From: tchannon@black.demon.co.uk (Tim Channon)
Subject: Re: Laser vs Bubblejet?
Reply-To: tchannon@black.demon.co.uk
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Here is a different viewpoint.

> FYI:  The actual horizontal dot placement resoution of an HP
> deskjet is 1/600th inch.  The electronics and dynamics of the ink
> cartridge, however, limit you to generating dots at 300 per inch.
> On almost any paper, the ink wicks more than 1/300th inch anyway.
> 
> The method of depositing and fusing toner of a laster printer
> results in much less spread than ink drop technology.

In practice there is little difference in quality but more care is needed 
with inkjet because smudges etc. can happen.

> It doesn't take much investigation to see that the mechanical and
> electronic complement of a laser printer is more complex than
> inexpensive ink jet printers.  Recall also that laser printers
> offer a much higher throughput:  10 ppm for a laser versus about 1
> ppm for an ink jet printer.

A cheap laser printer does not manage that sort of throughput and on top of 
that how long does the _first_ sheet take to print? Inkjets are faster than 
you say and in both cases the computer often has trouble keeping up with the 
printer. (I have a 486/33 and a lot of drivers cannot keep up with the 
printer)

A sage said to me: "Do you want one copy or lots of copies?", "One", 
"Inkjet".
 
> Something else to think about is the cost of consumables over the
> life of the printer.  A 3000 page yield toner cartridge is about
> $US 75-80 at discount while HP high capacity (~500-1000 page yield)
> cartridges are about $US 22 at discount.  It could be that over the
> life cycle of the printer that consumables for laser printers are
> less than ink jet printers.  It is getting progressively closer
> between the two technologies.  Laser printers are usually desinged
> for higher duty cycles in pages per month and longer product
> replacement cycles.

Paper cost is the same and both can use refills. Long term the laserprinter 
will need some expensive replacement parts (consumables) and on top of that 
are the amortisation costs which favour the lowest purchase cost printer.

HP inkjets understand PCL so in many cases a laserjet driver will work if the 
software package has no inkjet driver. 

There is one wild difference between the two printers: a laserprinter is a 
page printer whilst an inkjet is a line printer. This means that a 
laserprinter can rotate graphic images whilst an inkjet cannot. Few drivers 
actually use this facility.
(there is also the matter of downloadable fonts and so on)

  TC. 
    E-mail: tchannon@black.demon.co.uk or tchannon@cix.compulink.co.uk
                                
