🚀 go-pugleaf

Hi,

I don't think that "true PS vs PS emulator" has too much
relevance to your requirements. Also, most PS printers
come as PS 3 (language level 3), true PS or PS Emulator.

I'd like to add just one point of caution. You seem to
need a fast printer, B&W and colour.
There are a few "one pass" printers in the HP and Xerox
camps that could be tempting for you and perhaps would fit
in your budget (if you meant $US2000).

These printers have the same speed in colour % B&W and
regarding this feat, they are moderately priced.
However, your ongoing costs could be very unpleasant.
You need to replace colour cartridges not when they are
empty, but when they are accessed by a given number of
times. If you just highlight a single word by red in a
page, it is one step down the road.
You may need to replace a cartridge (that is much more
expensive for this kind of printers) when it is nearly full.
Study the HP 4600 posts at HP's peer-to-peer website.

Miklos

[Disclaimer: As an Adobe employee, I obviously have a financial interest in your use of devices with Adobe PostScript, not emulations thereof]

There are several issues here. One is related to how �good� or �bad� various emulations of PostScript are compared to Adobe PostScript. Another is whether you can get away with a very inexpensive color laser printer for the purposes you describe. And finally, you do need to concern yourself with cost of supplies.

In terms of the �emulations� of PostScript, some are more credible than others. The actual end-user cost of a printer generally does not reflect the cost of Adobe PostScript to the manufacturer in any significant manner � that is urban legend. However, you should be aware that we have received many, many reports of problems printing from Acrobat, InDesign, and Illustrator when printers with such �emulations� are used. Sometimes, the manufacturer of such printers provide free firmware updates to fix the problems, sometimes they charge for such fixes, and sometimes they have no fixes at all. The problems stem from the failure to fully and properly test such emulations against the publicly available (and free) PostScript language specification.

The second issue is more problematic. Until you get to the �higher end� color laser printers, you do not have a device which can really be used for �proofing� in terms of consistent / reliable color output. You also need to concern yourself with paper handling. The ability to properly and consistently feed and print on anything other than 20 or 24 lb. regular smooth, white paper may be less than stellar on the el'cheapo models. For slightly under $2000 (specifically $1799), you can get a Xerox Phaser 6250/N color xerographic printer (actually doesn't use lasers, but uses LEDs) with network option and 256MB of memory. In my experience, this would probably be the �least� you can get away with in terms of the needs you specified in your posting. (This particular printer also works exceptionally well with both Windows and Macintosh using TCP/IP - both MacOS 9 and MacOS X flavour - systems, unlike some of the less expensive alternatives you may be considering!)

Color printing is not inexpensive! Color toner is much more expensive than black toner. Toner usage varies depending upon the printer and the characteristics of what you are printing. However, contrary to a previous response you received, I know of no printer that automatically requires you to replace a toner cartridge based solely on the number of pages printed, regardless of the amount of toner remaining in the cartridge. Thus, in a four-toner color printer, if you only print monochrome output and you physically exhaust the black toner, you will not need to replace the color toners at the same time. What is true about color xerographic printers, though, is that unlike monochrome printers with only one replaceable part, the color printers have parts beyond just the toner. These parts may include fusers, drums, imagers, tranfer rollers, etc. � and these parts are not cheap. On many printers, the lifetime of these parts are �metered� by copy count, not actual wear-and-tear and physical needs of the device.

Good luck and let us know what you decide as well as how your decision actually works out!

- Dov

Just one point to add to Dov's post:

"..contrary to a previous response you received, I know of no
  printer that automatically requires you to replace a toner
  cartridge based solely on the number of pages printed, regardless
  of the amount of toner remaining in the cartridge."

Well, I did not say "solely on the number of pages printed", but
solely on the basis a colour cartridge (and fusers, drums, imagers,
whatever is included in it) is accessed. If you just make one word
per page coloured, the "life count" of all colour cartridges involved
in the colouring is decremented.

This is due to the fact that the cartridge contains elements that
have a life related to "access count", not to the volume of remaining
toner. When one element's life is up, the whole cartridge's life is
up. Whether it is full of unused toner or not.

And I did not say or even imply that one needs to change the colour
cartridges when black is exhausted.

If you don't believe me, go to HP's website and read the posts of
very angry customers who did not know this and now pay the price.
Some took the printer back, some threatened with legal action.

Besides, I only wanted to warn someone to look beyond the cost of the
printer (that can be attractive) and consider that the operating
costs can widely differ. Especially if his needs are predominantly
b&w.

On the remaining 90% of the issues I agree with Dov 100% :-)

Miklos

Sorry, before I stand corrected again, I make it clear that
I don't have a thing against one-pass lasers per se.
Just that that they are not for everyone, and just that that this fact
is not made abundantly clear in their beaut brochures.
If I could justify the running costs, I would go and buy one.

I just hope that we did not confuse Mialb further...

Miklos

QMS Magicolor 6100 indicates empty or "empty" cartridges
as individuals.

The software of the new series 7100 seems to be much better
than the 6100 version. QMS-Konica-Minolta might be a choice
now.

Best regards --Gernot Hoffmann