, 22-Aug-85 11:35:19 EDT Article-I.D.: mtgzz.1068 Posted: Thu Aug 22 11:35:19 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 17:57:05 EDT References: <756@brl-tgr.ARPA> Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Middletown NJ Lines: 53 Xref: watmath net.micro:11600 net.micro.trs-80:376 net.micro.pc:5053 > I am in the immediate market for a printer. > I have a few requirements that need to be satisfied by this printer. > .... > 4) IBM compatability > 5) Dot matrix printing (for graphics) BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU MEAN BY "IBM COMPATIBILITY". A lot of printers will work with the IBM PC, brethren, and clones, if you buy the proper cable. That's the easy part. Much harder is to find one that will work with the APPLICATION SOFTWARE you have. Find out what printers your favorite software supports, before you decide on the printer. The difference is in the control codes and escape sequences that do stuff like font control. The set supported by virtually all software is the control set of the Epson FX-80 (also sold by IBM with their name on it). Printers that claim "Epson compatibility" are more likely to work with your favorite word processor or poster editor than those merely claiming "IBM compatibility". And even some that are close otherwise have incompatible graphics; take, for instance, my Gemini 10X (whose graphic incompatibility leaves me without a good "paint-type" program to prepare presentation visuals. Oh sure it does graphics, even higher-res than Epson; but "better" necessarily means "different"). The best ways to determine REAL compatibility are: - Check ALL the software you ever intend to use for the printers they support, and buy only from the intersection. - If the intersection is null (or unknown; surely you'll want something someday that you don't know about now), then be sure that the printer you buy has a compatible control set. Ways to assure this include (1) get a list of the Epson FX-80 control set, and compare it with the printer's manual BEFORE you buy; (2) run your most demanding software on it (at least graphics mode, and a WP-generated document with subscripts and all fonts). One way that DOESN'T work is to ask the salesperson -- they generally don't know about this, and have a vested interest in saying "yes" in any event. Among the machines I believe to be compatible are the AT&T 473, and the Star SG-10. No guarantees, though; I haven't done any serious testing. I do know that the C.Itoh 8510, the Gemini 10X, and some of Okis are cable-compatible but control-code incompatible (the Gemini is close, but slightly screwy graphics). Dave Tutelman Physical - AT&T Information Systems Holmdel, NJ 07733 Logical - ...ihnp4!mtuxo!mtgzz!dmt Audible - (201)-834-2895