[CentOS] Printer recommendations

[fred smith]

On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 11:02:04AM -0500, Paul Johnson wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 8:52 AM, Ron Loftin <reloftin at twcny.rr.com> wrote:
> >
> > Since my old Epson C86 has finally managed to clog up the print heads,
> > I'm in the market for a replacement.  I'd like to know what the people
> > on this list are using for printers that are currently available, since
> > we are using versions of CUPS and foomatic that are frozen, and any
> > other issues or "gotchas" that you are aware of.
> >
> > For the replacement printer, I'm considering a color laser printer
> > instead of the inkjets that I've been using, and I'm dithering back and
> > forth over the question of direct-connect or networked printer.
> > Suggestions, warnings, and horror stories are welcome.
> 
<snip>
> I have had an absolutely horrible experience with HP1018. It is a
> non-postscript printer that HP sells now.  It has a print driver
> system that reminds me quite a bit of the old "win modems" that
> appeared in 1993 or so.  I recall it was called the "Zj stream
> protocol" or something like that.  It is supposed to work with hplip
> and some special drivers & firmware, but it is very unstable for us.
> After wrestling with drivers a lot, I contacted their support and the
> man said to me "we don't even make that, some Chinese company slaps
> those together and we sell them to compete in the lowest part of the
> market.  You get what you pay for."  A secretary ordered some because
> they are windows compatible.  But they are really windows only.  At
> all costs, avoid HP1018 or any HP device that does not support
> postscript protocol.
 
For those who may be interested in low-priced monochrome lasers (the last
poster's cautionary tale about the el-cheapo HP lasers makes me think to
post this) I've been VERY HAPPY with my Brother HL2070-N printer. I got
it for $133 from Amazon about a year and a half ago, but at various times
I've seen it for less than $100 there, or at newegg or other places. It
"just works" on my Centos system. Plugged it in to USB and up pops a
window asking if I'd like to configure it now.  I've since changed it
to be on the household LAN where it also just works. There's a very
similar one that lacks the network interface (I think it's the HL2040)
for even less money, but has the same performance specs (but half the
RAM, I assume that without the network layer and the administration web
page it needs less). Brother has GPL drivers for it, but I didn't need
them. it was literally plug and play.

-- 
---- Fred Smith -- fredex at fcshome.stoneham.ma.us -----------------------------
  "For him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his 
 glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior
 be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before
                     all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."
----------------------------- Jude 1:24,25 (niv) -----------------------------
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