A while ago I asked for comments about using a SparcPrinter to provide print
services to a network of Macs. I also asked about alternative sources for
SparcPrinter consumables.
in short, quite a few people said there are supposedly quite a few bugs
fixed in version 2.0 that are related to using Adobe fonts and foreign generated
postscipt. The responses were negative enough that I won't buy one without a
serious eval period.
Regarding a second srouce for supplies, no one knows of one, but everyone wants
one. One person said he's sure the engine is made by Xerox, but that Xerox
wouldn't talk to him about supplies for it. Looks like Sun is keeping everyone
pretty quiet about the whole thing.
My original message is attached, followed by the replies I received.
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond!
Jeff
---- (my original message)Subject: Looking for comments on SparcPrinter
We're considering adding a SparcPrinter to the 4 processor 630 we've got on order. Right now we are a mostly Mac office, with the Sun providing file and print service (using Helios Ethershare).
How well does the SparcPrinter work in a Mac environment? We do mostly graphics-type work, so we have fairly difficult print jobs (lots of fonts, lots of EPS/TIFF graphics etc)?
How reliable is it? Are there any second sources for toner/drum kits? The SunDirect pricing is a bit high, IMHO...
As usual, replies to me and I'll produce a small summary...
Thanks,
Jeff
-- Jeff's Oasis at Home. Now working at Air Age Publishing.... A man walks into a crowded theater and shouts, "ANYBODY WANT TO BUY A CAR?" The crowd stands up and shouts back, "WRONG THEATER!" -Edward Vielmetti
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From: doug@mcm.com (Doug Dooley)
In article <1992Apr20.013335.16087@digtype.rochester.ny.us> jeff@digtype.rochester.ny.us (Jeff Wasilko) writes: >We're considering adding a SparcPrinter to the 4 processor 630 we've >got on order. Right now we are a mostly Mac office, with the Sun >providing file and print service (using Helios Ethershare). > >How well does the SparcPrinter work in a Mac environment? We do mostly >graphics-type work, so we have fairly difficult print jobs (lots of >fonts, lots of EPS/TIFF graphics etc)?
We have a SPARCprinter with NewsPrint. We also have a HP3Si with Postscript option. Complex graphic Postscript files come out perfect on the HP, but are sometimes flawed via the NewsPrint/SPARCprinter. Sun says it has to do with bugs in the Postscript interpreter used by NewsPrint, part of X-Windows or Open Look; Sun told us next release may fix this. I believe details may be on Sun's bug database. SPARCprinter works well with text-only files or with limited graphics. The SPARCprinter has a small paper capacity for network use.
Doug Dooley Mellon Capital Management
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From: Filipe Santos <netcomsv.netcom.com!VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU!FVSANTOS%BRLNCC.bitnet>
>Subject: Looking for comments on SparcPrinter FVSANTOS at BRLNCC.BITNET >To: sun-managers@eecs.nwu.edu (Sun-Managers) >Date: Sun, 19 Apr 92 20:35:21 EST >From: Jeff Wasilko <jeff@digtype.rochester.ny.us> >X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
>We're considering adding a SparcPrinter to the 4 processor 630 we've >got on order. Right now we are a mostly Mac office, with the Sun >providing file and print service (using Helios Ethershare).
>How well does the SparcPrinter work in a Mac environment? We do mostly >graphics-type work, so we have fairly difficult print jobs (lots of >fonts, lots of EPS/TIFF graphics etc)?
Here at our lab we have 3 SPARCprinters, and a couple of PCs that run mostly Windows 3.0 . We use NeWSprint 1.1, which is a requirement, and run OW2.0 .
My experience with this printer has been that they serve very well to run jobs produced by Sun software, but they're not very good for ps jobs from our PC or other sources. The ps rasterizer built in in OW2.0 is full of bugs, which I have been told are fixed in OW3.0 . Gotta pay for the upgrade, fella!
Openwindows is a real hog, and consumes a lot of resources of the print server. NeWSprint is a good idea, but it's also full of bugs.
Our version does not support Adobe downloaded fonts, and sometimes the printer acts up printing out bogus error msgs from newsprint. I have been told that these bugs are fixed in NP 2.0 , I just have to order an upgrade (more money fella!) . NP 2.0 is supposed to be REAL GOOD, and will filter/manage/redirect jobs to any networked printer, not only the ones directly connected to the print server.
It also supports Level 2 PS, downloadable fonts, the works. Get a flyer from Sun for the specs. If you buy it let me know what you think of it.
The printer is inexpensive, but it has given me enough (software) headaches that today I wouldn't buy another one. Seems to be rugged, though, and rarely jams. Output seems a little jagged, but I think that all its faults stem from the software (yet another upgrade sometime).
>How reliable is it? Are there any second sources for toner/drum kits? >The SunDirect pricing is a bit high, IMHO...
Ours have stood well to the routine use, sometimes they jam with some not-so-dry paper. Rio is very humid, and it seems that the paper is picked up electrostatically, so from time to time we have to "bake" our old paper to have it work well. Jams are pretty easy to clear.
I would like to hear from second sources to toner/drum supplies. Sun charges a lot, I'd like to be able to recharge toner like we can do with the Applewriters/HP III here. Not to mention color toner, etc, etc. HP III has better output too, with a PacificPage PS cartridge, but the single page throughput is much lower (Our printserver is a IPX). Please let me know if you find out more about this topic, for unfortunately I don't know of any other supplier, or who makes the printer for Sun (Ricoh? Kyocera ?).
Multiple pages are faster because the cartridge sw is smarter, while the SUN sw rebuilds the raster image everytime for each copy. There seems to be a work around, though, I'm testing and trying to make it automatic.
>As usual, replies to me and I'll produce a small summary...
>Thanks,
>Jeff
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From: Lynton Willson <netcomsv.netcom.com!laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au!lwillson> Message-Id: <9204200802.AA24165@laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au>
In article <1992Apr20.013335.16087@digtype.rochester.ny.us>, you write: |> We're considering adding a SparcPrinter to the 4 processor 630 we've |> got on order. Hmm, perhaps you could use it for a potplant stand ....
Firstly, make sure that sun are going to give you version 2.0 of the Newsprint software. You find that after you install version 1.0 on a 690 and that it doesnt work and that you then ring sun who say .... Umm, you need 2.0, umm, dont think its been released yet .... etc... It goes down rather well that at the moment we have a Sparcprinter connected to a 690MP and we cant use it.. Had it about a month if I recall correctly....
Lynton Willson Computing Services Macquarie University SYDNEY, Australia
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From: netcomsv.netcom.com!physics.ubc.ca!unruh (William Unruh [Unruh])
In comp.sys.sun.misc you write:
>......... >How reliable is it? Are there any second sources for toner/drum kits? >The SunDirect pricing is a bit high, IMHO...
>Thanks,
>Jeff
We've had one for a year now- 40,000 pages. We've used two drums and two toner kits in that time- mainly text printing (University physics Dept.) We have had no trouble at all except for a spot on the first drum after 12000 pages- It was fortunately out of the way so we just kept using it to 20000 pages- the rated life. Fortunately we get Educational discount, but the drum/toner combo is less than 3 cents a page- it would be about 5 at full price ( Canadian dollars). Bill Unruh unruh@physics.ubc.ca PS- We have no Macs so I cannot comment on that part of your message.
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From: netcomsv.netcom.com!ast.saic.com!oliver (Thomas W Oliver)
>We're considering adding a SparcPrinter to the 4 processor 630 we've >got on order. Right now we are a mostly Mac office, with the Sun >providing file and print service (using Helios Ethershare). > >How well does the SparcPrinter work in a Mac environment? We do mostly >graphics-type work, so we have fairly difficult print jobs (lots of >fonts, lots of EPS/TIFF graphics etc)? > >How reliable is it? Are there any second sources for toner/drum kits? >The SunDirect pricing is a bit high, IMHO... >
Hello there... I currently have two sparc printers myself, and have just had one of them conplain about needing a new drum cartridge. I put a message out asking if anyone knows of a third party source for the cartridges, but as of yet I have not received any reply. I am going to post the request on sun-managers within a day and see if I get any response from there. I will let you know what answer(s) I receive. If you get any feedback, I would really like to hear that as well. B)
Thomas Oliver | telephone: 619 458-5175 Science Applications International Corporation | fax: 619 558-1391 4161 Campus Point Court MS E3 | e-mail: oliver@ast.saic.com San Diego, CA 92121 |
-- Jeff's Oasis at Home. Now working at Air Age Publishing.... A man walks into a crowded theater and shouts, "ANYBODY WANT TO BUY A CAR?" The crowd stands up and shouts back, "WRONG THEATER!" -Edward Vielmetti
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