Posts filed under 'Printer information'
Reader’s Question:
I am thinking of purchasing a printer but I am not sure what to buy. What is the difference between laser and inkjet printer?
Rita
Fargo, ND
Laser printers, in general terms, have higher resolution so they have better print quality. Inkjets provides images by spitting out tiny droplets of ink, so their resolution is lower. You will be able to see that the laser has smoother edges to the fonts if you look closely at a page printed on a laser printer and the same page printed on an inkjet,
Inkjets are the way to go (as of 2003) for affordable color printing. Most of the more recent inkjets provide excellent color clarity and brightness, and are very well suited for printing photographs. In addition, inkjets are usually quite a bit cheaper than lasers, and color inkjets are MUCH cheaper than color laser printers.
While inkjet printers themselves are economical, their ink is much more expensive. Ink cartridges need to be replaced fairly often if you print a lot, and especially if you’re printing pictures, and ink cartridges are cheap. On the other hand, toners for laser printers is pricey, but are changed occasionally. If you are using a laser at home, you may never need to change the toner.
May 16th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
Can you please tell me what inkjet printer is and how does it work?
Janice
Austin, TX
Inkjet printers functions by propelling variably-sized droplets of liquid or molten material (ink) onto almost any medium. Inkjet printers are the most common type of computer printer for the general consumer[citation needed] due to their low cost, capability of printing in vivid color, high quality of output, and ease of use.
Like any modern technologies, the present-day inkjet has built on the progress made by many earlier versions. Among many contributors, Hewlett-Packard , Epson and Canon can claim a substantial share of the credit for the development of the modern inkjet. Consumers in a worldwide market, four manufacturers account for the majority of inkjet printer sales: Hewlett-Packard, Canon, Epson, and Lexmark.
May 8th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
Is it true some computer printers print tiny tiny microscopic text on your printing with identifying information on it?
Allan
Denver, CO
Recently a research team led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) broke the code behind tiny tracking dots that some color laser printers secretly hide in every document.
The U.S. Secret Service admitted that the tracking information is part of a deal struck with selected color laser printer manufacturers to identify counterfeiters. But, the nature of the private information encoded in each document was not previously known.
Xerox previously admitted that it provided these tracking dots to the government, but said that only the Secret Service had the ability to read the code. The Secret Service maintains that it only uses the information for criminal counterfeit investigations purposes. But, there are no laws to prevent the government from abusing this information.
May 8th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I see some printers are 1200×1200 dpi and others are 2400×600. What type of printer would produce the best looking monochrome images? Is there any B/W printer that have higher resolution than 2400×600 or 1200×1200?
Angel
Albany, NY
The number of dots per square inch are the same so the rendering
algorithm of the printer is what should matter most.
Generally, Xerox is regarded to be tops in this area for small to
medium business. I think that purpose specific INKJETS are still superior to lasers for photographs which were primarily designed with text and simple graphics in mind.
May 8th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I think there is something wrong with my printer. What safety measures or precautions should be taken when checking a problem on a laser printer?
Chelsea
Helena, MT
Although modern printers now include many safety interlocks and protection circuits, it is still possible for a high voltage or a residual voltage to be present on the various rollers, wires, and metal contacts inside a laser printer. It is important that care should be taken to avoid unnecessary contact with these parts to reduce the potential for painful electrical shock.
Most importantly, unplug the printer first. Do not perform any service or maintenance on an equipment that is plugged in. Printers can also have very hot surfaces (used to melt the print media into the paper) so there is a possibility for burns, so let the equipment cool for at least an hour or so before opening it up.
Another thing is to remember to close everything up before plugging the equipment back in. Never assume equipment is de-energized just because you turned an on/off switch to the off position. Most electrical equipment nowadays uses some power even when turned off.
May 7th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
Can you please explain to me briefly how a laser printer works?
Jim
Indianapolis, IN
A drum is charged up with electrostatic charge. Then, the laser writes the image onto the drum, discharging the bits where it shines but leaving the remainder still charged. The toner is then put on the drum, and sticks where the charge remains, but falls off where the laser has discharged it. Pressure and heat are then used to transfer this ink to the paper and fuse it on.
May 7th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I am planning to purchase a laser printer to print checks. Is laser printer the best to purchase for this? What is a laser printer?
Ann
Des Moines, IO
A laser printer is a common type of computer printer that quickly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. Laser printers, like photocopiers, employ a xerographic printing process but differ from analog photocopiers in that the image is produced by the direct scanning of a laser beam across the printer’s photoreceptor.
Laser printers can print up to 100 standard 8 1/2″ x 11″ pages per minute. To be able to print checks, the printer must be fitted with a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) font cartridge. This apply the scientific principle of static electricity. A revolving cylinder or a drum develops an electrical charge. Laser printer is page printer, printing a complete page at a time. The printed images, which can take the form of pictures or text, is made up of tiny dots, or ink particles.
May 7th, 2008
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