Selecting Your Perfect Printer

If you've had your computer for a while, maybe you feel that it's about time that you had something tangible to show your friends and relatives -- to prove that your computer is more than a glorified video game. If so, then give your Atari system the power of creation with a new printer. Once you are able to produce hard copy, you will be better able to edit your programs, as well as being able to print out files and use word processing programs to pound out text, rebuffing those of little faith who are either too poor or too stupid to have their own system. But, if you've tested the waters in search of your perfect printer, you may have found yourself drowning in an ocean of different types, brands and features. Well, take heart; after reading this article, you should be able to both pull your head above the water and fish out the printer that will not only work for you, but one which you will later consider a wise investment.

There are two steps to follow when selecting a printer: (1) determine your needs and budget; (2) fit a printer to those needs and budget.

Your first step is the most important one, because a definite objective always improves your final decision. Ask yourself what you will use the printer for. Will it be primarily to print out program listings? Will you also want to do some word processing, and -- if you do -- will the output be used for informal correspondence or for school or business use? Finally, how much do you expect to use it? Truthful answers to these questions will supply you with an objective that ensures your getting (and paying for) only the options you want and need.

Establish your budget constraints and confine yourself to a price range. Printers range in price from lows of around $100 to highs of well into the thousands of dollars, so finding a printer to fit your budget should not be a problem.

The three basic types

Once you've answered the above questions, you are ready for the more difficult task of fitting a printer to your needs. Printers come in three basic types, classified by their mode of operation: thermal, dot-matrix and letter-quality. Each of these types forms the images on the paper in different ways, which give rise to advantages and disadvantages.

Printers which utilize the thermal method have a print head with a number of small electrodes which burn tiny dots onto special paper as the head moves across it. These dots form the letters and graphics. Advantages are inexpensiveness, durability and near-silent operation. Also, you will never run out of ink. However, they require a special type of paper, which is more expensive than regular typing paper and may be hard to find in different forms. So printing on labels, envelopes, index cards and the like may be impossible.

Thermal printers would be best for the person who wants his printer to primarily produce program listings. It would also allow for word processing, but the paper has a peculiar slippery feet and often darkens with age. If only program listings will be printed, the best choice would be a thermal printer which prints on narrow rolls of paper, as these are the least expensive printers available.

Dot-matrix printers are similar to thermal printers, in that they also print images using tiny dots. However, the dot-matrix printer's print head has a number of little rods or needles which strike an ink ribbon against the paper to form the image. They are noisier than thermal printers, and the head has a limited lifetime, which -- after extended use -- will have to be replaced, as will the ink ribbon. While a new ribbon will cost about $10, a replacement head will range from $40 to over $100, so estimating your total expected use is crucial. An advantage of dot-matrix printers is that they will print on any type of paper that can be fed through the machine.

Because of the similarity of the print heads in thermal and dot-matrix printers, they can print roughly the same things. Both create graphics and characters, and both can feature various type styles, such as elongated, emphasized, compressed, etc. (see Figure 1). Both have similar print speeds and may allow lines to be printed twice, with a slight offset overlap, to nearly equal the quality of the characters of a typewriter or letter-quality printer. The quality of the print and graphics of these printers depends on the number of dots making up the image; the more dots, the better the image.

Letter quality printers are different from both the thermal and dot-matrix in that they have an element, much like a typewriter, which strikes a ribbon against the paper. The element is usually a daisy-wheel (although the Atari 1027 uses print drums to achieve the same result). These printers are noisier (again, similar to a typewriter) and are generally the most expensive (although the 1027 is, once more, the exception at a very reasonable list price of $349). They also print much more slowly than either of the other types, and have ink ribbons which must be replaced occasionally. Their major drawback is that they can only print what is on the element (usually letters) and are thus incapable of printing graphics. However, some printers allow optional interchangeable elements. These additional elements cost around $8 to $10 each and include pica, elite, gothic, script and many other special type styles.

Letter-quality printers are your best bet if you plan to use the output for business or other formal correspondence. However, for school use, the dot-matrix may be adequate -- depending on how particular the person receiving the printout is.

There are printers which are used to create color graphics, using small pens to plot lines which form the images. An example of this type is the Atari 1020. These are generally only for graphics and special printing uses. Also available are printers which use laser beams or ink jets to form the images, but these generally cost well into the thousands of dollars and, because of their prohibitive cost, will not be fully explored here.

Finally, there are printers which have their own keyboards and double as electric typewriters. If you consider purchasing one of these printers, remember that, while they may cost less than both a printer and a typewriter, they are considerably more expensive than a printer and a word processing program. The simple fact -- the more complex the machine the more likely it is to fail -- applies here.

Other considerations

In addition to the above factors, there are a few more which apply, regardless of the type of printer under consideration. One of these is the method of paper feed. Some printers use sprockets to pull the paper through the printer, while others use friction feed (much like a typewriter), and some combine both methods. The advantage of friction feed is that anything that can fit into the machine can be printed on, while sprocket-fed printers must use paper with holes along the edges which engage their sprockets. However, the sprocket-fed printer will print on continuous fanfold paper and keep it precisely in line with the print head. Look for a sharp edge to rip paper off as it is removed from the printer.

Your new printer will have to be connected to your system with a cable and an interface. Since nearly all Atari-compatible printers utilize a parallel interface, we will consider only this type. While the Atari and Axiom printers come complete with cable and interface, most printers require you to purchase these separately at a cost of $50-100. This cost may or may not be included in the price of the printer, so ask to be sure. Also, refer to ANALOG issue 16 for a feature describing how to build an interface for around $20. Consider to what extent the printer will become part of the peripheral daisy chain.

Determine the availability and cost of a printer driver, which will allow your computer to tell the printer what to do. Again, this cost may or may not be included in the price of the printer, depending on the supplier.

If you have a word processing program (or will be purchasing one), consider how well the printer and program will cooperate. AtariWriter will work with most printers compatible with the Atari, and allows use of a printer driver, or allows manual entry of decimal codes directly into the text to tell the printer when to underline, subscript, etc. For a review of the AtariWriter, see ANALOG issue 11.

A buffer takes the data your computer sends to the printer and holds it while it is interpreted and printed. When all the data has been sent to the buffer, the computer is freed up to be used again. Since the buffer is filled up faster than the fastest printer can print, the printer's speed is the limiting factor. The larger the buffer, the more likely you will be able to go back to work while the printer labors mindlessly away. Unfortunately, most printers have a buffer of only 1-3K, roughly equivalent to 1000-3000 characters, or about one double-spaced typewritten page. Therefore, your computer could be tied up for an extended period of time when you are printing out a relatively long document. The solution is a separate buffer which can completely empty the computer's memory... These cost about $300, so estimate the value of your time.

The instruction manual is a very important part of any hardware purchase. Look for completeness and clarity. Tables of the necessary decimal codes are very helpful, and a troubleshooting section will save you much time and exasperation. Also look to the instruction manual before you purchase as the definitive authority on the printer's features and options.

While, internally, most printers' mechanisms are identical, external designs differ greatly. Since the exterior will be staring at you, pick a printer which looks aesthetically pleasing to you. Also note the location of the switches, lights and cable connections in relation to the printer's probable location, considering visibility and ease of access.

Most companies will supply you with information and brochures on their printers. If your dealer does not have this information, many companies require a stamped, self-addressed envelope for their response.

Once you've selected your printer, you will have to decide where you will buy it. While mail-order is generally much cheaper than retail, this is because they do not have the overhead of salespeople who can help you with any little problems which may arise. Some offset this by giving you a number to call for help, and the Atari toll-free hot line is always available. Regardless of mail-order or retail outlet, determine the supplier's return policy. While warranties from the factory apply, regardless of where you purchase your printer (as long as you remember to mail in the warranty registration card), a dealer may give you additional rights. If you purchase through the mail, be sure that your package is insured against any damage in transit.

Common abbreviations

CPI

characters per inch; measures width of print.

CPS

characters per second; measures print speed; larger numbers represent faster speeds.

DPI

dots per inch; measures graphic resolution; the higher the number, the better the image.

LPI

lines per inch; measures height of print.

MCBF

mean (average) characters before failure; measures the life of a component before repair is needed.

Your turn

Now you should be prepared to venture forth and ferret out the printer you need. Take it slow and avoid the high-pressure salesman and impulse buying, as they are your worst enemies. If you are thorough in your search and follow the guidelines in this article, modified with your own common sense, you will end up treasuring your printer rather than cursing the day you bought it.

The author wishes to express his gratitude to Perfect Computers of Niles, Ohio for their valuable assistance in the preparation of this article.