Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Sat, 31 Mar 2012 21:14:26 +1000
From:      Da Rock <freebsd-questions@herveybayaustralia.com.au>
To:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Printer recommendation please
Message-ID:  <4F76E712.6040703@herveybayaustralia.com.au>
In-Reply-To: <20120330232307.41e420b1.freebsd@edvax.de>
References:  <4F75D37C.2020203@lovetemple.net> <20120330232307.41e420b1.freebsd@edvax.de>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On 03/31/12 07:23, Polytropon wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:38:36 +0200, 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?
> Allow me to mention some things that are worth investing in.
>
> 1. Network connection.
> Don't bother with USB stuff. Buy a printer that offers Ethernet
> and maybe also WLAN, this will save you many trouble, and you
> are free to put the printer wherever you want.
>
> 2. Standard language.
> Postscript and PCL. Make sure the printer understands at least
> one of them. PCL is very common among HP printers. Regarding
> drivers - you don't need them. PS is the default output format
> for printing from every application. Printer filter collections
> such as apsfilter or CUPS tend to support non-PS printers very
> well, and it's quite easy to write your own printer filter (may
> even be a one-liner) using ghostscript. There's nothing wrong
> with PS because (as I said) you don't need any drivers, but the
> data transfer may need some time, and the processing speed
> depends on how fast and how good (!) the PS interpreter in the
> printer is. In my experience (with the printers I'm going to
> mention at the end of this message) PCL is faster.
+1.

+1 +1 +1.... ;) A definite must! Cannot be emphasised enough; the others 
are manufacturer errors!
>
> 3. Laser printer.
> Don't believe that inkpee printers are genereally cheaper. They
> are not. The only excuse for using them is that you need photo
> quality color prints (requiring the proper paper, too).
Usually by the time you need to replace a cartridge you may want to buy 
another printer- it will take you that long to go through the cartridge 
(4000 prints as opposed to the 40 in an inkjet that you _may_ get out of 
it). Remember you have to pay nearly the same amount _somewhere_; either 
through ink/toner or initial cost (or pain :) ).
>
> 4. Additional functionalities.
> Before buying something, ask yourself what you need. Does it
> need to have a scanner? Does the scanner part support FreeBSD?
> Is there a way to "scan to local storage" (e. g. USB stick)
> in the printer? Does it need a sheet feeder for scan input?
> Does it need to scan photo positive/negative films? Does it
> need to fax?
>
> I have had good luck with my army of laser printers here.
> HP Laserjet II, 4, 4000 duplex, as well as a Samsung color
> laserprinter CLX-2160. All this stuff works out of the box.
> I don't have any need for inkpee. Photos can be printed at
> much better quality at my local drugstore, if I need that.
> The printer filters are gs one-liners I wrote myself, because
> I speak PCL to the laser printer, and some splix gibberish
> using foo2qpdl to the (sadly USB connected) color printer.
>
>
>
>




Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?4F76E712.6040703>