Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:44:35 +0200 From: "Julian H. Stacey" <jhs@berklix.com> To: Karel Miklav <karel@lovetemple.net> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Printer recommendation please Message-ID: <201203301944.q2UJiZiI015736@fire.js.berklix.net> In-Reply-To: Your message "Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:38:36 %2B0200." <4F75D37C.2020203@lovetemple.net>
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Karel Miklav wrote:
> Could you please recommend me a home printer that works nicely with FreeBSD?
>
> HP inkjets aren't that bad, FreeBSD drivers are allright, but I'd like
> to shift towards some kind of PostScript laser. Xerox Phaser 6500 looks
> nice, but I can not economically justify my appetite. Is there a cheaper
> alternative or maybe PostScript printers aren't that good idea anyway, heh?
Postscript printers make [more] sense If:
- Corporate use .. maybe ?
- Trying to offload connected PC CPU (rarely need to for home
use, now PCs are fast).
- Coms link to printer is slow
Worst case: I once had a serial cable to a serial
to parallel converter, then you notice how big PCL data is.
especially if doing own font rendering, not using printer
built in font sets, ( I made my own Russian font sets once).
So now CPU load no longer an issue, & as
these days an ethernet to centronics type converter is cheap, connect
any old PCL laser with centronics (eg my Old HP 4L cost me ~ 3 beers)
Ghostscript converts { PS & PDF etc } to PCL,
called automatically as a filter from /etc/printcap
I wrote my own filter,
http://berklix.com/~jhs/src/bsd/jhs/bin/local/lpf_vsl/lpf_vsl
before becoming aware there's a standard one:
/usr/ports/print/apsfilter
There's a section in the Handbook about CUPS you should read
For some new HP USB you want certain options in & out of kernel.
Cheers,
Julian
--
Julian Stacey, BSD Unix Linux C Sys Eng Consultants Munich http://berklix.com
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