A device that converts computer output into printed images. Following is an overview of the various technologies. For more details, look up the individual entries.
General Categories
Serial Printers (Character Printers)
Serial printers print one character at a time moving across the paper. Electrosensitive, direct thermal, older daisy wheel and even inkjet printers could be cataloged in this group; however, the primary desktop serial printer is the serial dot matrix printer, with speeds ranging from 200 to 400 cps, which is about 90 to 180 lines per minute (lpm).
Line Printers
Line printers print a line at a time from approximately 400 to 2,000 lpm and are commonly found in datacenters and industrial environments. Earlier technologies included drum, chain, train and dot band matrix technologies. The surviving technologies use band and line matrix mechanisms.
Page Printers
Page printers print a page at a time from four to more than 800 ppm. Laser, LED, solid ink and electron beam imaging printers fall into this category. All of these printers adhere toner or ink onto a drum which is transferred to the entire page in one cycle for black and white and multiple cycles for color.
Impact Printers
Serial Dot Matrix
A desktop printer that uses a moving printhead of wire hammers. It forms characters and graphics by impacting a ribbon and transferring dots of ink onto the paper. See dot matrix printer.
Line Matrix
A type of line printer that uses an oscillating row of print hammers. The hammers form characters and graphics by impacting a ribbon and transferring dots of ink onto the paper. See line matrix printer.
Band (Line Character)
A type of line printer that uses a fixed set of characters attached to a continuously revolving metal band. A set of hammers (one for each column) hit the paper, pushing it into the ribbon and against the character image on the band. See band printer.
Earlier Impact Technologies
Impact printers were developed for the first computers, and several earlier technologies have gone by the wayside.
Chain, train and drum printers were precursors to band printers. They all used actual shaped characters, or type slugs, to print a fixed size and style of letter and digit. Daisy wheel printers were desktop impact printers used in the 1970s and 1980s. Dot band matrix printers used a combination of band printer and dot matrix methods. See chain printer, train printer, drum printer, daisy wheel and dot band matrix printer.
Non-Impact Printers
Laser & LED
Laser printers and LED printers employ the electrophotographic method used in copy machines. Both technologies are available from small desktop units to high-speed digital printing presses, ranging in speed from four to more than 700 ppm, and color units from three to 75 ppm. See laser printer, LED printer and electrophotographic.
Inkjet
Inkjets have become the most popular form of desktop personal printer, and all units print in color. Inkjets propel droplets of ink directly onto the paper. See inkjet printer.
IRIS
IRIS printers use inkjet technology, but are in a class by themselves. They achieve a perceived 1,800 dpi resolution and can print on fabric as well as paper. See IRIS printer.
Solid Ink
Solid ink printers use sticks of wax ink that are melted into a liquid. The ink is directed onto a drum, similar to a laser printer, and then transferred onto the paper to produce high-quality output. See solid ink printer.
Electron Beam Imaging
A technology somewhat similar to a laser printer, except that electricity is used to create the image instead of light. This evolved from ion deposition and is used in very high-speed page printers exceeding 800 ppm. See electron beam imaging.
Thermal Wax Transfer & Dye Sublimation
Dots of ink or dye are transferred from a ribbon onto paper by passing the ribbon and the paper across a line of heating elements. Thermal wax is used for bar code and other types of labels as well as medium-resolution graphics. Dye sublimation is used for photorealistic color output. See thermal wax transfer printer and dye sublimation printer.
Electrosensitive
A dot matrix printhead charges dots on aluminum-coated silver paper, usually in a serial fashion. The charge removes the coating, leaving a black image. See electrosensitive printer.
Direct Thermal
Used in bar code and other specialty printers as well as in earlier fax machines, dots are burned onto a type of coated paper that darkens when heat is applied to it. See direct thermal printer.
Electrostatic
Dots are charged onto a coated paper, typically a line at a time. A toner is attracted to the paper and made permanent by pressure or heat. See electrostatic plotter.
General Categories
Serial Printers (Character Printers)
Serial printers print one character at a time moving across the paper. Electrosensitive, direct thermal, older daisy wheel and even inkjet printers could be cataloged in this group; however, the primary desktop serial printer is the serial dot matrix printer, with speeds ranging from 200 to 400 cps, which is about 90 to 180 lines per minute (lpm).
Line Printers
Line printers print a line at a time from approximately 400 to 2,000 lpm and are commonly found in datacenters and industrial environments. Earlier technologies included drum, chain, train and dot band matrix technologies. The surviving technologies use band and line matrix mechanisms.
Page Printers
Page printers print a page at a time from four to more than 800 ppm. Laser, LED, solid ink and electron beam imaging printers fall into this category. All of these printers adhere toner or ink onto a drum which is transferred to the entire page in one cycle for black and white and multiple cycles for color.
Impact Printers
Serial Dot Matrix
A desktop printer that uses a moving printhead of wire hammers. It forms characters and graphics by impacting a ribbon and transferring dots of ink onto the paper. See dot matrix printer.
Line Matrix
A type of line printer that uses an oscillating row of print hammers. The hammers form characters and graphics by impacting a ribbon and transferring dots of ink onto the paper. See line matrix printer.
Band (Line Character)
A type of line printer that uses a fixed set of characters attached to a continuously revolving metal band. A set of hammers (one for each column) hit the paper, pushing it into the ribbon and against the character image on the band. See band printer.
Earlier Impact Technologies
Impact printers were developed for the first computers, and several earlier technologies have gone by the wayside.
Chain, train and drum printers were precursors to band printers. They all used actual shaped characters, or type slugs, to print a fixed size and style of letter and digit. Daisy wheel printers were desktop impact printers used in the 1970s and 1980s. Dot band matrix printers used a combination of band printer and dot matrix methods. See chain printer, train printer, drum printer, daisy wheel and dot band matrix printer.
Non-Impact Printers
Laser & LED
Laser printers and LED printers employ the electrophotographic method used in copy machines. Both technologies are available from small desktop units to high-speed digital printing presses, ranging in speed from four to more than 700 ppm, and color units from three to 75 ppm. See laser printer, LED printer and electrophotographic.
Inkjet
Inkjets have become the most popular form of desktop personal printer, and all units print in color. Inkjets propel droplets of ink directly onto the paper. See inkjet printer.
IRIS
IRIS printers use inkjet technology, but are in a class by themselves. They achieve a perceived 1,800 dpi resolution and can print on fabric as well as paper. See IRIS printer.
Solid Ink
Solid ink printers use sticks of wax ink that are melted into a liquid. The ink is directed onto a drum, similar to a laser printer, and then transferred onto the paper to produce high-quality output. See solid ink printer.
Electron Beam Imaging
A technology somewhat similar to a laser printer, except that electricity is used to create the image instead of light. This evolved from ion deposition and is used in very high-speed page printers exceeding 800 ppm. See electron beam imaging.
Thermal Wax Transfer & Dye Sublimation
Dots of ink or dye are transferred from a ribbon onto paper by passing the ribbon and the paper across a line of heating elements. Thermal wax is used for bar code and other types of labels as well as medium-resolution graphics. Dye sublimation is used for photorealistic color output. See thermal wax transfer printer and dye sublimation printer.
Electrosensitive
A dot matrix printhead charges dots on aluminum-coated silver paper, usually in a serial fashion. The charge removes the coating, leaving a black image. See electrosensitive printer.
Direct Thermal
Used in bar code and other specialty printers as well as in earlier fax machines, dots are burned onto a type of coated paper that darkens when heat is applied to it. See direct thermal printer.
Electrostatic
Dots are charged onto a coated paper, typically a line at a time. A toner is attracted to the paper and made permanent by pressure or heat. See electrostatic plotter.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Canon, Epson add Wi-Fi to new multifunction printers
- Built-in wireless networking capability is slowly infiltrating the home printer market. At the end of last year, we highlighted a dirt-cheap monochrome laser, the Brother HL-2170W, and both Canon and Epson have recently announced a handful of new all-in-one inkjet printers that also feature built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. These four multifunction...
- Blog posts 2008-09-03
- Chrome's EULA is a cut 'n' paste showstopper
- Chrome's EULA is a cut 'n' paste showstopperHave you ever read MS EULA? In short...We can go into your machine and do what ever we want.If this is the case with the browser....how are they using your data in their cloud?Chrome's EULA is a cut 'n' paste showstopperI looked...
- Discussion threads 2008-09-03
- Simple Cover Printer (msi)
- Simple Cover Printer is an application for printing your covers. Can print multiple covers with just a click. Print covers for your DVD, and CD covers. It prints cutlines so you can easy cut your printings. This version is the first release on CNET Download.com.
- Software downloads 2008-09-03
- Updated: Recycled ink cartridges in your garden?
- UPDATED TO FIX BAD LINK AND REPLACE PHOTO Printer maker Lexmark is the first U.S. printer maker to ink (at least publicly and, yes, pun intended) a deal with Close the Loop, a recycling concern that has come up with a patented new use for discarded printing...
- Blog posts 2008-09-02
- MSD Organizer Freeware (zip)
- MSD Organizer Portable Freeware is a personal and professional information manager to be installed in Pen Drives, with the following modules: Calendar, Contacts, Alarms, Tasks and Cards. It also provides the following tools: backup and restore, word processor, spreadsheet, image viewer, calculator, and financial calculator. The program will allow you...
- Software downloads 2008-08-29
- PC Team POS (exe)
- Point Of Sale lets you configure your personal computer by adding the required hardware such as a docket printer, cash drawer, barcode scanner, and customer pole display, enter your stock details onto the system including tax and discount information, and then you start using it to process your daily sales,...
- Software downloads 2008-08-28
- Psystar countersues Apple for anticompetitive business practices
- Psystar countersues Apple for anticompetitive business practicesOh this is going to be goodApple is going to have a tough time wiggling out of this one and MS have a great opportunity, ad-wise, to strongly differentiate themselves, not that they had any difficulty with that in the first place, but keying...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-27
- SilverFast Ai Epson (Win) (exe)
- SilverFast Ai combines a very intuitive user interface with sophisticated and professional scanner and image controls. Beginners and professionals will appreciate the unique real-time controls and the intelligent automatic functions as well as the ability to manually adjust the image at any point. Predictable color from the SilverFast Ai...
- Software downloads 2008-08-27
- HP reincarnates old ink cartridges as key part for new printer
- HP reincarnates old ink cartridges as key part for new printerRecycling is the 2nd WORST thing you can do!You can't help but wonder how many millions of perfectly good, re-usable cartridges have been sacrificed at the alter of HP's "environmental mission". Recycling is the 2nd WORST thing you can do,...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-26
- Cortado Basic Print (zip)
- E-mails, calendar entries, contacts, tasks, memos - Cortado Basic Print puts text entries saved on your BlackBerry on paper quickly and easily. You don't even need an internet connection to do so. The text is sent via Bluetooth directly to a local Bluetooth-capable printer. Via an additional "Print" option in...
- Software downloads 2008-08-26
- MSD Organizer Portable (zip)
- MSD Organizer Portable is a personal and professional information manager to be installed in pen drives, with the following modules: calendar, contacts, alarms, tasks, cards, diary, property, budget, health and music. It is very easy to use and allows to personalize many features to fit your personal preferences. It allows...
- Software downloads 2008-08-26
- Maxtor Central Axis NAS server
- The Maxtor Central Axis carries a list price of $320, but can be found for as little as $270--a good deal for a network storage device with 1TB of storage. We liked the Central Axis' compact design, fast performance, and that its over-the-Internet access service was easy to set...
- Product reviews 2008-08-22
- Printer Spooler Fix Wizard (exe)
- Get rid of Printer Spooler error messages and fix spoolsv.exe service in one click so you can print again with this automated fix wizard. The program fixes all known modifications of Printer Spooler errors including 'Spooler SubSystem App stopped working and was closed' and spoolsv.exe service infection and corruption. Additionally,...
- Software downloads 2008-08-22
- XML Pretty Printer (exe)
- Allows you to easily display your XML in a cleaned-up fashion. XML files and/or text can be easily copied, loaded, or drag-and-dropped onto the icon or surface of the application and the text will be formatted to display cleanly and displayed in both a text and a tree display. From...
- Software downloads 2008-08-22
- Seinfeld to host the Microsoft Makeover
- Seinfeld to host the Microsoft MakeoverRE: Seinfeld to host the Microsoft MakeoverPersonally, never liked the comedy styling of Jerry Seinfeld. I'm not partial to the whining and other obvious childish renderings.But how apropos for Microsoft!!!!!!Annnnnnnd cue the ABMers.ACTION!!!!A PC perspective was done about a year ago"Do you need a lift...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-21
- Life without the Internet: Zapped off the grid
- Life without the Internet: Zapped off the grid...."[B]But - it does show that maybe we're a bit too dependent on our devices and that we can be a bit too caught up in the technology of the day.[/B]"That's part of the lesson and the rest of your post is dead...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-20
- Third party support, threat or menace?
- Third party support, threat or menace?Channels and ecosystems require relationships between partiesHey Dana, I think maybe you missed part of my point. If a company that doesn't do anything to help the project progress and only tries to make money from it while waiting for the developers to do the...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-20
- Kodak ESP 5 All-in-One - multifunction (color)
- The simplistic design, barebones editing software, and lack of features peg the $170 Kodak ESP5 as an entry level all-in-one printer. Unfortunately, you can do much better for the money; for example, the HP OfficeJet J6480 is meant for the home office, but still produces excellent quality photos and even...
- Product reviews 2008-08-19
- Surviving a lightning strike: Shock and awe
- Surviving a lightning strike: Shock and awe.....So what, you lost some electronics and doo dads. You and your's are alive, that's what is important. The electronics can be replaced, repaired and data recovered from back-ups I know you have them. The fact that you consider losing your electronics harmful is...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-18
- Question from a reader - What notebook/OS for college?
- Question from a reader - What notebook/OS for college?Check with the college to see what is their preference...If there isn't one then being as I'm from a Windows IT background that moved over to Mac I'd chose the Mac. If you do need Windows you can run Boot Camp, VMware,...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-15
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Sports and Technology
-
Major League Baseball pitches new app to iPhone users
At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Jeremy Schoenherr of MLB.com demos At-Bat, a new iPhone app from Major League Baseball.
View the ZDNet video to learn more -
The SF Giants' new hi-tech ballpark
SF Giants CIO Bill Schlough discusses new technology upgrades at AT&T Park and outlines his dual role- managing technology operations at the backend while using hi-tech to improve player performance on the field.
View the ZDNet CIO Vision Series video - From our Sponsors
- Fantasy Football
-
-
3 Great Ways To Play Fantasy Football
Play for free, play to win cash prizes- up to $3500, or customize your own league.
Learn More » -
